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Learning Abroad in History
Study abroad offers a unique perspective on the history and cultures of other countries. By allowing students to visit historical sites and monuments, explore world-renowned museums, and be exposed to new cultures through people, language, and customs, study abroad offers new and exciting perspectives on the study of history. The Department of History strongly encourages its students to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Imagine studying the history of Paris, learning about ethical tolerance in the Netherlands, Buddhism in Japan, language and culture in Mexico, folklore in Vietnam, or conducting archival research in London. No matter which program you choose, study abroad can offer valuable insight into the past.
“Study abroad offers unique insights into the world around us. It will enable you to foster your historical imagination, expose you to new cultures, enhance your language and critical thinking skills, and gain valuable international experience. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity—every student should study abroad!” —Erika Lee, Associate Professor of History
Study Abroad Process
This is the basic process you'll complete in order to study abroad. The order in which you do things is somewhat flexible.
Academic Planning
Review the following suggestions from the Department of History before beginning your study abroad research.
Choose your study abroad experience wisely
- No program is “best” for everyone. The trick is to find the right learning abroad option for you.
- History can be studied anywhere in the world. Selecting the best program for your needs and interests is important, and it can take time.
- Whether your interests are in contemporary or ancient communities, thought or customs, study abroad will challenge your assumptions, deepen your knowledge, and broaden your understanding of the cultural foundations of history.
- In addition to general factors in program selection, keep in mind the following suggestions specifically from the Department of History.
Align study abroad with your personal, academic, and professional goals
- Experience diverse historical contexts and sites. Gain first-hand perspective on the cultural construction of history.
- Explore historical texts, artifacts, and media from different cultural and national perspectives.
- Enhance your analytical and critical thinking skills.
- Improve your language skills.
- Prepare yourself for a life of engagement as an effective global and local citizen. Gain confidence in yourself personally and professionally. Forge international friendships.
- Wherever you decide to go, take courses and seek out experiences that help you locate and understand history within its sociocultural contexts.
Work on your history major or minor
- Up to two upper division courses taken while studying abroad may be used as partial fulfillment of requirements for the history major
- Up to two lower division courses taken while studying abroad can be used to fulfill the survey and elective categories of the history major.
- Thus, at most, you may use up to four history courses taken abroad as part of the major.
- Courses taken while abroad can be used to fulfill any of the sub-requirements for the history major (e.g. pre-modern or modern, geographic area, area of concentration).
- Remember, all courses taken abroad must be petitioned upon your return to have them count as part of the major. This is not an automatic process.
- Think about your area of concentration within the history major and look for a program that will contribute to your course of study.
- Pursue opportunities to do archival or other types of research abroad for your major paper or another research project.
- Look for a program that allows you to visit museums and other historical sites and engage in public history abroad.
- Keep in mind that Hist 3959 and 4961W are required courses for the major. They are offered only on campus. Hist 3959 must be taken prior to taking 4961W. Depending upon how study abroad and graduation timing coincide, you might have to take one or both of these courses prior to leaving or upon your return.
- Also remember that writing intensive history courses will, probably, not be offered while abroad. The writing intensive requirements for the major must be fulfilled while on campus.
Consider timing and length
- There is no “best” time for everyone, although history majors often find the sophomore or junior year easiest.
- Introductory short-term programs and language study can be great as freshmen or sophomores.
- Senior-year study abroad, although common, may require additional planning. When are graduate school applications due? Do you need to take exams given only at particular times of year, or only in the U.S.? Will the grades from your study abroad arrive in time for graduation?
- Consider more than one learning experience abroad.
Seek cultural immersion
- Deep involvement in the host culture leads to personal growth and instills the cross-cultural skills that are so important to success in the workplace and community.
- Consider a program that houses you with a family or host-country roommate.
- Be realistic. Not all students are ready for the same amount of cultural immersion.
