Earn an ALE credit abroad

All education abroad experiences may fulfill the Active Learning Experience (ALE) curriculum requirement but will not automatically be counted as such.

For each specific type of education abroad program, certain procedures must be followed to ensure that the ALE requirements are met, specifically that sustained reflection and synthesis of the international learning experience are demonstrated (more information on a Berea’s ALE requirement).

General Guidelines

Students participating in BIST programs will earn an ALE by successfully completing their BIST course.

For all other education abroad programs, students may fulfill the ALE requirement as follows:

Prior to departure, request permission from the Education Abroad Advisor by e-mail.
While abroad, maintain a reflection journal - this must be a physical written (NOT online) journal.

For shorter programs (2 weeks or less), students will need to write 5 entries per week (5 out of 7 days).
For programs that are 3 to 6 weeks long, students will need to write 4 entries per week (4 out of 7 days).
For programs longer than 6 weeks, students will need to write at least 2 journal entries a week (2 out of 7 days).

The journal must be reflective and not a mere recounting of each day's schedule and activities.
At the end of the program, write an elaborate and thorough final entry (of at least 1,200 words) that synthesizes your daily reflections.

Please do not submit your journal without this final entry inside of it (you can write it inside or type, print and place it inside).

Upon returning to campus, submit the journal and sustained reflection to the Education Abroad Adviser by the appropriate deadline:

31 August for spring semester and summer programs
31 January for fall semester and summer programs

The Director of International Education will then review the journal as they serve as the teacher of record for the ALE portion of the education abroad program. If the journal is deemed sufficient, the Director will notify the Office of the Registrar that the student’s ALE requirement has been fulfilled.

Questions? Email abroad@berea.edu.