Unique programs you won't find anywhere else
On faculty-led programs, you travel abroad with renowned University of Iowa faculty and earn university credit. Faculty-led programs are usually short (2-3 weeks) and take place over the summer, winter break, or spring break.
Explore this page to learn more.
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Winter 2026/2027 Programs
Japanese Writing Program
Faculty leader: Harry Stecopoulos
Explore the rich literary and cultural landscapes of Tokyo and Kyoto while creating your own original fiction. Through visits to iconic landmarks, literary sites, museums, and film-inspired locations, you'll gain inspiration for four short stories shaped by your experiences in Japan.
International Business in London
Faculty leaders: Bruce Kline & Jim Lewis
- Topics in Finance: This course will cover the basics of global trade, international finance, and money and banking to give you the tools to talk about current events. You'll cover topics such as Brexit, COVID, European Union changes, the second Russian invasion of Ukraine, the threat and promise of AI, the rise of authoritarian populism, tariffs and anti-globalism, and their impact on the financial markets and international companies.
- Insurtech Innovation: This course examines how innovation and technology are reshaping the global insurance industry, with a particular focus on property and casualty insurance and cybersecurity and AI-related risk. The course will provide you with direct exposure to global insurance markets, emerging risks, and the firms driving innovation within the industry.
Community-Based Health, Play, and Recreation in Chile
Faculty leader: Bri Swope
Explore child and family health care in Santiago, Chile, through visits to hospitals, community organizations, and educational settings. Open to students of all majors, this program offers firsthand insight into pediatric care, child development, preventive health, and the cultural traditions of the Mapuche people.
International Business in Sydney
TCOB assistant director of Global Programs: Sydney Johnson
Gain a deeper understanding of international business in Australia and the management issues confronting small-medium enterprises (SMEs) and multi-national enterprises (MNEs) in the Asia Pacific Region.
India Winterim: Sustainable Development - The Kerala Experience
Faculty leader: Jerry Anthony
This intensive, field-based program provides you with the opportunity to learn within India's diverse cultural, socioeconomic, and geographical mosaic. You will travel around Kerala and will work on a number of sustainable development projects while also gaining a deeper understanding of Indian culture.
India Winterim: K-12 and Postsecondary Special Education
Faculty leaders: Ashley Rila and William (Bill) Loyd
Explore special education in India through immersive school and community-based experiences in Puducherry. You will gain firsthand insight into K-12 and postsecondary services for individuals with disabilities while learning from educators, service providers, and local communities.
Women's Empowerment in the Dominican Republic
Faculty leader: Motier Haskins
This course will help you understand and address the complex issues associated with women’s empowerment, dealing with cross-culture issues, and working with marginalized and at-risk young women. You will engage with non-profit organizations, visit local government offices, and explore the geographic and sociocultural context.
"For my very first time out of the country, a two-week study abroad trip to the Dominican Republic was the perfect first exposure. I was able to find a program that aligned so well with my career and academic interests surrounded by people who shared similar goals. I ended up with a new group of friends and an appreciation for other cultures!”
Past Programs
Irish Writing Program
Faculty leader: Inara Verzemnieks
The Irish Writing Program is a rigorous creative writing program requiring some talent, but most importantly, commitment and discipline. Its goal is to help aspiring writers become better at their craft. University of Iowa students and non-UI students are welcome to apply to the program.
Maternal Health Abroad
Faculty leaders: Nichole Nidey & Jonathan Platt
This course will provide you with a comparative public health perspective to explore similarities and differences in the delivery of maternal health care in migrant, rural, and indigenous communities in Costa Rica and Iowa. This course will be taught in the summer in Costa Rica.
Ancient Perspectives, Modern Eyes
Faculty Leader: Deb Trusty
Designed specifically for Honors students and Classics majors and minors, this course will take students on a 3-week exploration of Greece. Students will reconstruct and interpret life in ancient Greece through the study of language, literature, art history, and archeology and visit key sites in Athens, Delphi, Olympia, Mycenae, Delos, Santorini, and more.