Pay special attention to program type
- Format and teaching approach are every bit as important as location and length. Consider your learning style, your educational and personal goals, and department advice.
- Field Study programs: Learn through doing. Programs built around internships, service-learning, field research, interview projects, etc., may work especially well for experiential learners.
- University Study programs: Become a temporary foreign student at a host university. Seek locations offering history methodologies, theoretical perspectives, or courses different from ours.
- Study Abroad Centers: Take classroom courses tailor-made for non-native students. Many such centers also offer opportunities to engage in field study and/or to take courses as a local university.
Fulfill Liberal Education requirements
- Advance planning can help you apply study abroad credits to many of the University’s Liberal Education requirements.
- Decide early which requirements you want to satisfy through courses taken abroad and plan your coursework accordingly.
- Consult the Learning Abroad Center’s database of study abroad courses that have been approved for Liberal Education.
Once You Have Selected a Program
- Use the Academic Planning for Study Abroad (APSA) form to structure your academic planning.
- Once you have chosen the courses that you want to take abroad (always choosing more courses than you intend to take), meet with the undergraduate studies adviser—preferably at least 3 months before departure. Bring your transcripts, your APSA form, and the course descriptions.
- Meet similarly in other departments for additional majors or minors.
- If your preferred study abroad program is not accredited, explore with you advisers the possibility of earning credit for your experience abroad through credit by exam or as a Directed Studies course under faculty supervision. Be aware that both options have cost implications.
- To complete the APSA process you will also need a signature from a college adviser.
While You Are Abroad
- If, once you are in country, you become interested in a course that was not included on your APSA but might be pertinent to your major or minor, gather as much information as you can about the course and then consult by email with the undergraduate studies adviser before committing yourself.
- Hold onto course materials (e.g., syllabus, exams, papers, reports, and at least a photocopied table of contents of any key textbook) and bring them home with you.
After You Return
- Stop in the History Undergraduate Studies Office to review overseas courses for which you wish to obtain final approval for use toward the history major or minor. For other majors or minors you will need to do the same in a different department.
- Bring with you the course materials plus a brief explanation of why you think the course should be counted.
- Check to see if your study abroad coursework has been posted to your U of M transcript. If your study abroad courses were evaluated and approved for liberal education requirements and completion of these requirements is not reflected on your APAS report, please contact the Learning Abroad Center.
- Be aware that courses taken abroad may require many weeks, or even months, to get accepted and posted at the University of Minnesota. Times vary with programs. Let the Learning Abroad Center know well in advance if impending graduation or other special circumstances lend particular urgency to your case.
Programs
Africa and the Middle East
Ghana
University of Ghana (available through CIEE Ghana)- Program type: University Study (and Study Abroad Center)
- Comprehensive university on the outskirts of the capital, Accra. The University of Ghana has a strong African studies program and offers many courses in African history.
- Sample course titles among many: History of Africa up to 1500; Islam and Christianity in Africa; The Black Diaspora; Economic History of West Africa.
- Instruction is in English; no prior study of an African language is required. Fall semester, spring semester, or academic year.
- Program type: Field Study
- Highly experiential program based on Cape Coast, a modern educational center that was once a major port for the slave trade. Diaspora content makes it highly relevant to U.S. history.
- Experiential components include a field study seminar and research project, field trips to other parts of Ghana and to Benin, a month-long homestay, and a week-long rural homestay.
- Instruction is in English; no prior study of an indigenous Ghanaian language is required. Fall or spring semester.
Israel
Hebrew University of Jerusalem- Program type: Study Abroad Center
- Participants study in the Rothberg International School. Strengths include Jewish studies, Biblical history and archeology, Israeli and Middle Eastern studies, Islamic studies, Hebrew, and Arabic.
- Although most students in Rothberg School courses are from other countries, Israeli students are eligible as well.
- Instruction at the Rothberg School is in English; no prior Hebrew is required. Students fluent in Hebrew may also take regular courses. Fall or spring semester, academic year, or summer.
