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-Jan 2024 (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
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 2, 2024
Estimated Cost: $2800
Travel Dates: June 1-22, 2025
Travel Locations: Singapore and Malaysia
Course Description:
This program delves into the rich histories, cultures, and adventures of Chinese, Indian, Arab, and Malaysian traditions within the lush jungles of Southeast Asia. Over three weeks in Singapore and Malaysia, you will immerse yourself in diverse cultural learning and interactive activities. Encounter a mosaic of ethnicities, gain insights into Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, and Hinduism, savor local cuisines, and marvel at architectural wonders. Visit museums and quaint farming villages, participate in community service aiding local elementary students, and engage in unique workshops where you can create your own masterpiece. Collaborate on research projects with your classmates, UTAR students, and faculty. Wander through vibrant night markets and enjoy spectacular light shows, unwind on pristine beaches, take boat rides, and much more. This unique travel-study program promises an enriching journey that will broaden your horizons, offering a blend of education, experience, and personal growth
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: TBA
*Includes airfare, in-country transportation, accommodations, theatre tickets, excursions,
some meals. Does not include UW tuition/fees, $325 study abroad fee, personal spending
money.
Travel Dates: TBA
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 3151: Walkabout Down Under 2025
Credits: 3
Instructor: Paul Taylor, Mary Byrnes
Modality: Study Abroad program
Honors College Attributes: Honors Global Perspectives (previously Nonwestern); Upper-Division Elective
USP attributes: none
A&S attributes: none
Application Deadline: January 15, 2025
Estimated Cost: $4990 (Includes accommodations, in-country transportation, entry fees, excursions,
most meals. Does not include international airfare, some meals, UW tuition/fees).
Travel Dates: May 30 - June 16, 2025
Travel Locations: Barunga; Darwin; Sydney
Course Description:
This unique course offers a direct outback immersion with Australia's Aboriginal people, the world's oldest living culture; exploring their worldview, their Dreaming, the Creation Story and Spiritual Law; visiting sacred rock art sites and listening to stories with the Aboriginal custodians. We will camp on traditional land and celebrate a showcase of the very best of remote Australian Indigenous community life: music, sport & culture at the Barunga Festival. We will experience the astounding southern night sky, and learn from the world’s first Astronomers. We will listen and explore Australia’s amazing bird life from both Aboriginal and Western science and immerse in the land "where song began”.
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, 2024
Estimated Cost: TBA
Travel Dates: May 22 to June 6th, 2025
Travel Locations: London England, Ghent/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 4153: Exploration Earth: Ireland
Credits: 3
Instructor(s): Brandon McElroy
Modality: Study Abroad
Honors College Attributes: Honors Upper-Division Elective
USP attributes: PN (Physical and Natural World)
A&S attributes: none
Application Deadline: January 1, 2025
Estimated Cost: $4500
Travel Dates: 5/18/25 – 6/6/25
Travel Locations: Ireland
Course Description:
Based in Western Ireland, this course provides a survey of Earth Sciences in a global context. Through a combination of lectures, discussions, and field exercises, we will explore fundamental geologic processes, the history of Earth, and modern issues informed by an interdisciplinary approach to Earth Science. In addition to learning basic principles and theory to understand Earth, we will also contextualize major contemporary topics including mineral resources, climate, and natural hazards. The goal will be to connect each student’s own course of study to the Earth Sciences through societally relevant topics.
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:
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.
Mount Fuji hot spring - 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.
Kobe College - we will spend a week on the campus of one of our exchange universities- tea ceremony, flower arranging, getting to know Japanese students.
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.
