Definitions

Definitions: Field Trips

A Field Trip is broadly defined as a certain academic activity, and serves educational purposes, that a student is required and/or encouraged to attend and/or participate in as off-campus activity and/or field trip (collectively “Activities”). The “campus” is defined as any Otis College locations, including The Goldsmith Campus. For the purposes of this policy, there are three types of field trips:

1. Local Field Trip – Non-overnight domestic travel normally within 100 miles of an Otis College location
2. Local Overnight Field Trip – Domestic travel normally within 100 miles of an Otis College location with up to three nights’ stay
3. Regional Overnight Field Trip – Domestic travel within 1400 miles of an Otis College location and up to four nights’ stay

Definitions: Field Study

Field Study is defined as any independent academic/professional experience or academic research trip that is an ungraded and non-credit bearing element of a course or Department initiative for current students or alumni. The Field Study is linked to student projects or student coursework initiated or recommended by instructors, Directors, or Chairs. Field Study also includes Otis College related collaborations with outside institutions that are ungraded and non-credit bearing and that involve domestic or international travel beyond the conditions of local and regional field trip policy. Contact Matthew Penkala at mpenkala@otis.edu to discuss field study at least a month before it takes place.

For the purposes of this policy, there are three types of field study:

1. Domestic Field Study – Domestic travel exceeding the Field Trip parameters that is not a Travel Study course. 
2. International Field Study – Otis College Collaboration– International travel initiated by instructor, Director, or Department Chair in collaboration with an outside institution
3. International Field Study – International travel initiated by instructor, Director, or Department Chair. 

Travel Study courses, which involve international travel or domestic travel beyond the parameters of a field study or field trip, have associated learning outcomes, are graded, and are covered under travel study policies. See For Faculty Leading Programs. Please contact the Travel and External Study representative at travelstudy@otis.edu or (310) 665-6815 for more information about Travel Study courses.