- Program type: Study Abroad Center (also University Study)
- Participants study in the University of Haifa’s International School. Most history courses focus on Israeli and/or Jewish and/or Arab history. Special peace and conflict program is a major attraction.
- Although most students in International School courses are from other countries, Israeli students are eligible as well.
- Instruction is in English; no prior Hebrew is required. Students fluent in Hebrew may also take regular courses. Fall semester, spring semester, academic year, or summer.
Jordan
CIEE Jordan– Language & Culture- Program type: Study Abroad Center
- Amman-based Arabic language and Middle Eastern studies program that provides a comparative approach to study of Jordan and its neighbors. Offers internship and volunteer opportunities.
- History courses focus almost entirely on the contemporary period, with particular emphasis on the Arab-Israeli conflicts.
- Instruction is in English; no prior Arabic is required. Fall semester, spring semester, or academic year.
Kenya
Minnesota Studies in International Development (MSID)- Program type: Field Study
- Academic program built around grassroots development internships. Homestays and research further ensure cultural immersion. Themes include historical development of global inequality.
- Past internship placements include rural women’s empowerment, literacy, ethnographic research, public health/nutrition, sustainable agriculture, community environmental conservation, refugees.
- Instruction is in English; no prior Swahili is required. Fall semester, spring semester, or academic year; consider year option to maximize cultural immersion and gain deeper research experience.
Senegal
Minnesota Studies in International Development (MSID)- Program type: Field Study
- Academic program built around grassroots development internships. Homestays and research further ensure cultural immersion. Themes include historical development of global inequality.
- Past internship placements include social work agencies, youth projects, women’s groups, orphanages, health clinics, community centers, and many more.
- Instruction is in French. Fall semester, spring semester, or academic year; consider year option to maximize cultural immersion and gain deeper research experience.
South Africa
University of Cape Town- Program type: University Study
- Still struggling to emerge from the nightmare of apartheid, South Africa is an interesting place for comparing the civil rights movement in the U.S. with the liberation movement in Africa.
- University of Cape Town is one of Africa’s leading research and teaching institutions. Its century-old History department is the oldest in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Instruction is in English; no prior study of African languages required. Fall or spring semester, academic or calendar year.
Turkey
See Europe.
Americas
Argentina
Language & Culture in Buenos Aires- Program type: Study Abroad Center
- Very cost-effective U of M program open to all but aimed especially at students interested in Latin America but with insufficient Spanish language skills to take courses taught in Spanish.
- Offers language courses at all levels, Argentine studies courses taught in English, and a Service-Learning in Buenos Aires course that requires four semesters of prior Spanish.
- Instruction is in English; no prior Spanish is required. Fall or spring semester, academic year, or summer.
Bolivia
SIT Bolivia– Latin American Revolutionary Movements & Conflict Resolution- Program type: Field Study
- Highly experiential program based in La Paz with field trips to other areas in Bolivia and bordering regions of Argentina and Brazil.
- Focus is on revolutionary movements in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, including the movement that produced the first indigenous president in Bolivia’s history.
- Instruction is in English; no prior Spanish, Aymara, or Quechua is required. Fall or spring semester.
Brazil
Pontificia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (available through CIEE Brazil)- Program type: University Study (mostly)
- PUC, with 19,000 undergraduates, offers a rich array of courses on Brazilian history, as well as on such topics as history of Marxism, the pre-conquest Americas, Latin American nation building.
- Intensive pre-session helps students improve their Portuguese skills or convert their Spanish into Portuguese. CIEE also offers a language course and a Brazilian survey course, both required.
- Instruction is in Portuguese. Fall or spring semester, academic or calendar year.
Chile
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (available through IES Chile)- Program type: University Study (mostly)
- PUC, located in Santiago and enrolling nearly 20,000 undergraduates, is one of Chile’s top institutions. One or two center courses supplement university courses in these programs.
