Office of International Education and Development

Interdisciplinary Studies

  1. Home
  2. Education Abroad
  3. Academics
  4. Programs by Major
  5. Interdisciplinary Studies
Planning
Planning your Program: 

The best time for majors in the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies to go abroad will depend upon the nature of their program of study, credits they have transferred in, whether they have a dual major or a minor, whether they plan on taking any summer classes, and obviously their personal situation.  Listed below are some suggested time frames for each major in the department. Students looking to go abroad during a different period are encouraged to work closely with their department advisor and the Education Abroad Office.

For all majors short-term study abroad opportunities are normally fairly easy to fit into a student’s degree plan.  Students are able to start participating on short-term programs (winter break, spring break, and summer) as early as their first year.  Students participating on short-term faculty-led programs often fulfill General Education, Major Free Electives, Major Concentration courses, Language requirements, or 2nd Major/Minor requirements.  Students participating on partner summer programs may be able to fulfill English requirements in addition to the above options. 

Gender, Women's and Sexuality Studies

Students majoring in Gender, Women's and Sexuality Studies can participate on short-term or semester programs as well as international internships.  Students often take some combination of major electives, minor, language, and/or general education requirements.  

Global Studies

Global Studies majors are strongly encouraged to study abroad for one year, but are required to complete a minimum of twelve consecutive weeks in a study abroad program or international internship relevant to their program of study and approved prior to departure by the Global Studies advisor and Department Chair. Students for whom study abroad would pose a significant financial or personal hardship are urged to consult the Department Chair for possible alternatives. Study abroad courses or internship hours may be counted towards the major concentration, the language requirement, and/or the minor, as appropriate, with the approval of the Global Studies advisor and the Department Chair.

Interdisciplinary Studies

Students in Interdisciplinary Studies, Individually Designed major can participate on short-term or semester programs as well as international internships.  Students often take some combination of major electives (or IDS contract courses), minor, language, and/or general education requirements.    

Course Considerations: 

GLS, GWS, and IDS majors may not able to complete Capstone requirements abroad, although this is up to the discretion of the department.  Please consult with your academic advisor or Department Chair to discuss other courses that students may want to plan to take before or after their abroad experience.

Students also can look to satisfy General Education and/or Minor requirements.  It is suggested that students save 1 or 2 LSE requirements for their study abroad program.  It may be possible to satisfy an ILE, Science Inquiry, or Quantitative Literacy course but this requires more advanced planning.  GLS, GWS, and IDS majors can also participate in a summer or semester language program to satisfy their Intermediate language requirements.  

Advising: 

Students should contact their departmental advisor to schedule an advising appointment.

Key questions to ask?

  • What are my remaining degree requirements?
  • How many upper-division credits do I still need to complete for my degree?
  • How many elective credits (lower vs. upper division) do I have left to complete my major?
  • What remaining prerequisites must I fulfill, and how will study abroad impact my progress?
  • Which of my remaining degree requirements could I complete abroad? Are there any that I cannot take abroad?
  • Can I receive academic credit for an internship abroad?
  • Are there any in-residence requirements I need to be aware of before I go abroad?
Programs

Gender, Women's and Sexuality Studies, Global Studies, and Interdisciplinary Studies majors are able to participate on department faculty-led programs,  summer partner programs, and on semester programs.  Listed below are some possible options.  Students interested in Language programs should visit the LLC major pages. 

Program Type Information

Faculty-led

All faculty-led programs for fall 2021 have been suspended due to the ongoing pandemic. Please check back beginning in summer 2021 for updates about faculty-led programs for Spring Break and Summer I & II 2022.

Below are examples of previous faculty-led programs.

 

Cuba Past, Present, and Future

  • Available Terms: Summer
  • Country: Cuba
  • Standing: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Unique Feature: Immerse yourself in Cuba.  Learn how to sing, dance, and eat like a Cuban.  Along the way, understand Cuba’s journey from Spanish colony to Marxist-Leninist state and the social, ritual, and ideological dynamics of dance in Cuban culture.   And meet Cubans – in schools, restaurants, workplaces, even in their homes. Students will also attain an advanced understanding of the role that dance and food have played in Cuba, as well as interdisciplinary research techniques. No prior knowledge of dance or Spanish necessary.  Program is open to HON and WRC students. 

