Experiential Learning

Make the most of your degree by participating in opportunities that apply classroom knowledge to the real-world. Get involved at UBC, gain work experience, and/or study abroad in Europe.

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Study and learn a language abroad

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Test possible career paths

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Build your professional network and resume

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Participate in local or international programs

Arts Co-op

Graduate with more than a degree and explore your career options with Arts Co-Op.

As an Arts Co-op student, you’ll gain 12 months of paid work experience and a network of professional contacts through a variety of opportunities in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. During the course of your degree, you’ll alternate between study terms and three paid, full-time work terms.

Arts Co-op partners with a diverse range of employers to provide transformative workplace learning experiences for your personal, academic, and professional growth while helping you prepare for your future career.

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90% of co-op graduates from Canadian schools receive job offers within one month after graduation

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Co-op graduates earn 12% higher starting salaries than non-co-op graduates

Manage your job search

Enhance your job search skills through extensive and specialized pre-employment training, including resume and cover letter writing, interview preparation, personalized career coaching, and ongoing workplace support.

Expand your skillset

Diversify your degree and stand out to employers by gaining transferable skills and experiences in a broad range of roles. Some professional skills that you can develop include:

  • Critical thinking and creative problem solving
  • Research, analysis and project management
  • Communications and writing
  • Digital media and technology
  • Leadership and teamwork

Go Global

Imagine studying Danish culture at the University of Copenhagen, or learning to speak Swedish at Uppsala University, reading Eastern European literature on the Baltic in Riga, or learning all about current German terms and catchphrases along the lakeside city of Konstanz? All of this and more is possible with UBC’s Go Global international learning programs.

Going global is recommended for CENES students that have completed their second-year requirements. Studying abroad allows students to explore their degrees from a different perspective, in another country, and gain access to courses and teachings beyond what is available at UBC. Students who study abroad get an edge in the workforce, as more industries value cross-cultural competencies and experience. Learn more about our partner universities for each of our language programs.

Safety Abroad

UBC has a responsibility to make sure everyone engages in safer travel practices and operates the Safety Abroad Program.

Anyone interested in studying abroad should consult Go Global’s Safety Abroad pages and examine Global Affairs Canada’s travel advisories for the countries to be visited. Some locations have specific advisories for, e.g., LGBTQ2* travellers.

Study Abroad in Eastern Europe

For those studying Modern European Studies, Russian, or Polish, we have compiled a list of recommended exchange destinations, as well as, study and work opportunities in Eastern Europe.

  • Witnessing Auschwitz: Our department offers the Global Seminar Witnessing Auschwitz on location at UBC and in Poland in collaboration with Go Global. For more details on the program, please contact its director, Dr. Bożena Karwowska.

Study Abroad in Germany

For those studying German, we have compiled a list of recommended exchange destinations, as well as study and work opportunities in Germany.

If you intend to earn credits for your German degree while you are studying abroad, please keep these points in mind:

Upper-level language requirements:

The upper-level language requirements for German at UBC include GERM 300, 310, 400, and 410. This sequence does not in any way correspond to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (A1, A2, etc.). Therefore, the German Program recommends that you seek out courses that closely correspond to the UBC course for which you want to earn credit. The easiest way to do this is to contact the instructor(s) teaching the respective course(s) and to request from them a course outline. For a full list of language courses for which you can earn credit while studying abroad, please visit the respective pages on the academic calendar.

Upper-level literature and culture requirements:

Transferring credit for literature and culture courses is a fairly straightforward process. Suppose, for example, that you want to find a course that can transfer as GERM 360: “Heaven and Earth: Studies in German Culture and Literature before 1700”. To transfer credits, you will need to complete a course on German Literature that has a pre-1700 focus. It must be taught in German at one of our partner universities. For a full list of literature and culture courses for which you can earn credit while studying abroad, please visit the respective page on the academic calendar.

For more questions, please contact the German Undergraduate Advisor.

In addition to Go Global’s exchange programs, there are additional opportunities for students to study and work abroad in Germany.

  • Canadian Year in Freiburg: A one-year exchange program with the University of Freiburg, administered by Acadia University. Take a full course load and receive UBC credits.
  • Canadian Summer School in Germany: A language program run by the University of Kassel, administered by St. Mary’s University. Take six UBC credits worth of language courses.
  • DAAD: The German Academic Exchange Service: The DAAD provides multiple scholarship and fellowship opportunities to those interested in gaining international academic and research experience in Germany.
  • Goethe Institutes in Germany: The Goethe Institutes in Germany offer language and contemporary German culture courses in various cities across the country.
  • PAD: The German Pedagogical Exchange Service: The PAD offers the opportunity to work as a teaching assistant at a German upper high school for one year. Please contact Dr. Caroline Rieger for more information.

Study Abroad in Nordic Europe

For those studying Danish or Swedish, we have compiled a list of recommended exchange destinations, as well as, study and work opportunities in Nordic Europe.

For more questions on selecting Nordic Studies courses, please connect with the Nordic Undergraduate Director.

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