- Extensive range of history course offerings is especially strong on history of Chile.
- Instruction is in Spanish; 4 semesters (IES), 5 semesters (Butler) or 6 semesters (CIEE) of prior Spanish are required. Fall or spring semester, calendar or academic year.
Costa Rica
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Costa Rica (available through ISEP Direct Costa Rica)- Program type: University Study (mostly)
- Large, academically strong public university of 30,000 students located in Heredia, on outskirts of San José. Advanced language instruction supplements regular university courses.
- Rich history curriculum includes course offerings not only on Costa Rica, Central America, or Latin America as a whole but also on Europe, Africa, and other world regions.
- Fall or spring semester, academic or calendar year. Instruction is in Spanish.
Dominican Republic
CIEE Dominican Republic– Santiago Liberal Arts- Program type: Study Abroad Center
- Based in Santiago, the Dominican Republic’s second city, this program offers a range of language and area studies courses supplemented by opportunities to take university courses.
- Curriculum focuses on the Caribbean context of Dominican realities and includes several course offerings on aspects of Caribbean history and culture.
- Instruction is in Spanish. Fall semester, spring semester, or academic year. Students may combine one semester with a semester in Santo Domingo or in the Santiago service-learning program.
Ecuador
Minnesota Studies in International Development (MSID)- Program type: Field Study
- Academic program built around grassroots development internships. Homestays and research further ensure cultural immersion. Themes include historical development of global inequality.
- Past internship placements include rural women’s empowerment, literacy, public health/nutrition, sustainable agriculture, community environmental conservation, fishing or handicraft cooperatives.
- Instruction is in Spanish. Fall semester, spring semester, or academic year; consider year option to maximize cultural immersion and gain deeper research experience.
Mexico
Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida (available through ISFA-Butler Mexico)- Program type: University Study (mostly)
- Among top departments are Anthropology, Archeology, and Latin American Studies. Some coursework is also available in Caribbean history and Latin American history.
- ISFA-Butler supplements university courses with a mandatory Spanish course and two optional courses including one on Mayan history and culture.
- Instruction is in Spanish. Fall semester, spring semester, or academic year.
Peru
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (available through CIEE Peru)- Program type: University Study (mostly)
- Founded in 1917 and located on a 90-acre campus in Lima, PUCP is Peru’s oldest private university. For course descriptions in the online course catalog, look under Sumillas.
- PUCP offers many courses in Peruvian history as well as Latin American history, Andean ethnohistory. Both programs require 2 center courses: Spanish, and Peruvian Social Reality.
- Instruction is in Spanish; five prior semesters of Spanish required for both ISFA-Butler and CIEE. Fall or spring semester, calendar or academic year.
Venezuela
Study Abroad in Venezuela- Program type: Study Abroad Center
- Very cost-effective language and area studies program set in the Andean university city of Mérida.
- Wide range of courses, some on Venezuela, others on Latin America, in social sciences, humanities, Spanish language, business, intercultural communication, environmental studies.
- Most courses taught in Spanish, some in English. No prior language required for admission to program. Fall or spring semester, academic year, or either or both of two 6-week summer terms.
Asia and Oceania
Australia
University of Wollongong- Program type: University Study
- Located in a seaside city of about 250,000 just south of Sydney, Wollongong is a highly international university, with about 20% of its students from other countries.
- Broad history curriculum includes courses on all major world regions. Greatest strengths are Australia, Asia, and Europe.
- Fall or spring semester, calendar or academic year.
Cambodia
CIEE Cambodia- Program type: Study abroad Center
- Based in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, program focuses on history of Cambodia from ancient times the current period of post-genocide justice, reconciliation, and national building.
- Includes visits to Angkor World Heritage Site, Khmer Rouge genocide memorial sites, Khmer Rouge tribunal, and a rural village.
- Instruction is in English; no prior Khmer is required. Summer.
