Summer: 3 weeks (early to late May)

NOTE: Not running in 2008; please continue to check this Web site for 2009 updates

Sponsored by the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Arranged through the Office of Study Abroad (OSA)

What's this program about?

Especially for majors in the sciences, business, engineering, and law and policy!

Globalization, harmonization, Codex, food safety, biotechnology, and nutrition are major food law issues. To be competitive in the 21st century, food companies must understand international food law or risk costly mistakes or even exclusion from the global marketplace.

As a participant in the “International Food Laws” program, you will become familiar with relevant U.S. and European Union legislation and explore how the World Health Organization (WHO), and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) promote food safety. You will observe how multinational corporations function within their regulatory environment and interact with faculty and classmates to develop a global perspective on regulation of the food supply.

You will learn:

• The primary U.S. food laws and regulations
• The major EU food laws and regulations and how these compare with their U.S. counterparts
• How international trade is affected by policy and legislation
• How multinational corporations function within a global market

You will visit:

• WHO and WTO headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland
• EFSA in Parma, Italy
• FAO headquarters, Rome, Italy
• European headquarters of multinational corporations
• Plus, historical and cultural sites in London, Paris, Geneva, Florence, and Rome

You will meet and interact with:

• Researchers
• Lawyers
• High-ranking officials from the UK, EU, WHO, WTO, EFSA, and FAO
• Industry leaders

From this program you will develop:

• An understanding of the complexity of regulating a global food market
• A portfolio of professional contacts and reference materials
• Professional and interpersonal skills
• An appreciation of the history and culture of the countries visited

Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to combine the most exciting educational experience of your college career with visits to places most people only dream about!

What can I study?

Students from all academic majors and other universities are encouraged to participate.

Students will be required to enroll in a minimum of three (3)* semester credits from the following courses:

*Students requiring additional credits must contact the faculty leaders prior to enrollment.

Students in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition may be eligible to substitute this program for FSC 421 - Food Laws and Regulations (3 credits). Arrangements must be made with an academic adviser upon enrollment.

Graduate credit may also be available.

What are the requirements?

All participants must be of at least junior status and in good academic standing, with a grade point average of at least 2.5 at the time of application. Meeting this minimum grade point average does not, however, guarantee admission. (Highly-qualified sophomores will also be considered).

Students should have had one course in Food Science (or a closely related area) or relevant work experience, and may be asked to participate in a selection interview.

Applicants’ participation may be denied or their participation approval may be revoked if their conduct before departure raises doubts as to their suitability for program participation.

Where will I live?

Accommodations will be primarily in tourist-class hotels.

Who can tell me more about this program?

Rhonda Crackel
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition
106D Trout FSHN
Phone: (517) 355-8474 ext. 180

Do I need a passport or visa?

U.S. and non-U.S. citizens need a valid passport both to enter other countries and to return to the United States. If you already have a passport, make sure it is valid until at least six months after your return date. If you must apply for or renew a passport, APPLY EARLY, since a minimum of six to eight weeks are usually required for processing. During peak travel seasons, more processing time is required. Passport forms are available at many federal and state courts, probate courts, some county/municipal offices and some post offices. They can also be downloaded from the Web.

For more information about passports visit the web page.

A visa is official permission granted by the authorities of a country where you will study or travel that allows you to enter and remain in that country for a specific purpose. The visa itself is frequently a stamp in your passport, not a separate document. You will need a passport before applying for a visa and the passport plus visa process may take several months, so start early. It is your responsibility to inquire about visa requirements for all countries you plan to visit while abroad; this includes countries that you plan to visit before or after your study abroad program.

For more information about visas visit the web page.

Are there special health issues?

As part of your acceptance you will complete a Student Health/Emergency Treatment Authorization. It is your responsibility to ensure that your routine immunizations are up-to-date; inquire whether there are recommended and/or required immunizations or medications for the country/countries you will visit (including any countries you will visit that are not part of the study abroad program’s itinerary); and review educational issues relevant to your personal health and safety.

See the "Health Issues" section of the Student Handbook for further health information and recommendations.

