Students received an email last week that stated one study abroad program will be cancelled indefinitely while another will be postponed temporarily.
The semester-long Prague program will no longer be offered, and the university's London Centre will be unavailable for students until Spring Semester 2013.
Jim Coffin, director of study abroad at the Rinker Center for International programs, announced the changes via email.
"We were already understaffed on [the Prague] program and it was going to take quite a bit of time to try and find the number of professors that we need to make that happen," Coffin said.
The Office for Study Abroad is undertaking the task of restructuring the programs that are still available to students.
"What we are trying to provide are programs that give us an improved academic rigor," Coffin said. "We think that these moves are going in the right direction for that."
Decisions to restructure the curriculums were made by officials from four different departments of the university: The Rinker Center, Provost office, associate Provost office and the graduate school.
After evaluating the programs, officials wanted to restructure the program in a way that would offer a more challenging curriculum for students and allow them to experience a "true" semester-long program as opposed to a 10-week program.
While glad to know the London Centre will still be available for students, sophomore pre-business major Chris Crowley said he hoped to see it available for both semesters.
Crowley said the London Centre was a good experience and wants other students to have the chance to take advantage of the opportunities.
"It was a lot of fun; I got to know a lot of people," he said. "And the teaching was so much more in-depth, with us going to museums to see the art."
Crowley said the London Centre also gave him a better perspective on the world and would recommend it to other students.
"The London Centre was one of the best memories of my life," he said. "You can also travel to other places in Europe. [The London Centre] made me realize how local but at the same time how big this world is."
Coffin cites many changes that will take place with the new curriculum including more instructional time for students as well as a program that contains a more structured learning environment with instruction from non-Ball State affiliated instructors.
The semester-long Australia and Rome programs will not change, Coffin said.
"The Rome program is already a 15-week program," Coffin said. "It's a new program, but it's built [with] our new academic rigor program. We're happy with the way it is."
Due to legalities and restrictions by certain countries, the Australia semester is a program that will remain a 12-week program, Coffin said.
The reason for that is related to Visa restrictions in Australia. If the university chose to pursue a 15-week program with the host country, students would be required to actually enroll in an Australian university.
For students who were anticipating the London Centre program next fall, Coffin suggested the five-week program through the Worcester Centre, which is offered during the summer.
With 10 spots still available for next summer, Coffin said the Worcester Center is a great deal for students who are looking to go to England.
"The five week program in Worcester is going to run about $8,300," Coffin said. "That pays for tuition, airfare, food, housing and insurance. The new London program runs about $18,500, so the Worcester program is really a bargain."
Coffin said since the Worcester program started in 2010, they haven't had any trouble filling spots.
Recruitment for the Australia program for next fall will begin shortly.
Coffin said the main idea is that they don't want to short shrift students who study abroad.
"We want to make these programs true academic programs," Coffin said. "Not just vacations."
Sharon Hernandez contributed to this story.
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