China
Alliance China– Xi’an- Program type: Study Abroad Center
- Program name is Globalization Then and Now: Xi’an & the Silk Road. Includes two-week Silk Road field trip into Central Asia.
- Includes Chinese language study, The Silk Road Yesterday & Today, and choice of one other course in Chinese history, art history, or contemporary society and culture.
- Instruction is in English; no prior Chinese is required. Fall semester, spring semester, or summer.
Fiji
University of the South Pacific (available through AustraLearn Fiji)- Program type: University Study
- Located in the Fijian capital, Suva, USP has an enrollment of about 8,000. A broad curriculum covers not only many liberal arts disciplines but also such fields as engineering and business.
- Sample history courses: Pacific Islands Prehistory; Pacific History– Colonial Era to WW II; USA in Asia-Pacific Region; Pacific History– Contact & Response; Pacific History: Protest & Identity.
- Instruction is in English; no prior study of Fijian or Fiji Hindi is required. Fall or spring semester, calendar or academic year.
India
CIEE India- Program type: Study Abroad Center (mostly)
- Area studies program based in Hyderabad, India’s fifth largest city and one of the most dynamic centers of its rapidly expanding global economy.
- Courses for foreigners supplemented by opportunities to take regular University of Hyderabad course, including in the History department, alongside Indian students.
- Instruction is in English; no prior study of a South Asian language is required. Fall semester, spring semester, or academic year.
- Program type: Field Study
- Academic program built around grassroots development internships. Homestays and research further ensure cultural immersion. Themes include historical development of global inequality.
- Past internship placements include rural women’s empowerment, literacy, ethnographic research, public health/nutrition, sustainable agriculture, work with traditional herbalists/healers/midwives.
- Instruction is in English; no prior Hindi is required. Fall semester, spring semester, or academic year; consider year option to maximize cultural immersion and gain deeper research experience.
- Program type: Field Study
- Highly experiential program that includes opening and closing sessions in New Delhi, two weeks in Leh (Ladakh Valley), extensive travel in other areas of the Tibetan plateau, individual research.
- Focus is on the symbolism and cultural and religious significance of ancient (as well as newer) Indian art.
- Instruction is in English; no prior study of South Asian languages is required. Summer.
Mongolia
SIT Mongolia– Nomadic Culture & Globalization- Program type: Field Study
- Highly experiential program that incorporates field trips, rural and urban homestay experiences, group and individual field study, and a field research project.
- Studies one of the few remaining pastoral cultures in the world and how it copes with the sorts of tension between globalization and traditional ways of life that all such societies have experienced.
- Instruction is in English; no prior Mongolian is required. Fall or spring semester.
New Zealand
University of Auckland- Program type: University Study
- New Zealand’s largest university, located in its largest city. History department offers a wide range of option for study.
- Students can focus on a region (e.g., New Zealand/Pacific, Europe, Asia), a specific period, (e.g., ancient, medieval, or early modern), or a topic (e.g., gender history or history of technology).
- Instruction is in English, although some Maori studies courses are taught in Maori instead. Fall or spring semester, academic or calendar year
- Program type: University Study
- Otago is located in Dunedin on New Zealand’s South Island, a particularly attractive location for students interested in outdoor activities. It is renowned for its vibrant campus lifestyle.
- Sample history courses: Early Australia & New Zealand; Pacific Islands to c. 1900; Imperial Japan; Empires & Globalizations; Science & Society 1789– 1914; Scottish History since 1688.
- Instruction is in English. Fall or spring semester, academic or calendar year.
Samoa
SIT Samoa– Pacific Communities & Social Change- Program type: Field Study
- Program studies process of change in Samoa and other Pacific communities, including impact of new and different values in light of development and globalization pressures.
- Includes orientation In Hawaii, field study in Samoa, field trips to Fiji and American Samoa, and an independent research project.
- Instruction is in English; no prior Samoan is required. Fall or spring semester.