Short-term

Africa

USAC Ghana

  • Program Type: Affiliate
  • Available Terms: Summer
  • Country: Ghana
  • Standing: 2nd semester Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Unique Feature: Offers coursework in Africana Studies and Gender Women's Sexuality

AIFS Stellenbosch

  • Program Type: Affiliate
  • Available Terms: Summer
  • Country: South Africa
  • Standing: Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Unique Feature:

Asia

USAC Bengaluru

  • Program Type: Affiliate
  • Available Terms: Summer
  • Country: India
  • Standing: Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Unique Feature: Normally offers a Women's Issues in Indian Society course. 

Latin America/Caribbean

USAC Uruguay

  • Program Type: Affiliate
  • Available Terms: Summer
  • Country: Uruguay
  • Standing: Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Unique Feature:  Students can take Spanish language in addition to English-taught courses.  Past offerings have included Latin American Women's Voices and LGBTQ+ Community in a Latin American Context.

Middle East/N Africa

ISA Meknes Arabic Studies, International Relations, and Language

  • Program Type: Affiliate
  • Available Terms: Summer
  • Country:: Morocco
  • Standing: Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Unique Feature: Offers a Gender course as well as Arabic language. 

Semester

Africa

USAC Ghana

  • Program Type: Affiliate
  • Available Terms: Fall, Spring
  • Country: Ghana
  • Standing: 2nd semester Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Unique Feature: Offers coursework in Africana Studies and Gender Women's Sexuality

CIEE Senegal

  • Program Type: Affiliate
  • Available Terms: Fall, Spring
  • Country: Senegal
  • Standing: 2nd semester Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Unique Feature: Offers coursework in Development Studies as well as French language. 

AIFS Stellenbosch

  • Program Type: Affiliate
  • Available Terms: Academic Year, Fall, Spring
  • Country: South Africa
  • Standing: Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Unique Feature: Offers a GWS related course as well as Africana Studies.

University of Johannesburg 

  • Program Type: Full Exchange 
  • Available Terms: Academic Year, Fall, Spring
  • Country: South Africa
  • Standing: 2nd semester Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Unique Feature: Offers coursework in Africana Studies

University of the Free State 

  • Program Type: Full Exchange 
  • Available Terms: Academic Year, Fall, Spring
  • Country: South Africa
  • Standing: 2nd semester Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Unique Feature: Offers coursework in Africana Studies

Asia

Kansai Gaidai University

  • Program Type: Full Exchange
  • Available Terms: Academic Year, Fall, Spring
  • Country: Japan
  • Standing: Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Language: All levels. Students will take 5-8 credits in Japanese each semester.  KGU does offer a range of courses taught in English. KGU also offers a homestay.  
  • Unique Feature: Offers coursework in GWS and LGBT studies.

ISEP Ewha University

  • Program Type: ISEP Exchange, ISEP Direct
  • Available Terms: Academic Year, Fall, Spring
  • Country: South Korea
  • Standing: Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Language: Students can take Korean language.  
  • Concentrations: Offers coursework in GWS.

Europe

ISA NUI Galway

  • Program Type: Affiliate
  • Available Terms: Academic Year, Fall, Spring
  • Country: Ireland
  • Standing: Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Unique Feature: Galway offers coursework in Women's Studies. 

Lorenzo de’ Medici Florence

  • Program Type: Partner 
  • Available Terms: Academic Year, Fall, Spring
  • Country: Italy
  • Standing: Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Unique Feature: Students are required to take an Italian language course while abroad. Offers a selection of Gender Studies courses. 

Latin America/Caribbean

CIEE Language and Culture Santiago

  • Program Type: Affiliate
  • Available Terms: Academic Year, Fall, Spring
  • Country: Dominican Republic
  • Standing: Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Unique Feature:  Students will take a Spanish language course in addition to English-taught courses concentrated on the DR and the Caribbean. 

USAC Uruguay

  • Program Type: Affiliate
  • Available Terms: Academic Year, Fall, Spring
  • Country: Uruguay
  • Standing: Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Unique Feature:  Students will take Spanish language in addition to English-taught courses.  Past offerings have included Latin American Women's Voices.

Middle East/N Africa

ISA Meknes Arabic Studies, International Relations, and Language

  • Program Type: Affiliate
  • Available Terms: Fall, Spring
  • Country:: Morocco
  • Standing: Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Unique Feature: Offers a GWS related course as well as Africana Studies and Arabic language. 

