Notre Dame was ranked fourth among doctorate-granting universities for undergraduate participation in study abroad programs by the Institute for International Education (IIE), according to a University press release.
IIE publishes an Open Doors report each year, which provides information on key facts and trends about students studying abroad around the world — both in the U.S. and foreign countries. According to the most recent ranking, which looked at the 2014-2015 academic school year, 64.2 percent of Notre Dame students studied abroad.
According to the report, 1,302 Notre Dame students studied abroad last year and 2,028 received undergraduate degrees. The report considers students taking courses abroad and those participating in non-credit educational experiences — such as volunteering and service learning — in the count, according to the IIE website.
Pepperdine University, American University and the University of Denver were ranked ahead of Notre Dame this year. Last year, the University ranked 10th.
The Notre Dame International office manages more than 50 semester-long study abroad programs in 26 different countries, according to the University press release.
“More important than the numbers is what this data represent: That more than six in 10 students are studying abroad at some point in their undergraduate career at Notre Dame,” Michael Pippenger, vice president and associate provost for internationalization, said in the release. “Study abroad experiences contribute to students becoming global citizens, enhancing their intellectual work and enriching our community when they return to campus.”