Vietnam (and Cambodia)
CIEE Vietnam– Ho Chi Minh City- Program type: Study Abroad Center
- Multidisciplinary program examining the countries of the former French Indochina from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. Based in Ho Chi Minh City; also includes five weeks in Cambodia.
- Valuable source of insights into the Vietnam War from both the U.S. and the Vietnamese and Cambodian perspectives. Includes course on History of Vietnam, Cambodia, & Laos.
- Instruction is in English; no prior Vietnamese or Khmer is required. Fall semester, spring semester, or academic year.
Europe
Balkans
SIT Balkans– Serbia, Bosnia, & Kosovo: Peace & Conflict Studies in the Balkans
- Program type: Field Study
- Highly experiential program in several countries of the former Yugoslavia. Based in Belgrade (Serbia), with field trips to Kosovo and Bosnia.
- Classroom study, field experiences, and research project all provide insights into Balkan conflicts that date back many hundreds of years.
- Instruction is in English; no prior Serbo-Croatian or Albanian is required. Fall or spring semester.
Czech Republic
CIEE Czech Republic– Central European Studies- Program type: Study Abroad Center
- Multidisciplinary program offering special courses at Prague’s Charles University in such fields as cultural studies, economics, history, political science, and many others. Internships also offered.
- Sample course offerings: Czech & Central European History; Contemporary Czech Culture; Rise & Fall of Central European Totalitarianism; History of the Jews in Bohemia & Central Europe.
- Instruction is in English; no prior Czech required. Fall semester, spring semester, academic year, or summer.
Denmark
Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS)- Program type: Study Abroad Center
- Copenhagen-based DIS, one of Europe’s largest and academically strongest study abroad programs, offers a wide variety of courses on Denmark, Scandinavia, and Europe.
- Sample history offerings: A Cultural History of Travel; Environmental History of Europe; Impact of Epidemic Disease upon European History; History of Copenhagen. Many field trips.
- Instruction is in English; no prior Danish is required. Fall or spring semester, academic year, or summer.
France
Université Paul Valéry through Study Abroad in Montpellier- Program type: University Study (there is also a Study Abroad Center track)
- Paul Valéry’s History department offers a wide variety of courses on France, on Europe more generally, and on other world regions.
- Students in the University Study track may also take language and culture courses from the Center track; these include some civilization and culture courses but no history courses per se.
- Instruction is in French; one year French required for center track, two for university study track. Fall or spring semester, academic year; center track also includes May term and summer options.
Germany
University of Freiburg- Program type: University Study
- Highly rated university located in an extraordinarily picturesque medieval city center of environmental activism at the foot of the Black Forest near the French and Swiss borders.
- Plethora of majors– e,g,, Ancient Civilization Studies, Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Early Modern & Modern History, Medieval & Renaissance Studies– hints at breadth of history curriculum.
- Instruction is in German; four semesters of prior German required for academic year, five for spring semester. Spring semester or academic year.
Greece
Arcadia Greece- Program type: Study Abroad Center (semester/AY), Field Study (summer)
- Semester– Courses in three clusters: Ancient Greek/Classical Studies, Byzantine Studies, Modern Greek Studies.
- Summer– Two 3-week summer programs, on Archaic/Classical Greece and Hellenistic Greece, are built around field trips throughout Greece.
- Instruction is in English; no prior Greek, either ancient or modern, is required. Fall or spring semester, academic year, or summer.
Greece & Italy
Arcadia Greece/Italy– Mediterranean Myths & Monuments: The Classical World Today- Program type: Field Study
- Intensive 8-week program combining classroom study with tours of 3 significant sites of Etruscan, Greek, Hellenistic and Roman worlds: Athens, Rome, and Syracuse (Sicily).
- Curriculum integrates archeology, art history, and history.
- Instruction is in English; no prior study of Greek, either ancient or modern, is required. Summer.
