DESIGN & ARCHITECTURE

DESIGN & ARCHITECTURE

Through an international experience, students improve collaboration and communication skills, particularly in a cross-cultural environment. They build transferable skill sets in versatility, creativity, an increased sensitivity to societal contexts and awareness of ethical differences across cultures.

Subjects

KEI offers a wide range of subjects in architecture and design. Click on a subject area to view program locations that offer courses in that subject.

IN THE NEWS

How Studying Abroad Makes You A Better Leader by Shellie Karabell

Once upon a time, doing business abroad was unique: Berlitz and others published books on business etiquette for those venturing across the ocean, language books enabling you to order in a restaurant or to get you through a social encounter. And once upon a time, that was enough. Today, thanks to technology and the internet, the world is global. Business is global. Nearly three-fourths of all S&P 500 companies today report some kind of international revenue. Read more.


Study abroad: the career benefits by James Connington

There are skills to be gained from moving country and adjusting to a new teaching system. It’s also far easier to identify the skills you are lacking when you step outside your comfort zone – and going abroad to study is a fairly serious step. Read more.

Employability & Education Abroad

Education abroad has been shown to have significant impact on learning, academic performance, graduation, careers, and personality development. Below is a summary of results from notable studies on the impact of education abroad.

Careers, Salaries & Job Skills

97%

of study abroad students found employment within 12 months of graduation, when only 49% of college graduates found employment in the same period. (1) Among study abroad alumni, 90% landed a job within 6 months. (2, 11)

25%

higher starting salaries: that’s how much more study abroad students earn than those college graduates who do not study abroad.(1) This equates to approx. $7,000 annually for US students. (3)

90%

of study abroad alumni who applied got into their 1st or 2nd choice grad school. (1)

84%

of study abroad alumni felt their studies abroad helped them build valuable skills for the job market. (4) A second study confirms this at 85%. (9)

40%

of US businesses failed to expand due to a dearth of staff international experience. (13)

80%

of study abroad students reported that study abroad allowed them to better adapt to diverse work environments. (4)

70%

of study abroad alumni claimed that because of study abroad they were more satisfied with their jobs. (4)

59%

of employers said study abroad would be valuable in an individual’s career later on with their organization. (10)

34%

of study abroad alumni claimed that study abroad helped them choose their career field. (4)

19%

lower unemployment rates were found among study abroad alumni according to a British study. (4)
Graduation & Academic Performance

100%

greater improvement in GPA post-study abroad. Students who studied abroad saw their GPAs rise twice as quickly as their peers. (8)

19%

more likely to graduate: that describes how study abroad participants are more likely to graduate than non-participants. (5, 6, 7)
Personal Growth

97%

of study abroad alumni attributed study abroad to increased maturity. (12)

96%

of study abroad alumni claimed an increase in self-confidence attributed to study abroad. (12)

89%

of study abroad alumni reported that study abroad facilitated a greater tolerance for ambiguity. (12)
Resources
1 Benefits of Study Abroad
2 New Survey Shows College Graduates Who Study Abroad Land Career-Related Jobs Sooner, with Higher Starting Salaries
3 How Higher Education Affects Lifetime Salary
4 AIFS Study Abroad Outcomes
5 UC San Diego Study: 2011 EAP and OAP Retention, Graduation, and Time-to-Degree Combined
6 Go Abroad and Graduate On-Time: Study Abroad Participation, Degree Completion, and Time-to-Degree
7 The Effect of Study Abroad on College Completion in a State University System
8 Academic Outcomes of Study Abroad
9 The Impact of Studying Abroad on Recent College Graduates’ Careers
 10 Employers Value Candidates Who Study Abroad
11 Mobile Students More Likely to Have a Job
12 How More Study Abroad Programmes Could Benefit Society
13 Paul Simon Study Abroad Act Back on Legislative Cards