Faculty-led Learning Abroad programs are invaluable opportunities for students, offering a unique blend of academic rigor and cultural immersion. These programs are designed by faculty who bring their expertise and passion for their fields, providing a structured, focused learning experience in an international context. Students benefit from the guidance of faculty who understand the nuances of both the subject matter and the host country’s culture, ensuring that each experience is educational, enriching, and impactful. In addition to expanding academic knowledge, faculty-led programs foster personal growth, intercultural competence, and global awareness, preparing students for success in an increasingly interconnected world. Learning Abroad is excited to announce the 2025 re-launch of two programs that have been on hold since the pandemic, along with four brand new experiences.
Popular Pre-pandemic Programs Head Back to Ghana and Mexico
Exploring Social and Political Culture in Ghana: Fall Break 2025
Led by Dr. Tiffany Baffour, Exploring Social and Political Culture is facilitated by the College of Social Work. It is a recurring, one-week immersive educational experience held annually during the Fall Break. Participants will earn 3 academic credits upon completion. The program aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of Ghanaian culture, history, and society through a combination of academic coursework, lectures, field trips, and cultural activities.
Families, Culture, and Social Context in Oaxaca, Mexico: Spring Break 2026
Led by Professor Isabel Teresa Molina-Avella and Professor Yvette Romero Coronado, Families, Culture, and Social Context will expose students to social welfare systems in Oaxaca, Mexico and help them expand their understanding of well-being and theories of change. The program is housed and facilitated by College of Social Work faculty. This is a recurring trip during Spring term. Undergraduate and graduate students will earn 3 credit hours. The program is based out of the Instituto Amigos del Sol, where students will receive language classes and lectures. It includes visits and lectures to different community settings, such as the Juvenile Justice Center, the Women’s Institute, Unitierra (a translocal grassroot university), and the Clinica del Pueblo.
New Experiences Launch in Germany, Taiwan, and Morocco
Architectural Theory in Germany: Spring Break 2025
University of Utah architecture students will have the opportunity to spend Spring Break 2025 in Berlin, Germany to experience one of the most important destinations for 19th, 20th, and 21st century architecture and urban planning. Led by Professor Michael Abrahamson and Professor Kateryna Malaia, students will learn about the complex history that led to the current state of architectural design and meet local German architectural student and professionals and experience their studios.
Exploring Active Tectonics in Taiwan: Spring Break 2025
Led by Taiwanese native Professor Fan-Chi Lin, undergraduate and graduate geology students will explore active tectonics in Taiwan and its rich culture over Spring Break 2025. One of the world’s most active orogenic (geological process of mountain building) sites, Taiwan is the perfect location to study topics such as tectonics, earthquake, volcano, landslide, geothermal energy, and hazard mitigation. Students will directly apply this knowledge to issues in Utah and the Western U.S.
Intensive Japanese Culture in Tokyo: Summer 2025
Led by Dr. Cindi Textor, Intensive Japanese Culture in Tokyo offers an intensive course in Japanese culture from ancient times to the present. It is appropriate for students with or without Japanese language ability and is open to any major. The course will explore Japanese art, performance, literature, popular media, religious practices, customs, and everyday life. The program includes 15 hours per week of classroom instruction in addition to site visits around Tokyo and two day-trips to nearby cities, Yokohama and Kamakura. Students will earn 3 upper division credits for the course, in addition to an optional 1 credit in Japanese conversation. It will be offered annually in the summer term, lasting three weeks, roughly the last two weeks of June through the first week of July.
Physical Therapy Rehabilitation in Morocco: Fall 2025
Led by Professor Grayson Doar, this program offers doctoral students of physical therapy a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience at The Moroccan-American Institute for neuroRehabilitation (MAIR), a neuro-outpatient physical therapy clinic first conceived by Dr. Mohammed Sbai. Throughout the 9-day program, students work alongside experienced physical therapists, treating patients with various neurological conditions such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and multiple sclerosis. Students will learn about culturally sensitive approaches to patient care and gain insight into the challenges and opportunities within the Moroccan healthcare system.
HEADER IMAGE: Olives at a market in Morocco, courtesy Kassandra Cruz.