Ireland
Irish Studies Summer School- Program type: Study Abroad Center
- Six-week program at Trinity College, Dublin, focused on understanding Ireland.
- Students choose a maximum of four modular courses out of six offered: Literature, Drama, History, Gaelic Culture, Visual Culture, and Critical Issues.
- Instruction is in English. Summer.
- Program type: University Study
- Located on the outskirts of the Irish capital, UCD is one of Ireland’s strongest universities. The History department is among UCD’s largest teaching units.
- History curriculum strongly emphasizes Europe, including many courses on Ireland. Some world history and non-European regional courses (e.g., Canada, Australia, Muslim world) available also.
- Fall semester, spring semester, or academic year.
Italy
Study Abroad in Florence- Program type: Study Abroad Center
- U of M-sponsored language and area studies program whose multidisciplinary curriculum focuses on Italy and is heaviest in art history.
- Limited internships available depending on interests and language proficiency.
- Instruction is in English; no prior study of Italian is required. Fall semester, spring semester, or academic year.
- Program type: University Study (and Study Abroad Center)
- Bologna is Europe’s oldest university and arguably the most prestigious in Italy. All students take UB courses, supplemented by program courses including one each semester in history.
- UB History department, which focuses almost exclusively on Europe, is strong on ancient, medieval, and modern history alike.
- Instruction is in Italian; at least two prior years of language study are required. Fall semester, spring semester, or academic year. (Academic year option highly recommended.)
Portugal
CIEE Portugal (semester, AY)- Program type: Study Abroad Center (and some University Study)
- Lisbon-based program for students at all levels of Portuguese. Advanced students may supplement center courses with courses at Universidade Nova de Lisboa.
- Sample center courses: Colonialism & Post-Colonialism; Early Modern Portuguese Colonial Experience; Arts & the Portuguese Empire. University courses in Portuguese history also.
- Instruction in is in English for some courses, Portuguese for others; no prior study of Portuguese is required. Fall semester, spring semester, or academic year.
Spain
Universitat de Barcelona (available through CIEE Spain)- Program type: University Study (and Study Abroad Center)
- Regular university courses supplemented by an intensive language course (first few weeks only) plus one or two CIEE area studies courses. Internships offered as well.
- Sample UB courses: Colonial Americas; European Historiography; Conquest & Colonization of the Americas (16th Century); History of Daily Life in the Modern Era.
- Instruction is in Spanish; six semesters of prior Spanish or equivalent required. There is no additional Catalán language prerequisite. Fall semester, spring semester, or academic year.
- Program type: Study Abroad Center
- U of M language/humanities/social sciences program located one of Europe’s most picturesque cities, a living museum of medieval and Renaissance architecture.
- Sample courses: Cultural Heritage of Spain; Management of Cultural Heritage; History of Spanish Women; Spain Since 1936. Internships and a service-learning course on immigrants offered also.
- Instruction is in Spanish; four prior semesters of Spanish are required. Fall or spring semester, academic year, May term, or summer.
Turkey
Koç University (available through CIEE Turkey)- Program type: University Study.
- Located in an Istanbul on a campus overlooking the Bospurus, Koç is an English-speaking university even though most of its students are Turkish.
- History department offers courses on Balkans, Ottoman Empire, Turkish relations with Russia and with U.S., and others. Related ancient courses in Archeology & History of Art department.
- Instruction is in English; no prior study of Turkish is required. Fall semester, spring semester, or academic year.
United Kingdom– England
London School of Economics & Political Science (available through ISFA-Butler England)- Program type: University Study
- One of the world’s leading institutions for the social sciences, LSE includes a large array of history courses. Look under Economic History as well as History in the online course catalog.
- Although history curriculum emphasizes Europe, a number of offerings are available on other parts of the world as well.
- Academic year or summer (summer through ISFA-Butler only).
- Program type: University Study
- QM’s academic departments, library, students’ union, and administrative buildings are all on one campus in the multicultural East End, making it unique among the traditional London colleges.
