Education Abroad Program Director Resources

Research, decide, and plan a program 

Ready to get started? Fill out an interest form to get connected with the Education Abroad Coordinator!

Who can propose a program:

Missouri State full-time tenure-track or non-tenure track faculty members may propose Education Abroad programs.

Per course instructors may apply as co-directors with a Missouri State full-time tenure-track or non-tenure track faculty who has primary fiscal responsibility for the program. 

Missouri State staff may lead programs but will be subject to the 12 Month Employee stipulation listed in the policy library.

Note:  first-time program directors are required to work with a Program Providers and Group Travel Services

When to submit your proposal: 

Participation at the Education Abroad Fair will be first come first serve. To secure your spot at the fair, submit your proposal early!

We highly recommend planning your program at least one year in advance of traveling, and we encourage you to consider submitting your proposal early. This allows you time to build an effective program and recruit students. It also allows students the time to get their passport, apply for additional scholarships, and save up for the program costs. We don’t want to see your program fail to recruit enough students because there wasn’t sufficient time! 

Get a better understanding of how it works:

Review the following resources to ensure you feel confident about planning your program:

• Education Abroad Quick Start Guide, which provides a general overview of each phase of the process. 
• The Program Planning Workshop guides you through the planning and proposal phases of the process. We offer this event multiple times thruoghout the year. Keep an eye out for the next event!
  
• The Handbook for Faculty-Directed Education Abroad Programs.
• The Education Abroad Policy Resources Page contains important university policies that apply to Education Abroad programs.  

Speak with Education Abroad:

For all non-COB faculty members, the Education Abroad Coordinator, Morgan Marler, is your point of contact as you build your program. Working with her early in the process can ensure that your program is built in a way that works for you and your students! If you are a College of Business faculty member, please work with Mary Tomerlin, Director of International Business Programs.

Consider applying to be an Education Abroad Faculty Fellow:

Education Abroad selects a cohort of Education Abroad Faculty Fellows annually. This group attends several workshops and is able to travel on a culminating experience. Applications open in the fall and the cohort is selected before winter break. Read more about the Education Abroad Faculty Fellows program. 

 

 

Phase 2: Program Proposal and Budget Worksheet 

When you have determined where you will lead your program you can begin to fill out the Program Proposal and Budget Worksheet documents. The Education Abroad Coordinator will be happy to answer any questions or give guidance on the documents. 

Submit your completed proposal and budget worksheet to the Education Abroad Coordinator, Morgan Marler by the stated deadline. After reviewing, Morgan will submit the proposal and budget worksheet to your Department Head/School Director and Dean for approval.

College of Business faculty? Submit your proposal to the Director of International Business Programs, Mary Tomerlin.

Use the Compensation formula and Policy for Faculty-Directed Programs to better understand the total number of students you need to recruit.

  

The first step of recruitment is building a program that students will want to participate on. The next is to strategically promote your program.  

Here are some marketing tips and tricks from Education Abroad. 

• Consider what this generation of students value and highlight aspects of your program that they will love. Place ads where they will be most likely to see them.  
  

• Work from the inside out – start with your students and your department, attend the Education Abroad Fair, then connect with similar fields, and student organizations. Once that pool has been exhausted, work to widen your lens: tabling, sending out marketing emails, informational sessions, etc. 

• Finances are perhaps the greatest barrier for students. If you can’t decrease the cost, then give students the time to apply for scholarships and grant opportunities. Plan and recruit early!  

• Education Abroad is happy to assist with social media, email marketing, and classroom presentations. Let us know how we can assist you.

• Most successful programs offer between 5-7 course options to students. Extend your recruitment pool by finding courses outside of your home department but still within similar fields. Consider adding IDS 297/397 and/or UHC 350.

Note: Education Abroad will provide you with a unique flier for your program after the program has been approved. 
 

 

 

Sign in here to gain access to the final 3 phases 

 

1. The Education Abroad Program Planning Workshop would be a great resource for any faculty looking to get started. Check back for upcoming events in Fall 2025!  
   
   
2. The Handbook for Education Abroad Faculty Directed Programs is an in-depth resource to answer all your questions.  
   
   
3. Meeting with Morgan can help get your questions answered and give you a better idea of best practices based on the program you have in mind.  
   
