Learning Opportunities Beyond the Classroom

Study Abroad Programs

Biola's study abroad programs will take you beyond the classroom — and in fact, beyond Southern California — and help you experience new cultures, communities and people. During your time at Biola, you can study in countries like New Zealand, South Korea, England and more, all while earning credits toward your degree. 

Explore Study Abroad Programs

Internship Courses

Many college students wonder, "What will I do once I graduate? A liberal arts education opens you up to limitless career possibilities, and we know that can be challenging to navigate. That’s why we’ve developed elective internship courses across our various programs to help you explore potential career opportunities.

Here’s a quick look at the available internship courses, which are all designed to help you develop specific skills, competencies and points of view needed by professionals in your field of interest:

• English (ENGL 490 - English Practicum)
  Practical experience in English teaching, editing, and/or research at the college level.
• History (HIST 488 - Internship)
  Designed for 'public history' experience such as historical preservation, archival research, work in museums, etc., as well as other work-related experience that fits into your planned career track.
• Philosophy (PHIL 490 - Directed Research)
  Directed research in philosophical topics and/or problems.
• Political Science (POSC 490 - Internship)
  In-service training and internship experience in various government and non-government agencies and organizations.
• Spanish (SPAN 485 - Internship)
  Internship in an approved Spanish-speaking institution or setting related to the intended service area of the student.

 

Professional Development Courses

Your liberal arts education is exceptionally valuable in its own right, shaping you in mind and character to flourish and fly as a well-rounded child of God. In addition, a liberal arts education will help you hone marketable skills that employers dearly want: oral and written communication, critical thinking, problem solving, analysis, teamwork, leadership, and the like. But how to translate that potential into a job? Here are ways we come alongside you to help.

• Professional Development 1 (cross-listed for all Humanities and Social Sciences majors)
  This elective course will help you:
  • Match personal aptitudes and interests with potential vocations
  • Identify skills honed in their major that are widely desired by employers
  • Develop their professional network methodically
  • Employ a range of internship/job search tools
  • Construct a professional narrative
  • Organize evidence of achievement with ePortfolios
  • Tailor resumes to internship/job opportunities
  • Prepare effectively for interviews
  • Integrate skills and values consciously in the professional setting
  • Assess personal performance, evaluate the professional experience, and identify next steps for vocational advancement
  • Translate internships into jobs
  • Answer the perennial question: “What are you going to do with that degree?”
• Professional Development 2 (cross-listed for all Humanities and Social Sciences majors)
  This elective course pairs you with accomplished alumni from a range of disciplines to:
  • Hear alumni stories and counsel for success
  • Build professional networks
  • Work on over a dozen real-world projects from a wide variety of industries
  • Prepare for job interviews where students can say, “These are the skills I bring to the table, and here is how I used those skills in Company X, Y, and Z to achieve measurable results.”