Sustainable Chemistry Along the Rhine River
Faculty leaders: Adam Brummett & Stratis Giannakouros
The Rhine River Valley is at the heart of industrial and urban sustainability efforts in Europe and provides an ideal opportunity to collaborate with industry and academic leaders in sustainable chemistry. This course will explore urbanization, biodiversity, conservation, climate change adaptation, and mitigation in a region at the forefront of advancement in these areas.
Introduction to Global Business, Singapore
Gain a deeper understanding of international business in Singapore. The program focuses on global business in the Asia Pacific region through company presentations, tours, cultural activities, and a course led by a local faculty member from Singapore. This program is designed for Tippie students.
Exploring Major Determinants of Health in Spain
Faculty leader: Lucas Carr
Spain is often cited as the healthiest country in the world by the Bloomberg Global Health Index. This course will take a socioecological view and explore determinants of health outcomes in Spain. You'll be exposed to a variety of individual, organizational, community, and structural systems in two major Spanish cities: Madrid and Valencia.
Ghana Education and Culture
Faculty leaders: Yolanda Spears & Amira Nash
The College of Education sponsors this 15-day summer course in Ghana designed to provide you with an international experience. You will explore teaching issues through classroom visits, guest lecturers, and field trips.
Child Life Experiential Learning
Faculty leaders: Bri & Chad Swope
This program is a 3-week course based in Cape Town, South Africa. You will have the opportunity to learn from a variety of hospital and clinical settings. If you are interested in health and child life, regardless of major or skill level, you are welcome to participate.
American Media Production in Hungary
Faculty leader: Tim Haven
Budapest, Hungary has become one of the one of the main centers for American media production. On this program, students will travel to Budapest to gain experience in American film and television production.
Writing Greece
Faculty leader: Stephen Voyce
This course emphasizes both myth and history, with tales of gods and goddesses and narratives of kings and philosophers receiving equal weight. You will study the fascinating deities Athena and Poseidon, learn about the Athenian statesman Pericles, and familiarize ourselves with the poetry of Sappho.
Dominican Republic: Education, Culture, and Society
Faculty leaders: Amira Nash & Carolyn Colvin
You will have the opportunity to view and interact firsthand with a variety of community, civil society, and government services in the field of education in the Dominican Republic. These include local organizations carrying out activities such as basic education, social change, empowerment, and community resilience.
City of Athens: Bronze Age to Roman World
Faculty leader: Deb Trusty
This course consists of a spring semester on-campus seminar to prepare you for travel and a three-week exploration of Athens in the summer. Each day in Greece is packed with exciting sites, museum visits, and cultural activities, bringing classroom material to life to deepen your appreciation for the rich culture of ancient Athens.
Paris on Film
Faculty leader: Paula Amad
A combined online and site-specific three-week study abroad course, this course will provide you with an overview of milestones in French cinema through the lens of diverse cinematic representations of Paris and the evolving cultural and social relationship between the city and cinema.
Education in Senegal
Faculty leaders: Amira Nash & Dr. Pam Wesely
This program offers an immersion into Francophone Africa through cultural and community-based learning. You'll be exposed to a variety of educational settings with visits to several schools in Dakar, Senegal. The course also will examine the historical impact of the slave trade and colonial rule on the West African country.
Cultures of Spain
Faculty leader: Luis Martin-Estudillo
Cultures of Spain is a resident-credit summer course held in Madrid, Spain that offers you an overview of the cultural landscape of Spain through an interdisciplinary approach to its history. Coursework will be reinforced with site visits throughout Madrid and the neighboring regions and cities.
European Ceramics Studio, Rome
Study in the historical center of Rome, Italy at a non-profit organization that focuses on ceramics, residencies, exhibitions, teaching and the arts. You will complete original artwork, attend lectures, visit relevant historic and contemporary sites, and work collaboratively with a studio team of peers and mentors.