We’re now accepting faculty interest for BSU-in-Seoul through August 15th. Faculty interested in teaching BSU courses in South Korea: read on!
What is BSU-in?
In short, it is a Study-Abroad-Office-directed, BSU-faculty-led, semester-long study abroad program. This program emerges from a commitment to increasing student access, providing programs of the highest academic value, and keeping study abroad enrollments within the institution.
BSU students, BSU faculty, BSU courses, BSU prices -- on a host campus abroad. The Rinker Center for Global Affairs is hearing the message loud and clear-- students DO want to study abroad, and the primary barriers seem to be cost and relevance to degree plan. BSU-in addresses both of these concerns! It is priced to students at the exact same cost of a BSU on-campus semester, almost to the dollar-- it does NOT cost extra! And it features Ball State courses and Ball State faculty, with an emphasis on UCC courses and intro-level courses that might satisfy requirements for just about every BSU undergrad. It also features flexibility-- students are allowed to take an online course or two while they are abroad, which means students from many different majors may be able to study abroad for a whole semester without setting them behind on their progress toward graduation.
What about teaching at BSU-in?
Faculty for BSU-in are loaded to teach in this program according to the academic unit’s needs/goals. Loadings for BSU-in courses happen within the academic unit-- so if there’s a class your department offers that might be a good fit for BSU-in-Seoul, you would be loaded to teach that course in South Korea instead of in Muncie. As a rule of thumb, BSU-in offers a menu of 4-8 courses taught by a team of 2-4 faculty. The program should offer courses from a variety of disciplines, with preference given to UCC courses (from Foundations, any Ways of Knowing, and/or any Beneficence Themes). We can also consider non-UCC courses on a case-by-case basis.
Because we’re working collaboratively with departments, we remain flexible with the details of faculty loading. In previous BSU-in programs, for example, one faculty member taught one 15-week BSU-in course and three other courses online (not associated with the program). Another faculty member taught two BSU-in courses on a ten-week calendar and two courses online. One faculty member traveled on site just for a five-week course while completing the remainder of their teaching assignment in Muncie during the first part of the semester. Currently we can do placements both for full-semester and for partial semester. We work together-- Study Abroad, faculty member, and academic unit-- to determine the best fit.
Who covers travel costs for BSU-in faculty?
Housing, flights, excursions, and ground transportation are covered by the program (Study Abroad). We will also provide a modest stipend to assist with other incidental costs. Salary compensation is through the academic unit-- this program is loaded through the academic units, so your salary should remain constant.
How can I increase my chances of being selected for a BSU-in teaching team?
Faculty for BSU-in are selected collaboratively between Study Abroad and the academic units. The most desirable BSU-in faculty members are those who can teach at least one UCC course-- and even better if you can offer more than one UCC course. We can also consider non-UCC courses on a case-by-case basis, especially if the non-UCC course is in addition to at least one UCC course. As we move to a new core curriculum, the program is preparing to adjust as necessary.
One of the most important factors in selection of the courses and faculty is the enthusiastic endorsement from your Chair. We strongly suggest discussing with your unit leader before formally indicating interest to Study Abroad.
BSU-in-Seoul, Fall 2027
One of the world’s most exciting global cities, Seoul offers an extraordinary combination of cutting-edge innovation, deep cultural tradition, and vibrant student life. Home to more than 25 million people in its metropolitan area, Seoul is known for its dynamic neighborhoods, world-class public transportation, rich history, and global influence in technology, media, business, design, and popular culture. Students can explore ancient palaces and traditional markets one day and futuristic architecture, K-pop districts, and high-tech innovation hubs the next.
Our host institution, Konkuk University, is a highly respected private university located in eastern Seoul. Known for its modern campus, strong international partnerships, and energetic student culture, Konkuk provides an ideal setting for BSU students and faculty. The campus sits in one of Seoul’s most active districts, with easy access to cultural sites, restaurants, parks, shopping, and transit throughout the city. Seoul offers faculty the opportunity to teach in a globally connected environment while helping students engage directly with contemporary South Korea’s culture, communication styles, economy, and rapid global influence.
BSU-in-Seoul successfully launched in Fall 2025, and we are excited to continue building this program for future cohorts of BSU students.
These locations/terms aren’t right for me/my department, but I’m very interested in this program. Is a different BSU-in location/term a possibility?
Yes. Locations for BSU-in will change each term (and some locations may be recurring, depending on student and faculty interest). Since Fall 2024 we've had BSU-in Puebla, Mexico; Alcalá de Henares, Spain; Dublin, Ireland; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Lincoln, United Kingdom. Future locations beyond Fall 2027 are tentative, but Spring 2028 is tentatively back in Dublin. You are welcome to indicate interest at any time, even if it’s for a future term/location, but please keep in mind that no action will yet be taken for programs beyond Fall 2027.
What next?
Interested faculty are encouraged to discuss with their Department Chairs and Ashley Coker, Director of Study Abroad (acoker@bsu.edu, 285.2652). Then please indicate your interest in teaching at BSU-in by completing this interest form.
While we accept interest forms on a rolling basis for all future terms, we suggest submitting for BSU-in-Seoul by August 15th or sooner. The Study Abroad Office’s goal is to confirm the Fall 2027 teaching team no later than November 1st.