Our vision is that every Honors scholar should be able to study for a semester abroad or go on a faculty-led international course at least once. We live in a global community; recognizing this and being part of that community are fundamental first steps to full engagement. Additionally, we value the growth and learning that takes place in study away experiences. Interested in experiential and place-based learning but need a cost-effective alternative to study abroad? Check out our study away programs that travel domestically.
We understand the difficulty and challenges that a study abroad program can present to a student. To support students with the financial challenge, Study Abroad scholarships are available from the Honors College and other entities on campus.
HP 4155: Buddhism in Thailand
Course Credits: 3
Instructor: Kate Hartmann
Modality: Study Abroad program
Honors College Attributes: Honors Global Perspectives (*Nonwestern), Upper-Division Elective
USP attributes: (H) Human Culture
A&S attributes: (G) Global
Application Deadline: TBA
Estimated Cost: TBA
Travel Dates: Dec 2025-Jan 2026 (exact dates TBA)
Travel Locations: Bangkok and Chiangmai, Thailand
Course Description:
Some bad news: life is stressful, unpredictable, and full of pain and suffering. It's
true now and it was true in the 5th Century BCE when the Buddha lived. Some good news:
the Buddha claimed to have discovered a path by which people could escape this pervasive
suffering. In the process, he planted the seeds for a religious tradition that has
been influential across Asia and, more recently, the modern West. In this course,
we will explore the diverse ideals, practices, and traditions of Buddhism while exploring
the ways Buddhism is lived and practiced in Thailand. We will explore key ideas from
the Buddhist tradition about impermanence, desire, and the nature of the self, and
ask how these ideas were taken up and reimagined as Buddhism developed. Learn more
about the course in Dr. Hartmann's course video trailer!
J-Term: HP 3151 \ ENR 4965 / 5965 Nepal Wild & Working Lands
Course Credits: 3
Instructors: John Koprowski & Peter Parolin
Modality: Study Abroad program
Honors College Attributes: Honors Global Perspectives (*Nonwestern), Upper-Division Elective
USP attributes: none
A&S attributes: none
Application Deadline: ROLLING ADMISSIONS
Estimated Cost: $TBD / student
Travel Dates: Dec. 27 - Jan. 18, 2026
Travel Locations: Nepal
Course Description:
Journey into the heart of Nepal’s stunning landscapes and rich cultural heritage on this immersive conservation-focused program, developed in collaboration with the Nepal Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC). This unique experience will offer an in-depth look at the intersection of wildlife conservation, community engagement, and sustainable development in one of the world’s most ecologically and culturally diverse regions.
During this J-term course, students will explore Nepal’s conservation efforts firsthand. The journey begins in Chitwan National Park, Nepal’s flagship protected area. Students will engage with conservation scientists and park officials, studying species such as the Bengal tiger, one-horned rhinoceros, and Asian elephant while examining the challenges of human-wildlife coexistence. The program then moves into the Himalayan foothills in the Annapurna region or a similar high-altitude ecosystem. Through interactions with local communities, students will explore conservation efforts in mountain landscapes, the role of ecotourism, and how Indigenous knowledge informs sustainable land management. The final leg of the journey brings participants to Kathmandu, where they will engage with policymakers, NGOs, and conservation leaders to gain insight into Nepal’s broader environmental governance and development strategies. Amid visits to UNESCO World Heritage sites, students will reflect on Nepal’s unique approach to balancing cultural preservation with environmental protection.
Experience Nepal’s conservation landscape through the lens of both science and community. Gain a deeper understanding of the complex relationships between people, wildlife, and the land—considering Nepal’s past, present, and future in an era of global change. More information.
HP 3157: Multicultural Experiences in Singapore and Malaysia
Course Credits: 3
Instructor: Yan Zhang & Kait Arndt
Modality: Study Abroad program
Honors College Attributes: Honors Global Perspectives (*Nonwestern), Upper-Division Elective
USP attributes: none
A&S attributes: G (Global)
Application Deadline: December 5, 2025
Estimated Cost: $2950
Travel Dates: May 18-31, 2026
Travel Locations: Singapore and Malaysia
Course Description:
Join the UW Chinese Program for a two-week study abroad journey through English-speaking
Southeast Asia, including Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and the UNESCO World Heritage city
of Malacca. Focused on Asian culture, the program offers a rich exploration of Chinese,
Indian, Arab, and Malay traditions. Visit temples, mosques, and vibrant neighborhoods;
savor unforgettable street food; and explore the roots of Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism,
and Taoism. Each day brings new experiences—from night markets and light show to beaches,
boat rides, museums, and rural villages. Engage with local residents, take part in
hands-on workshops, and create your own cultural masterpiece. Blending education and
adventure, this program promises an unforgettable journey of discovery, growth, and
connection.
HP 3150: Shakespeare in England and Italy
Course Credits: 3
Instructor: Peter Parolin and Leigh Selting
Modality: Study Abroad program
Honors College Attributes: Upper-Division Elective
USP attributes: none
A&S attributes: none
Application Deadline: TBA
Estimated Cost: $5000 estimated
*Includes airfare, in-country transportation, accommodations, theatre tickets, excursions,
some breakfast meals. Does not include UW tuition/fees, $325 study abroad fee, personal
spending money.
