As part of CCIS, Brookdale has the privilege of partnering with four international institutions, offering students the opportunities to explore the lush landscapes and rich history of Scotland or to embellish their french skills in Canada near the shores the beautiful Saguenay River.

Scotland

Perched on the outer rim of Europe, Scotland forms the northern part of Great Britain and is about two-thirds the size of England and Wales which occupy the remaining portion. It is surrounded by sea on three sides: to the west and north by the Atlantic Ocean and on the east by the North Sea. Its only land border, that with England, runs for approximately 60 miles (96 km) along the line of the Cheviot Hills.

While part of the United Kingdom, Scotland has its own distinct culture, education, law and political and religious systems, giving it a unique and diverse character. The population is approximately five million, mostly living in the narrow central belt. Much of the rest of the country consists of sparsely populated moors and mountains, with hundreds of lochs in the valleys. The scenic attractions of Scotland are renowned, with many areas of incredible beauty. Scotland is an ancient country with a rich, varied and romantic history, containing many traces of its past in its castles, palaces, villages and towns.

Students wishing to study abroad in Scotland have the option of choosing between three institutions:  University of Dundee, University of Stirling, and James Watt College.

University of Dundee

Founded in 1881 as University College of St Andrews, Scotland's oldest University, Dundee has a long tradition of quality teaching and high level research. It now offers the widest range of courses in Arts & Social Sciences, Art & Design, Engineering & Physical Sciences, Law & Accountancy, and Life Science of any Scottish University. Dundee University has almost 17,800 students, both undergraduate and postgraduate, drawn from the UK, Europe and overseas. On average, the University hosts about 950 students from 80 countries on campus.

Dundee is a campus university where teaching facilities (lecture theatres, seminar rooms, laboratories, libraries, computer rooms), social facilities, sports facilities and much of the student accommodation is all on the same compact site. The campus structure is therefore very convenient for students such that, creating a very strong sense of community.

The location of the campus is also beneficial to students. With the city center and railway station only a 5-10 minute walk away, shopping and nightlife is easily accessible. Students do not need to spend money on buses or taxis. Guaranteed accommodations are readily available and are self-catered, single occupant rooms with en-suite bathrooms located either on or within a short distance from campus. Students enjoy easy access to the city’s modern facilities yet are only a short distance from the peace and tranquility of the unspoiled countryside which surrounds it.

The city of Dundee, with a population of around 170,000, is large enough to support the range of cultural, sporting and recreational activities expected of a major city but small enough not to be overwhelming or impersonal for those coming to study here. It lies on the estuary of the River Tay, on the eastern coast of Scotland. Of Scotland’s four cities, it has the nicest climate. There is more sunshine and lower rainfall, the temperatures are higher and there are fewer wet days in Dundee when compared with Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh. The city's annual rainfall is similar to London and considerably less than Glasgow.

Dundee is a lively place which offers plenty to do and see. The city has more students per head of population than any other city in the UK so you will find that entertainment focuses on the tastes and budgets of students. Some nightclubs hold student nights when entry costs are reduced. Restaurants and cafes often have special deals for students eating out. Dundee students also have access to a wide range of city sports facilities. Outside the city, the magnificent countryside surrounding Dundee offers a wealth of sporting opportunities. Fishing, golf, hill walking, climbing, cycling and water sports are all on your doorstep. Glenshee, the UK's largest winter ski area, is only an hour away by car. The championship golf courses at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Gleneagles are all within half an hour's drive.

James Watt College

James Watt College of Further and Higher Education is named after one of Scotland’s most famous inventors—James Watt. The College originally opened as James Watt Memorial College in 1907, built with funds donated by another famous Scot, Andrew Carnegie. Over the years, the changing demands of commerce and industry highlighted the need for a new, purpose built College. The existing Finnart Campus was opened in 1973 and named James Watt College of Further and Higher Education. All four campuses are home to a bustling, vibrant center of academic excellence.
The College is recognized as one of the most progressive and dynamic colleges in Scotland, enrolling 20,000 students a year. As the largest College in Scotland state of the art facilities are utilized for 200 courses offered students in the liberal arts and sciences, assuring an educational experience as brilliant as the surroundings. Students reside in coed residence halls which overlook the Scottish highlands bordering the River Clyde and are conveniently located near new leisure complex, complete with a swimming pool and an ice rink. Internships opportunities are also available to qualifying students.

