Most of the programs offered are essentially interdisciplinary in character, at least to the extent of offering courses drawn from a number of disciplines. Except for the programs offered in English-speaking countries, all students are required to engage in some level of host country language study. In fact, ninety percent of programs participants choose to live with a family where a choice is given. The courses offered are designed, wherever feasible, to take advantage of the host country, with academically related field trips. The courses taken abroad are directly incorporated into the Northern degree curriculum with the credit hours generated being distributed to the campus departments involved.
Most programs have a resident director or someone in charge of student affairs.
This person provides on-site supervision of the academic program, housing placement, counseling services, student activities, student health problems, etc. In addition to an orientation handbook that includes valuable information about studying and living overseas, most of our programs offer an orientation session overseas. These sessions are organized to prepare students about housing, banking options, living in a different culture, do's and don'ts in a foreign setting, etc. An important component of most of NIU's semester programs are program-related excursions to sites of historic or cultural interest to provide students with an overview of the country in which they are studying . Field study trips integrate classroom teaching with studies in the field through, sometimes, weekly field study visits.