- Greatest History department strengths are British history, European history, and U.S. history.
- Fall semester, spring semester, or academic year.
- Program type: Study Abroad Center
- Area studies program whose course offerings include British History in the 20th Century; Understanding Modern Britain; Post-War British Popular Culture; and many more.
- Special features include a 6-credit course-internship combination (3 credits in the summer) and a 6-credit service-learning course (semester only).
- Fall or spring semester, academic year, or summer.
- Program type: University Study
- UEA’s location in the city of Norwich offers easy access to the continent. History department is very strong on general European, British, and British Empire history; little on non-European regions.
- Sample courses: Anglo-Saxon England, c. 500-1066; England in the Wars of the Roses; Norman Conquest; History of Norwich; Medicine & Gender; The Crusades; Madness & Medicine.
- Fall semester, spring semester, or academic year.
United Kingdom– Northern Ireland
Queens University Belfast (available through interstudy Northern Ireland)- Program type: University Study
- Founded in Ireland in 1845, Queens holds to principles of non-denominational teaching and equality of opportunity. Small number of American students (ca. 300 out of 23,000) facilitates immersion.
- Strongest on British history, Irish history, and U.S. history. Several courses offered as well on European history and history of British Empire; few on rest of world.
- Fall semester, spring semester, or academic year.
United Kingdom– Scotland
University of Glasgow- Program type: University Study
- UG’s History department offers a broad range of courses on British, Scottish, European, and American history; little on other world regions.
- Sample past course offerings: The Scottish Highlands 1400–1609; American Landscape History; Computing for Historians; Renaissance Florence; Saints & Sinners; Northern Britons 400–1100.
- Fall or spring semester, academic year, or summer.
Additional Options to Consider
Intensive Language Programs- Begin your language study or work toward completing requirements for a language minor.
- Work on your CLA language requirement or on a language minor while immersed in the language
- Complete two, three, or even four semesters of language in a semester or a summer.
- Three-week programs led by University of Minnesota faculty, have no prerequisites, are open to freshmen, and fulfill one or often two Liberal Education requirements.
- Ten or more locations and themes offered each year during winter break and May session.
- A Global Seminar early in your undergraduate experience can give you plenty of time to follow up with a longer study abroad experience later.
- Program type: Field Study
- Summer research abroad preceded by spring semester preparation and followed by fall semester project write-up; ideal vehicle for overseas research toward a senior project.
- Faculty adviser helps students prepare, accompanies each group during the summer, and assists as the thesis is written.
- Locations vary from year to year; two to four destinations offered annually. No language prerequisite for most sites. Summer.
- Program type: University Study or Study Abroad Center
- Apply for scholarship for a full-year exchange to a partner university in China, Ecuador, Germany, or Iceland. Scholarships cover nearly all expenses except airfare.
- Awardees take on duties as program ambassadors, including significant commitments during immediate post-return year (must enroll at U of M in fall and help with orientation in spring).
- Two years of prior Chinese, Spanish, or German required for China, Ecuador, or Germany respectively; Iceland has no language prerequisite. Academic year only.
- Consider a study abroad program that includes structured experiences outside the classroom such as research opportunities.
- Don’t confine your search to study abroad; check out non-credit online WIV or teaching English first step modules.
- Consider combining a WIV experience with study abroad.
Student Experiences
Jon K. Studies in France
Jon spent a semester in Montpellier gaining credit for his history major and French minor. The experience opened him to a new way of looking at life, and he hopes to continue to explore those options in the future.
Stephanie C. Studies Spanish in Chile
A semester living with a host family in Valparaiso, Chile was just what Stephanie needed to push her Spanish skills to the next level. Her courses for the Learning Abroad Minor also helped her make the most of a cultural immersion experience.
Visit the Learning Abroad Center's Student Experiences web page for details on other students' experiences studying abroad.