The city of Greenock itself is located on the waterfront at the mouth of the River Clyde. Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland, is only 25 minutes from the College, and Edinburgh, the country's capital city, is within easy traveling distance allowing convenient access for both domestic and international flights. There is an abundance of things to see and do in Inverclyde, including sports facilities, cinemas, nightclubs and restaurants. The area benefits from an excellent road, rail and public transport services, thus Greenock offers an ideal base to start discovering the wonderful scenery and splendor for which Scotland is famous.

University of Stirling

Founded in 1967 on the estate of the 18th century Airthrey Castle, the University of Stirling blends the best of Scotland's internationally respected educational heritage with the philosophy and structures of the American liberal arts system. Stirling University offers study abroad students a true 15-week semester structure providing a breadth of academic study across the Arts, Human Sciences, Management and Natural Sciences. Stirling encourages inter-disciplinary and cross-faculty study, making course selections much more straightforward for the study abroad student.

Stirling’s student community comprises 9,400 undergraduate and postgraduate students: 69 percent of students come from Scotland itself, 20 percent from the rest of the UK, and the remaining 14 percent are from over 80 countries throughout the world. Stirling admits around 200 study abroad students each semester. Approximately half come as part of organized exchange program which the University has with around 60 US, European, Australian, Canadian and Japanese universities and colleges. The 2006 Times Higher Education Supplement ranked the University of Stirling in the top 10 in UK for the best student experience, whilst the International Student Barometer voted Stirling 1st in the UK for a 'good place to be' for 2007.

University accommodations are available on-campus within a short walk from all teaching facilities or off-campus in Stirling city which is readily accessed by regular bus services. The University of Stirling guarantees to house all study abroad students who apply on time in single study bedrooms for the duration of their program. It has some of the finest sports facilities on a single site in the country, including its own golf course and golf academy, a state-of-the-art fitness center and appropriate arenas for all the major indoor and outdoor sports.

With a population of about 41,000, the city of Stirling itself, an ancient fortress town which guarded the major crossing of the River Forth, has a long and colorful history. Mmany impressive remnants of the town’s past remain including Stirling Castle with its recently restored Great Hall. Stirling’s location gave it a central role in Scotland’s once turbulent history: the town was, for many centuries, a royal residence, saw kings and queens crowned in its principal church and hosted the Scottish Parliament.

Canada

The heart and soul of Québec, Canada, the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region in is located around two magnificent bodies of water: the Saguenay River, which features a fjord unique in North America, and Lac Saint-Jean, a huge fresh-water lake that is fed by numerous small rivers and lined with beaches. Known around the world for its wide-open spaces and its wild natural beauty, the region covers a total area of 107,952 square kilometers, each harboring innumerable secret pleasures. The region is the most francophone region in America, with almost 300,000 French-speaking people, which truly means complete French immersion for study abroad students.

University of Quebec in Chicoutimi

L'École de Langue Française et de Culture Québécoise (ÉLF) Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC) is located in the heart of the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region, renowned for its spectacular fjords, varied agricultural and forest landscapes and its interior sea, Lac- St-Jean. Founded in 1975, ÉLF has established an enviable reputation over the years based on solid expertise and the many qualities of its programs. Whether students wish to begin learning French or increase current knowledge of the language, the programs are designed to provide a unique, total-immersion environment.

All ELF staff members are highly qualified French as Second Language instructors who are extremely knowledgeable about Québec culture and language. The program focuses on spoken French and the development of linguistic abilities. Courses are offered daily in the magnificent Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, where French is everywhere. Students have the opportunity to supplement their French immersion environment through residing with host families or in campus residential facilities where they can utilize their language skills outside of the classroom.

The city itself, founded in 1842 by a Scottish immigrant, is nestled between and close to Lac Saint Jean. The “city of a thousand charms” is home to 63,000 residents and took its name from an Amerindian expression meaning “to where the water is deep.” It offers a variety of museums, restaurants, boutiques, and art galleries along with the varied natural attractions. A large student population makes Chicoutimi a lively place with a lot of nightlife.