   
4. Consider applying to be an Education Abroad Faculty Fellow! Faculty Fellows go through a semester of workshops to prepare their program and learn about the process, get one on one time with the Education Abroad Coordinator, and get the opportunity to take part in a 5-day program in another country to see what it’s like for students! Apply in the fall for a spring cohort.  
   
   
5. Professional international education organizations like The Forum on Education Abroad and the NAFSA: Association of International Educators both provide fantastic resources. For recommendations on specific books and articles, contact Morgan Marler in the Education Abroad Office.  

After you’ve done the work to plan your program, fill out a proposal document and a budget worksheet and submit it to the Education Abroad Coordinator, Morgan Marler. She will gather the appropriate approvals from your Department and College.  

The Missouri State University Education Abroad Faculty Fellows program aims to support faculty in developing, implementing, and executing faculty directed education abroad programs with interactive workshop designed to connect Fellows with education abroad resources and enable faculty to apply their expertise to program design. The Education Abroad Faculty Fellows Program will empower Fellows to create education abroad experiences that promote cultural immersion and engaged learning. A call for applications will be announced in Fall of 2025 and the 2026 cohort will be chosen by December.  

We recommend faculty consider working with a Custom Program Provider who can manage travel details so you can focus on your academic work. Can’t find a suitable program provider for your needs? Contact Morgan Marler for support in finding other options! 

First time program directors are required to work with a program provider or to plan their program with a co-director. After you have led one program, it is up to your discretion whether you would like to plan the program independently or with the support of a custom program provider.  

The Education Abroad Fair is our office’s largest event of the year. Each year we see hundreds of students pass through and check out the opportunities for study abroad at Missouri State. We reserve about half of our tables for faculty program directors. This event is a great opportunity for you to promote your program and recruit students. Participation is granted first come, first serve, so submit your proposal early to make the list! 

Faculty compensation is generated by the tuition students pay for the courses they enroll in. Although Education Abroad builds the courses and pays a faculty member’s salary and benefits, their course is counted toward their college’s credit hour production. Read more about our faculty compensation formula here.  

The Office of Education Abroad Faculty-Directed programs are academic programs and, like their counterparts on campus, support the learning outcomes of student participants. Per the Op3.04-39 Registration Policy, “individuals intending to participate in a class are not permitted to attend unless they are registered in that class.” Therefore, any person who travels on an Education Abroad program must be enrolled in that class, except for a community band or chorale member or an accommodation assistant. Any person who is not currently an MSU student, a band or chorale member or an approved faculty or staff ambassador is required to enroll as a Visiting Student. For more information, please see the Guidelines for Participants on MSU Faculty-Directed Programs or ask the Education Abroad Coordinator (for non-COB) or The International Business Programs Director (for COB).

As a twelve-month employee you are still able to lead a program, but based on the Remunerated Outside Activities policy in the Faculty Handbook (Page 79), they will be required to take vacation time to be compensated for the program.

Per-course instructors may apply as co-directors with a Missouri State full-time tenure track or non-tenure track faculty who would have fiscal responsibility for the program. Per-course instructors may not lead a program on their own. For more information, contact Morgan Marler in the Education Abroad Office.  

A broad overview of the responsibilities of a program director is covered in the Quick Start Guide but a more in-depth look at the roles and responsibilities are explored on pages 5-7 of the Handbook for Faculty-Directed Education Abroad Programs. To receive a copy of the handbook, submit an intake form and you will receive a welcome packet from the Education Abroad Coordinator.  

“Restricted Travel Area” is defined as any location for which: 

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has issued a level 3 or level 4 Travel Advisory, 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Warning Level 3, 

Or, Missouri State University has restricted travel. 

Faculty wishing to lead programs or engage in university-affiliated travel in a location considered a Restricted Travel Area must petition the Office of Education Abroad to request special approval. Students and Education Abroad Program Directors must discuss with the Education Abroad Director their intended plans and initiate the petition process. Read more about petitioning to lead a program to a Restricted Travel Area.  

Education Abroad builds all courses that students will enroll in as part of their Education Abroad experiences. Courses for your program will not be open for student enrollment until after the application deadline has passed and the participants have been billed the program fee. Education Abroad will guide you on when students can expect to get registration instructions.