Roanoke College is set in a great college town alongside a vibrant city and over five hundred square kilometers of outdoor adventure among state forests and mountainsides only minutes from campus.

Here at Roanoke College, we emphasize small class sizes handled by expert faculty with the time to personally guide student success. Roanoke offers a wide range of fields and our students have many firsthand learning opportunities, including internships, independent research, and service learning.

A small town, a small campus, in a small valley amid small-ish mountains exudes a friendly, welcoming environment. Student organizations exist for every interest and activism, including outdoor adventures (backpacking, caving, kayaking, biking) and fine arts.

HOUSING

All rooms are equipped with a bed, closet, dresser, desk, and chair. Students may purchase a linen pack after arrival if they wish. This includes a sheet set, a pillow, and a handmade bed quilt. Each residence hall has a communal kitchen, a social area with a TV and DVD player, and a study room. All residence halls are non-smoking.

Students will be assigned to rooms with 1 or 2 roommates, depending on the room type. We like to house exchange students in the Global Village in Chalmers Hall which pairs international students with American students. This placement is subject to room availability. If an exchange student does not want to stay in the Global Village, that is certainly allowed, just please let us know in advance.

ISEP students may remain in their residence hall rooms at no charge throughout Fall and Spring breaks. We strongly recommend that students make alternative plans for the period between Christmas and New Year, as all campus offices are closed and benefits will not be provided. We provide no guaranteed housing during the summer break.

MEALS

Students receive a stipend during the Fall, Thanksgiving, and Spring breaks when the dining hall is closed. Students should provide bank account information to the Office of International Education if they have opened an account at a local bank in order to have the stipend deposited. No stipend is provided during the winter break between fall and spring terms.

Program Website

Course Description

Roanoke College is one of the nation's best institutions for undergraduate education, according to the 2022 Princeton Review, particularly for Business, Computer Science, History, and Psychology Majors. Some of the unique fields of study at Roanoke include Disability Studies, Cannabis Studies, and Screen Studies, as well as their Environmental Science coursework that offers ample fieldwork opportunities. All courses available to ISEP students are taught in English and are at the undergraduate level.

Students are encouraged to get involved outside the classroom through civic engagement and Service Organizations like Habitat for Humanity and Rotaract. Roanoke is also known for their undergraduate research opportunities through their Pathways Program. Speak with your host coordinator upon arrival to get you on track!

Credits Earned

Roanoke has its own unique crediting system – Roanoke Unit 

3 credits = 1 Unit

12 credit hours = 4 units

Four or five units is the normal expected course load of a full-time student per semester. 

 

Regular Block Schedule examples 

Students who complete the program in good standing can expect to earn 4-5 Roanoke Units, which equals 12-15 US Credits. Students typically enroll in 4-5 units (courses) per term. A term runs for about 15 weeks. To determine how these credits convert at your home institution, please contact your home university coordinator. 

If you use financial assistance, please speak with your home coordinator to understand your academic obligations and the requirements for using financial assistance.  

Sample Classes Available:

Business 

Psychology 

Biology 

Foreign Languages and Literatures 

History 

Global Management 

Quantitative Methods in Psychology 

Immunology 

Spanish Civilization and its Plural Nationalities 

Archeology of Slavery 

Marketing Research 

Cross-Cultural Psychology 

Advanced Genetics 

Intermediate Spanish; Intermediate French 

Black Political Thought in Africa and African Diaspora 

Business Analytics 

Interpersonal Relationships 

Aquatic Ecology 

Spanish for Business 

Issues in Early America 

e-Business 

Developmental Disabilities 

Animal Behavior 

Studies in French Translation 

Issues in Public History 

Integrated Marketing Communications 

Human Memory 

Developmental Biology 

The French Poetic Tradition 

East Asian History in Film

 

For detailed instructions on how to search for all available courses, please click on the "other academic conditions" dropdown link below.  

Website for Course Availability

ISEP STUDENT SERVICES OFFICER Olivia Cordero 703-504-9980 | Ocordero@isep.org Thank you for your interest in ISEP Study Abroad! I’m your Student Services Officer and main point of contact here at ISEP. As you search for programs, I’ll be available to answer any questions you might have. Feel free to contact me at any point in your search process for help, tips or advice.

Roanoke College

Roanoke College is a private, independent, coeducational, four-year liberal arts college with approximately 1,800 students from 41 states and 45 foreign countries. Roanoke’s teaching faculty of 140 dedicated scholars prioritizes...

Academics

Undergraduate
(in English)

Fields of Study

  • Area Studies:

    African Studies African-American Studies Asian Studies Gay/Lesbian Studies Latin American and Caribbean Studies Latin American Studies Near and Middle Eastern Studies Women’s Studies

  • Biology:

    Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Neuroscience

  • Business: Recommended!

    Accounting Actuarial Science Business Management Economics Finance International Business/Trade/Commerce Marketing

  • Communication

    Publishing

  • Computer and Information Sciences

    Informatics

  • Education:

    Elementary Education Physical Education Teaching and Coaching Secondary Education

  • Engineering

  • English Language and Literature

  • Foreign Languages and Literatures: Recommended!

    Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics French Language and Literature German Language and Literature Spanish Language and Literature

  • Health Sciences

    Public Health

  • History: Recommended!

    Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies and Archaeology Ancient Studies/Civilizations Medieval and Renaissance Studies

  • Human Services

  • International/Global Studies:

    International Relations and Affairs Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution

  • Law/Criminal Justice

    Criminology

  • Mathematics

    Statistics

  • Natural Resources/Conservation

    Environmental Science

  • Philosophy and Religious Studies:

    Philosophy Religious Studies Theological Studies

  • Physical Sciences:

    Chemistry Physics

  • Psychology Recommended!

  • Social Sciences:

    Anthropology Human Development and Family Studies Political Science and Government Sociology

  • Sports Studies:

    Kinesiology and Exercise Science Sport and Fitness Management

  • Visual and Performing Arts:

    Acting Art History Art Studies Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management Drama and Theatre Arts Film Studies Studio Arts

Academic Requirements

  • TOEFL iBT Score: 79
  • Institutional TOEFL Score: 550
  • IELTS Score: 6
  • Duolingo Total: 110
  • Duolingo Production: 100
  • LPR accepted as alternate to TOEFL or IELTS
  • LPR accepted as alternate to TOEFL or IELTS for the following countries: Austria Belgium Botswana Switzerland Fiji Ghana Iceland Malta Netherlands South Africa
  • LPR accepted as alternate to TOEFL or IELTS for the following universities: American University of Sharjah American University in Bulgaria
LPR = ISEP Language Proficiency Report

Special Application Instructions

Course Prerequisite

For all areas of study, some courses may have prerequisites that must be completed prior to enrollment in a course.  

When using the course search tool, you will be able to see the prerequisites, the campus of instruction, and the offered semester are listed below the course description for every course. For any additional questions, please reach out to your ISEP Student Services Officer.

Portfolio Requirements 

Some programs in the visual & performing arts fields (i.e., studio art, dance, music performance, etc.) may require a portfolio in addition to your ISEP application. For specific information, please reach out to your ISEP Student Services Officer.

Language requirements

A for-credit ESL course is offered in fall term for students who score between 520 and 550 on the TOEFL or who need additional English language instruction to be successful in their academic work at Roanoke College. This course is included in ISEP benefits. This course is only offered if Roanoke College can meet the minimum enrollment requirements for it. It is not guaranteed this will be available each Fall semester.

TOEFL iBT Score of 68-78 will be considered on a limited basis with a strong essay and letters or recommendation attached.

Internal Application

Students will be expected to submit a supplemental application which is required of the host institution for the purpose of admission and enrollment. After acceptance into your ISEP program at Roanoke, your host coordinator will sent you a non-degree-seeking application to be completed by both you and your home institution in order to get your information into the host's system.

This does not hinder or change your acceptance into the program in any way but is the best way to get your information into the Roanoke College system post-acceptance. Further instructions will be sent by the ISEP Host Coordinator by email after placement.  

Accommodations Needs 

Roanoke College has certain services available to students with reasonable accommodation requests. In general, mobility, visual, hearing, speech, mental health, and learning accommodations can be arranged. Students should speak with their ISEP Student Services Officer in advance to request if specific accommodations can be arranged. 

Special Needs Support

  • Mental Health
  • Mobility
  • Hearing
  • Visual
  • Speech
  • Learning

Other Academic Conditions

Academics:

How to search for Courses:

Go to the Roanoke College Academic Catalog page.

Select the catalog for the academic year you will be studying abroad and select “Explore Courses” 

Ensure the academic level is set to undergraduate 

For the subject code information, go back to the Academic Catalog home page and select “Course Offerings” in the side column.  

 

When you select a subject, it will reopen the “explore courses” with that field of study set as the filter.  

Academic limitations:

A small number of courses will have additional material fees (i.e., art materials, etc.) or will have additional charges (i.e., independent music courses, etc.) attached to them. Please contact your Student Services Officer to inquire about potential additional fees attached to courses.

Academic Calendar

Fall Semester: August through December

Courses Begin: Late August

Courses End: Early-December

Exams: Mid-December

Spring Semester: January through April/May

Courses Begin: Early-January

Courses End: Late-April

Exams: Late-April or Early-May

Departure Notes

Students are responsible for staying until the end of the semester and may not leave before the final date of their semester exams. Neither ISEP nor KU can guarantee an early departure; leaving early may result in a failing exam grade and/or forfeit of credit.  

PASSPORT: All students must have a valid passport to participate in this program. If you do not have a valid passport, we suggest you start the application process as soon as possible.

VISA: All non-U.S. citizens will be required to obtain a visa. For more information on the process and estimated cost, please review the ISEP Country Handbook here.

Semester & Prices (based on your filters)

Select a semester to calculate the price. Semesters are named according to host university's calendar.


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Roanoke College

Salem, Virginia , United States

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