ISEP Sharjah 

  • Program Type: ISEP Exchange, ISEP Direct
  • Available Terms: Academic Year, Fall, Spring
  • Country: United Arab Emirates
  • Standing: Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Unique Feature: Normally offers GWS related coursework as well as Beginner to Advanced Arabic language coursework. 

Oceania

La Trobe University

  • Program Type: Basic Exchange, Fee Paying
  • Available Terms: Academic Year, Fall, Spring
  • Country: Australia
  • Standing: Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Unique Feature: La Trobe has a Gender, Sexuality and Diversity Studies track as well as Aboriginal Studies.  

ISEP Massey and USAC Massey

  • Program Type: ISEP Exchange, ISEP Direct, Affiliate
  • Available Terms: Academic Year, Fall, Spring
  • Country: New Zealand
  • Standing: Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Unique Feature: Offers coursework in Gender studies  as well as a selection of Maori offierings.

Research

ISA Universidad del Norte

  • Program Type: Affiliate
  • Available Terms: Summer
  • Country: Colombia
  • Standing: Junior, Senior
  • Language Requirement: High Beginner Spanish for Research Project.  
  • Unique Features: Offers the option of completing a 4 credit summer research project.  Students with advanced Spanish may take content courses taught in Spanish.

ISA Euroscholars

  • Available Terms: Fall, Spring
  • Country: Europe
  • Standing: Junior, Senior
  • Unique Features: EuroScholars is a unique research abroad programme designed for advanced and talented undergraduate students from US and Canadian institutions looking for an international research experience. In this programme, students have the opportunity to undertake one course in the classroom and then work under the direct supervision of professors and other academic staff on a specific academic research project chosen by both the student and the faculty.

Internships

Students must speak to their advisor regarding internship requirements before applying. 

African Impact Anti-Human Trafficking

  • Program Type: Affiliate
  • Available Terms: Fall, Spring, Summer
  • Country: South Africa
  • Standing: 2nd Semester Sophomore, Junior, Senior

African Impact Social Work and Youth Development

  • Program Type: Affiliate
  • Available Terms: Fall, Spring, Summer
  • Country: South Africa
  • Standing: 2nd Semester Sophomore, Junior, Senior

African Impact NGO 

  • Program Type: Affiliate
  • Available Terms: Fall, Spring, Summer
  • Country: South Africa, Zambia
  • Standing: 2nd Semester Sophomore, Junior, Senior

African Impact Gender Equality

  • Program Type: Affiliate
  • Available Terms: Fall, Spring, Summer
  • Country: Zambia
  • Standing: 2nd Semester Sophomore, Junior, Senior

CEA Internships

  • Program Type: Affiliate
  • Available Terms: Fall, Spring, Summer
  • Country: Argentina, Australia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Ireland, Italy, Spain
  • Standing: 2nd Semester Sophomore, Junior, Senior

CEA Shanghai Study + Internship

  • Program Type: Affiliate/Internship
  • Available Terms: Fall, Spring
  • Country: China
  • Standing: Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Unique Feature: Students will complete a 3 credit internship placement  in addition to coursework.

CEA Prague Study + Internship

  • Program Type: Affiliate/Internship
  • Available Terms: Fall, Spring, Summer
  • Country: Czech Republic
  • Standing: Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Unique Feature: Students will complete a 3 credit internship placement  in addition to coursework.

CEA Dublin Study + Internship

  • Program Type: Affiliate/Internship
  • Available Terms: Fall, Spring, Summer
  • Country: Ireland
  • Standing: Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Unique Feature: Students will complete a 3 credit internship placement  in addition to coursework.

CEA Barcelona Study + Internship

  • Program Type: Affiliate/Internship
  • Available Terms: Fall, Spring, Summer
  • Country: Spain
  • Standing: Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Unique Feature: Students will complete a 3 credit internship placement  in addition to coursework.

CIEE Internships

  • Program Type: Affiliate/Internship
  • Available Terms: Fall, Spring, Summer
  • Country: Various
  • Standing: 2nd Semester Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Unique Feature: Students will complete a 6 credit internship placement.

Global Experiences Internships

  • Program Type: Affiliate
  • Available Terms: Fall, Spring, Summer
  • Country: Various
  • Standing: 2nd Semester Sophomore, Junior, Senior

Additional information about international internships can be found on the OIED website.