The World is Your Classroom

“Summer time and the livin’ is easy.” With apologies to DuBose Heyward (who penned that line for George Gershwin’s 1935 opera “Porgy and Bess”), summer can be easy, but it can also be engaging, especially if you’re a College of Charleston student who has elected to study abroad.

Take a course in creative writing set in Spoleto, Italy.

The College sponsors more than 40 study abroad programs each summer. (Here’s the list for 2015.) Want to study sportsmarketing in China? Done. Want to immerse yourself in Irish mythology? No problem. Or maybe you’d rather take an intensive, four-week seminar on neuroscience in Germany or spend a month investigating the science of volcanoes in the Galapagos Islands. Take your pick.

From the humanities to the sciences, and from business to the arts, the College’s summer study abroad menu is amazingly diverse. Our students enjoy the opportunity to take courses on five continents and in nearly 30 countries. Here are a few examples of some of the courses offered this summer:

Austria, Germany, and Italy – Spend a month living and studying in Florence, Italy; Munich, Germany; and Salzburg, Austria, focusing on cross-cultural communication and gender studies while also immersing yourself in two of Western Europe’s major cultures: Tuscan Italian and Southern German.

Cambodia and Vietnam – Visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, the Choeung Ek Killing Fields Memorial, and the temples of Angkor Wat. Then, spend a weekend at an eco-village, while later moving on to visit Vietman, checking out the UNESCO heritage city of Hoi An, the mountain villages in SaPa, and then Hanoi.

Morocco – Immerse yourself in the history, culture, politics, languages and geography of a unique African country. The first portion of the program takes place in Tangier, with formal classes in the morning. The afternoon and weekends are spent on excursions. The second portion consists of touring important sites and cities, discovering the historical impact of each site.

Panama – Take a combined lecture-lab course that counts toward a degree in marine biology. You’ll study the tropical ecology of Panama, spending time in the marine environments along the coast, but also in the rainforest. In the video below, students discuss their study abroad experiences in Panama.

South Africa – Study geology in one of the most topologically diverse countries on this continent while gaining insights into current environmental issues of the region. The class will visit sites of natural, cultural and historical significance, including Sterkfontein World Heritage site and Kruger National Park.

Brazil – Spend a month exploring the rich regional diversity of Brazilian culture and literature. Enjoy guided excursions to museums, cultural centers, historical sites and natural parks while gaining an understanding of the broader esthetic that largely defines contemporary life in this immense country.

For additional information on the College of Charleston’s study abroad opportunities, visit the Center for International Education.