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KIIS Courses

You may develop new/original special topics courses, use existing KIIS courses, or adapt a course you currently teach to a new location.

Review your desired KIIS program page and itinerary to develop an understanding of the program details and possible excursion sites. KIIS programs typically return to the same cities each year, but excursions may change from year to year depending on course offerings.

Contact John Dizgun or Maria Canning for questions about your course proposals.

Academics

KIIS takes pride in its high academic standards. We regard international education as a meaningful intellectual and pedagogical exercise. We encourage a Place-As-Text approach, which inserts students into social environments and fosters close observation of the local culture. Your course proposals should showcase the advantages to teaching your proposed courses at the particular KIIS program site. 

See “Conceptualizing Your Course” for more information. 

  • Summer Programs: All student participants must register for at least one course for academic credit though most Summer participants choose two (the program fee is the same).
  • Winter Programs and Two Week-Summer Programs: Participants take one course.

Each KIIS course is 3 credit hours (unless noted) and requires a minimum of 37.5 academic contact hours.

KIIS course credit is issued by Western Kentucky University (WKU), our Sponsoring Institution, and is transferred back to students’ home institutions. Each institution then determines its own transfer equivalencies.

See our Preparing Your Syllabus page for more information. 

Credentialing

You must be credentialed in the academic discipline of your proposed course. This means you must:

  • Hold a doctoral or terminal degree in the discipline OR
  • In certain cases, hold a master’s degree or have a minimum of 18 graduate hours in the discipline.
  • Additional justification may be needed to show qualifications to teach a particular course.

As part of your online KIIS application, you will be asked to submit a copy of your CV, and your Department Head or Supervisor will be asked to provide electronic evaluation. Before applying, speak to your academic supervisor about your plans to teach abroad with KIIS and your proposed course ideas. 

KIIS acceptance notifications are sent approximately six weeks after the faculty application deadline. Upon acceptance, you will be required to submit an official Doctoral and/or Master’s e-transcript to Haley McTaggart. KIIS credentials all accepted faculty with WKU Academic Affairs.

Course Levels

Special Topics or Course offerings at the 200, 300 and 400 level tend to be most popular though we do offer a few 100 level courses.

The majority of KIIS courses are geared toward undergraduate students. If you are credentialed to teach graduate courses, you may accommodate graduate students in your courses. Contact Maria Canning if interested in offering graduate credit for your course(s).

Course Descriptions

As part of your KIIS application, you will submit a course title and two descriptions

1. one full description, 75-150 words
2. an abbreviated 30-50 word version, for use on the KIIS website

You do not need to create a syllabus for your course(s) until after you have received notification of acceptance to teach on a KIIS program.

Visit our Preparing Your Syllabus page for more information.

Classrooms Abroad & Internet Usage

Classroom space varies by program. Some may include your typical classroom setting with a screen and projector. On other programs, you may be teaching your courses in hotel breakfast rooms or cafes. Much of the academic learning also occurs by way of excursions where you are teaching on-site in museums, at historical sites, etc.  

Internet and/or WiFi speed or availability may not be as high of quality abroad. With your course content and assignments, anticipate that you and your students may not have Internet access everyday.

Student Recruitment

You are expected to recruit at least 6 students for your courses or for your KIIS program though many faculty recruit more students. You and the other faculty on your KIIS program work collaboratively to recruit students for each other’s classes.

Visit our Recruiting page for more information.

Recruiting Guides & Tips

New KIIS Programs

Contact KIIS Executive Director, Dr. John Dizgun, for questions about proposing and directing a new KIIS program.

“One of the greatest aspects of teaching abroad is the close connection one makes with the specific location. The classroom extends outside the walls and into the location and its surroundings, and on-site teaching adds an unmatched dimension to the lessons learned from students.”

– Michael Baker, University of Kentucky Music Professor, KIIS Salzburg Faculty

Teach Abroad With KIIS

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