California Programs
Undergraduate students can access the extraordinary resources at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS), a graduate school of Middlebury College. MIIS offers hands-on, immersive programs that educate students to advance understanding, promote peace, and drive change in pursuit of a more just world.
Study Away at Monterey
With Middlebury’s Study Away at Monterey program, undergraduate students can take graduate-level courses at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS).
My name is Rae, I am a Senior Feb at Middlebury College, studying international politics and economics. And I’m spending the semester at the Middlebury Institute in Monterey. I chose to come to MIIS for my study away because I was looking for an experience that would serve as an insight into what careers I might want to pursue after Middlebury.
And also get an experience that was similar to the quality of the Middlebury classes. But in a different environment, with new faces and different faculty. MIIS is a very small community but similar to Middlebury, it’s not somewhere you just end up. People seek out these specific programs because they’re interested in what MIIS has to offer.
Which is really unique to Middlebury as a whole. I’ve enjoyed the classes here because grad students, they know what they’re doing. So it’s less getting accustomed to a topic as it is just jumping in and really getting into the nitty gritty. I have gotten to really dive into the Middle East as a region and learn about the different dynamics as far as international security.
Which is a major interest of mine. There are so many connections between what I was studying at Middlebury and what I’ve been doing at MIIS. That I kind of can’t imagine just having left Middlebury with a general knowledge, and not the more in-depth experience that I’ve gotten at MIIS.
Coming to MIIS as a senior has been a really good way to take what I’ve learned at Middlebury, and transition toward my goals in international studies and where I hope to go after Middlebury. I would recommend coming here to any student who’s looking for a new opportunity. There’s so much happening here that really adds on to your Middlebury experience.
Study Away at Monterey
The Middlebury California Coast and Climate Semester immerses students in the study of climate science and policy on California’s dynamic coastline through an interdisciplinary approach. Offered during the winter and spring semesters, the program combines core courses designed specifically for the Coast and Climate Semester with graduate courses at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS). Students directly enroll in the Environmental Policy and Management graduate program at MIIS, gaining hands-on experience and deeper insights into the intersection of climate science, policy, and coastal management.
The Middlebury Global Security Semester offers undergraduate students the chance to study nonproliferation, terrorism studies, financial crime, and cybersecurity, and the option to take language classes. Students directly enroll in courses in the Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies program at MIIS.
The Middlebury Language Education Semester (entering its final semester, Fall 2024) offers undergraduate students the chance to engage with key principles and practices of language teaching in today’s diverse educational contexts, with an emphasis on intercultural competence, social justice, and service learning. Students directly enroll in language education courses at MIIS.
The Middlebury International Studies Semester offers undergraduate students the opportunity to enhance their undergraduate degree with a customized semester of classes at our Monterey campus. Students directly enroll in MIIS courses learning from experts in international policy, trade, intercultural study, and global security.
Center for Nonproliferation Studies Fellowships
All undergraduates are eligible to apply for a paid Summer Undergraduate Fellowship Program through the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) at MIIS. Middlebury undergraduates are eligible for additional remote research assistant positions during the fall, winter, and spring terms. Undergraduate students work in close collaboration with CNS staff members, gaining valuable professional skills and a competitive edge in their future endeavors.
School of the Environment
The Middlebury School of the Environment offers a place-based curriculum in sustainability and problem solving. The six-week environmental studies program includes three college courses within a specially designed immersive curriculum that integrates core work, electives, leadership training, and field experiences.
Get a head start on your master’s degree and a scholarship too!
Head Start
Apply your Study Away at Monterey (SAAM) semester toward a master’s degree at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS). Reach out to Ms. Toni Thomas, Associate Dean, about how these courses would apply toward your degree (tmthomas@middlebury.edu).
Scholarships
MIIS guarantees $10,000 scholarships for alumni of any Middlebury degree program and their extended family members.
Past participants in nondegree Middlebury programs such as Study Away, Study Abroad and the Language Schools are eligible for a $5,000 scholarship.