Transforming global education
Through the OURS program, biological sciences student Alicia Urquidez studied bird preferences for feeders at different heights in the Online Bird Buddies project.
Fostering global awareness
Higher education is more accessible than ever before. From offering the largest selection of online programs at ASU to hosting global education experiences across six continents, The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences ensures learners are given meaningful opportunities to broaden their perspectives in an increasingly interconnected world.
The College is committed to transforming global education by creating more pathways for students to earn a degree while engaging in international study. These initiatives aim to cultivate a new generation of culturally aware leaders and wellrounded professionals prepared to thrive in a global society.
Immersive language learning
The School of International Letters and Cultures invites students to Alicante, Spain, for four weeks in the summer to strengthen their Spanish comprehension skills through cultural integration. By living and learning in a new environment, participants gain firsthand insight into the relationship between language and culture while becoming more globally attuned.
Lessons in leadership
Traveling to the heart of India, the School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership brings students to New Delhi and Rajasthan to engage with cultural, religious, political and economic leaders. They apply what they’ve learned to enhance their leadership skills through service projects with Barefoot College, an NGO that equips rural communities with tools and knowledge to become self-sufficient.
Conservation in action
Students dive deeper into reef and tropical forest conservation ecology while exploring the vast cultures of Australia and Fiji. Through the School of Life Sciences, participants learn how global warming, habitat use, invasive species and novel diseases endanger barrier reefs and tropical rainforests while understanding how these countries utilize and protect ecosystem services through a humanistic lens.
Digital approaches to traditional research methods
To support The College’s growing online community, a new way to participate in handson research experiences emerged. The Online Undergraduate Research Scholars (OURS) program was established in 2021 to offer high-quality research opportunities in the humanities, natural sciences and social sciences to online students at scale. These projects help students develop both technical expertise and valuable professional skills that will distinguish them in an increasingly competitive job market.
Since its launch, 892 students have participated in OURS across more than 35 groupbased research experiences. The recipient of the 2023 President’s Award for Innovation, OURS continues to broaden its offerings across disciplines to increase hands-on learning opportunities in a virtual setting.
Expanding online learning through new degree programs
The College currently offers more than 100 undergraduate degree programs and over 150 graduate degree programs, 79 of which are available online — the most of any college at ASU. The School of International Letters and Cultures is rapidly expanding its catalog, creating additional ways to explore the connections between language and culture.
Online students can currently take introductory courses in six languages, including German, Vietnamese and Portuguese. Recent additions include an online minor in Italian — the first of its kind when it was established in 2024 — and a master’s degree program in Spanish.
Expanded access to degree programs such as Spanish are meeting a growing demand in the workplace for workers who speak more than one language; a recent survey found that 43% of multilingual employees earned an additional $5,000 or more annually due to their Spanish-comprehension abilities.
Discoveries of international proportions
The Center for Evolution and Medicine is at the forefront of advances in medicine, bringing evolutionary insights to health and disease. A transdisciplinary network of 14 state-of-the-art laboratories and 15 world-class scientists draws on both the past and present to better address health issues in an increasingly urbanized world.
Researchers have traveled across the world to study the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health to build a healthier tomorrow. Field research on wild monkeys in Ethiopia provides context for the evolutionary and ecological origins of the human immune system. Meanwhile, communities in Bolivia offer valuable insights into human health and aging processes before modern-day influences. Through this work, the center provides hands-on learning experiences to graduate students while developing innovative, data-driven approaches to better combat global health concerns.
How you can engage with our efforts
Whether you are able to attend an event, donate to a cause close to your heart or share your own story, your support can help The College make global education more accessible and fuel world-class research in language, culture and society, critical thinking, scientific exploration and discovery.
Support students participating in research experiences by giving to the Online Undergraduate Research Scholars program at asufoundation.org/ours
Help the School of International Letters and Cultures continue expanding their language and cultural online offerings to engage the next generation of globallyinformed leaders at asufoundation.org/silc
Further the work at the Center for Evolution in Medicine and their efforts to address health-related issues for communities on a global scale at asufoundation.org/evmed
Invest in high-impact practices such as study abroad experiences for students to achieve academic, professional and personal success at asufoundation.org/futures.
OURS expands access to research by making high-impact, faculty-mentored experiences available remotely to online students regardless of location or background.”