Accepted participants must enroll in two 1-credit preparatory seminars in the fall semester prior to going abroad.

While in India, students will be enrolled in the following Cornell courses, for a total of 15 Cornell credits:

• ANTHR 1520: Tamil Conversation in Context, A. Willford, 2 credits
• ANTHR 4520: Society & Culture in the Nilgiris, A.Willford & L. Ramberg, 3 credits
• CRP 3850: Planning & Sustainability, the Case of the NBR, N. Kudva, 3 credits
• NTRES 4520: Land Use And Sustainable Livelihood in the Nilgiris, S. Wolf, 3 credits
• Plus 4 credits of Independent Study with faculty in Anthropology, Urban Planning, Natural Resources, Nutrition, or Global Public Health

This semester-long engaged learning and research program is taught by Cornell faculty in collaboration with Keystone staff.  Students can expect the semester to be structured like this:

• Weeks 1-7 | Field trips and classroom modules will focus on the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve.
• Week 8 | Enjoy a spring break!
• Weeks 9-15 | You’ll team up for field work on community wellness, environmental governance, infant nutrition and diet diversity, and waste management issues. Together you’ll analyze what you’ve learned.
• Week 16 | You’ll make presentations in the local communities in which you’ve worked and to members and friends of the Keystone Foundation. A debrief and a celebration of your accomplishments round out the experience of lifetime.

Your academic experience abroad is going to be very different from home. Working under the policies and processes of the local institution, you may find a lot less structure, or a lot more.

Courses and Credit Approval

• To discuss program fit, such as program type, expectations, level of structure/independence, or to compare options, get advice from Global Learning advisors and returned students. 
• For assistance with course/credit approval, see your faculty or college advisor. (Note: You may earn elective, distributional, minor or major credit depending on your major and college.)
• Complete the Proposed Course of Study form that is part of the Global Learning application for a record of how your courses will count toward your graduation requirements at Cornell.

Academic Policies

• Study the language of the host country (or take a course in that language) when studying in a non-English speaking country for a semester or year
• Take the equivalent of 15 Cornell credits for a full semester, even if it is possible to take fewer and still graduate on time
• Complete all the academic work and stay until the end of the program, defined as the last officially-sanctioned exam for any course you take abroad

Registration and Grades

• You will be registered for the above listed courses at Cornell and will earn credit for approved coursework for your semester abroad
• Decisions on the final allocation of credit are made upon successful completion of the course (must earn grade equivalent of a “C” or higher—all courses must be taken for a letter grade)
• All courses and grades completed on the NFLP will appear on your Cornell transcript and will be factored into your Cornell GPA.