Travel Dates: May 24 - June 14, 2026
Travel Locations: Stratford-Upon-Avon, London, Vicenza, Venice, Padua, and Verona
Course Description:
Shakespeare in England and Italy will give you a great introduction to the plays of
William Shakespeare as texts and ongoing cultural milestones. The class also introduces
you to the plays in performance – we attend seven or eight performances at major theatres
like the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Globe as well as smaller and regional venues
to explore the myriad ways that contemporary artists bring Shakespeare’s plays to
vibrant life. Finally, the course exposes you to amazing places in England and Italy,
especially the great cities where we will stay and the social and artistic institutions
that characterize them. Shakespeare set plays in Italian cities as a way of investigating
cultural difference. There is a wonderful synergy between our own experience as visitors
to England and Italy and Shakespeare’s own repeated exploration of cultural encounters
across difference.
HP 4152: Photography and Paris: The History of the Camera and the City
Credits: 3
Instructor: Breezy Taggart
Modality: Study Abroad program
Honors College Attributes: Honors Upper Division Elective
USP attributes: H (Human Culture)
A&S attributes: none
Application Deadline: November 1, 2025
Estimated Cost: TBA
Travel Dates: Summer term, July 15 – August 5, 2025 (estimated dates subject to change)
Travel Locations: Paris, France and Londan, England
Course Description:
Photography shapes how we see the world—and how the world sees us. In this immersive, interdisciplinary study abroad course, students will trace the evolution of photography from its 19th-century invention to its pervasive role in contemporary life. Open to students of all majors, this course reveals how photography intersects with history, science, journalism, art, medicine, politics, and identity.
Set in Paris, a city at the heart of photography’s birth and development, students will explore photography not just as an art form but as a powerful tool for documentation, communication, and storytelling. With the city itself as a dynamic classroom, students will visit iconic museums, galleries, archives, and historical neighborhoods where major photographic innovations unfolded. A weekend excursion to London offers a comparative lens, highlighting parallel developments and shared cultural influences between these two global capitals.
Through guided visits and hands-on exploration, students will learn how photography has been historically used to document architecture, monuments, everyday life, and pivotal historical moments—shaping collective memory and societal narratives. Readings, discussions, and assignments will frame photography as both a mirror and a maker of history, equally capable of revealing truth and constructing fiction.
HP 4155: The Art and History of Medicine
Credits: 3
Instructor(s): Brian Cherrington and Michael Dillon
Modality: Study Abroad
Honors College Attributes: Honors Upper-Division Elective
USP attributes: H
A&S attributes: G
Application Deadline: November 1, 2025
Estimated Cost: TBA
Travel Dates: May 24 to June 8th, 2026
Travel Locations: London, England, Bruges, Belgium, and Paris, France
Course Description:
A study abroad course in London, England, Ghent/Bruges Belgium, and Paris, France. We will undertake a journey of discovery into medical history from the medieval period to the twentieth century. We will cover multiple facets from barber surgeons to neurosurgeons and everything in between, from the development of aseptic technique and the stethoscope to sulfa drugs, to plastic surgery and the cloning of animals. Special attention to case studies that provide insight into major discoveries and understanding of disease, illness, medical practitioners and practice in different historical contexts and cultures.
HP 4152: Discover the Andes of Peru
Credits: 3
Instructor(s): Allison Caine, Nikolas Sweet
Modality: Study Abroad
Honors College Attributes: Honors Upper-Division Elective
USP attributes: H (Human Culture)
A&S attributes: none
Application Deadline: TBA
Estimated Cost: $4500
Travel Dates: June 9-June 30, 2026
Travel Locations: Cusco and the Sacred Valley
Course Description:
Discover the Andes of Peru through an immersive study-abroad journey that examines the deep interconnections between culture, environment, and Indigenous knowledge systems. Explore ancient ruins, bustling markets, and sacred landscapes while learning how Indigenous traditions shape contemporary farming, architecture, tourism, and medicine. From potato fields to coffee farms, salt mines to highland festivals, this hands-on course offers a unique opportunity to study the dynamic relationship between nature and culture in one of the world’s most ecologically and historically rich regions. Ideal for students across disciplines—from anthropology, environmental studies, history, and religion to agriculture and animal sciences—this program blends academic inquiry with transformative, place-based learning."
HP 4155: Modern Japanese Society and Culture
Course Credits: 3
Instructor: Noah Miles
Modality: Study Abroad program
Honors College Attributes: Honors Global Perspectives (*Nonwestern), Upper-Division Elective
USP attributes: (H) Human Culture
A&S attributes: (G) Global
Application Deadline: TBA
Estimated Cost: TBA
Travel Dates: Summer 2026
Travel Locations: Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Miyajima
Course Description:
Honors travel to Japan is a course designed to expose students to the widest range of Japanese experience. Museums in Japan are spectacular, food is of the highest quality, and kindness and respect are typical.
Modern living in Tokyo - how the modern survives tradition: contemporary and historic art, Meiji shrine, Harajuku fashion, fresh food and a bullet train. Hotel in Tokyo.
Hot Spring hotel near Mount Fuji (Hakone) - we will stay in a hot spring hotel in the tranquility and eat Kaiseki ryori, a 10 course exquisite Japanese cuisine.
Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines in Kyoto - Ryoanji, Kinkakuji, gardens, a bamboo forest.
Naoshima Art Island- we will explore a unique Japanese island with four museums and many art installations.
Hiroshima - the terror and the healing. How can anyone deal with it or not deal with it? Peace Park Museum, parks, Genpaku Dome. Sleep on Miyajima, hotel.
Miyajima - 3000 year old shrine on a little island outside Hiroshima - catharsis and oysters.