How much does it cost?

The program fee in 2007 was $3,113 and included the following:

• application fee ($100)
• deposit ($200)
• pre-departure orientation
• accommodations with breakfast
• a few lunches and dinners
• coursepack of materials
• ground transportation
• accident and sickness insurance
• field trips

Amounts not included in the program fee for which participants will need to budget include:

• MSU tuition and fees*
• airfare
• additional meals
• books and supplies
• passport application fee ($100)
• visa application fees (if applicable)
• pre-departure doctor visits
• pre-departure immunizations (if applicable)
• personal spending money

Students may request a cost sheet which estimates these additional expenses not included in the program fee by contacting the Office of Study Abroad at (517) 353-8920.

Approximately two months before the program’s departure date, students will receive an e-bill from the MSU Student Accounts Office for the study abroad program fee. Students will also be e-billed for tuition and fees, based on the number of credits taken, once they have enrolled in courses. (Both amounts may be billed at the same time.)

NOTE: All CANR majors are eligible to receive a scholarship from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. See Rhonda Crackel for details.

*Check Student Accounts for current tuition, fees and taxes. MSU students pay the same amount they would pay to study at MSU; non-MSU students pay the Lifelong Education rate, regardless of state of residence.

Program fees, dates, and arrangements may be subject to change due to unexpected circumstances.

How can I get help to pay for it?

Financial assistance is available to students who make appropriate arrangements with the Office of Study Abroad (OSA) and MSU’s Office of Financial Aid.

If you are an MSU student and indicate on your application that you plan to use financial aid to pay for your study abroad experience, OSA will forward an estimated cost sheet to the MSU Office of Financial Aid for processing. This form will include all anticipated costs associated with the program, including airfare.

If you are a non-MSU student, please request financial aid from your home university. If your university is unable to award you financial aid, contact the MSU Office of Study Abroad to apply for loans only and you will be provided with instructions on how to proceed.

For further information about financial aid, visit the Web page.

Additionally, MSU students applying to any credit-bearing study abroad program are eligible for OSA Scholarships. Some scholarships are based exclusively on academic performance; others are based on a combination of academic performance and financial need. Requirements are listed in the scholarship application. The deadlines to apply for these scholarships are February 1st for spring break programs, March 1st for summer, academic year and fall semester programs, and October 15th for winter break and spring semester programs.

A generous endowment from the MSU Federal Credit Union, as well as additional resources provided through the Forest Akers Endowment, MSU Alumni Association, the Australia-Pacific Council, Eleanor and Charles Greenleaf Sr., Brigitte and Thomas Huff, the Georges Jules Joyaux Memorial Fund, the Kellogg Foundation, Charles and Marjorie Gliozzo, and contributors to the Overseas Study Endowment provide funding for these OSA scholarships.

The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources also offers its students special study abroad scholarships. Check with Rhonda Crackel for further details.

How do I apply?

You can apply online or download an application form.

Applications must be received in the Office of Study Abroad by March 1st for summer programs. We strongly recommend that you apply early as this program may fill to capacity prior to this deadline.

Selection of applicants is done on a rolling admission basis - that is, applications are accepted and students are evaluated and considered for admission throughout the academic year. Please remember that applying early and meeting the minimum eligibility requirements does not guarantee admission.

A $100 application fee is required. Students will receive an e-bill for the application fee that is applied to the cost of the program and is non-refundable once a student has accepted admission into the program. Students who have accepted admission may also be billed for a non-refundable and non-transferable $200 deposit, also applied to the cost of the program.

Students who wish to withdraw their application are required to notify the Office of Study Abroad, in writing, that they no longer intend to participate.

Acceptance to all programs is based, minimally, on a faculty review of your transcript and a review of the Judicial Affairs Office records (MSU students) or Dean of Students Reference (non-MSU students).

Details about the admissions process, pre-departure information, what to know while you’re abroad, and information about returning home can be found in the Study Abroad Student Handbook that will be sent to you with your acceptance letter.

Program fees, dates, and arrangements may be subject to change due to unexpected circumstances.