See the World Global Perspective
At the Schreyer Honors College, we believe that a well-developed and experience-based global perspective is critical to your success, wherever your path might lead after graduation. While the basis of this perspective begins with your academic and extracurricular choices on campus, our goal is for all Scholars to have at least one international study, service, research, or internship experience.
Education Abroad Fund Your Travel
Distinctive Honors Experiences Signature Travel Programs
The Schreyer Honors College's signature international programs are even older than the Honors College itself. Our London Study Tour started way back in 1984, under Penn State's University Scholars Program. Today, we offer semester, summer, and short-term programs that have one thing in common — they provide the same level of honors enrichment that Scholars expect from honors courses.
Tanzania Study Tour Field Research in Tanzania
Program Summary
Life in Tanzania is rapidly changing. As one of East Africa's most dynamic nations, it is navigating a complex transition from its deep historical roots to a fast-growing modern economy. This evolution presents unique challenges and opportunities for sustainable development, particularly at the intersection of global marketing and the political economy of tourism. These changes exist against a backdrop of immense cultural diversity—comprised of over 120 ethnic groups—and a history that stretches from the earliest remnants of human life to the modern union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar.
This honors class provides students with a transformative, experiential learning journey that examines the complex social and economic landscapes of modern Tanzania. Through a combination of classroom instruction, online engagement, and immersive field research, students will explore how mission-driven organizations and local communities balance heritage with contemporary conservation and economic self-determination.
The travel component will take place over nine days in March, centered in the vibrant regions of Arusha, West Kilimanjaro, and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Students will move beyond traditional tourism by engaging directly with local community leaders, conservationists, and social enterprises like Adumu Safaris. These partnerships provide our class the opportunity to visit and interact with staff at sites where they support the educational and economic journeys of local populations.
A highlight of this experiential learning experience is the opportunity for students to go on safari in the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater. This is not merely a sightseeing trip, but a platform for field research where students engage in game drives and wildlife viewing to observe animal behavior and ecology firsthand. By meeting with rangers from the Ngorongoro Rhino Project, students gain a nuanced understanding of the real-world marketing and leadership challenges involved in ethical ecotourism.
Because the itinerary includes stays at community-owned lodges like Osiligilai and Rhotia Valley, the travel component provides students the opportunity to learn about the current challenges confronting Tanzanian society while immersing themselves in the landscapes that define its past and ground its future. Students will spend time learning onsite from local nonprofit organizations, such as the Watoto Foundation and the United African Alliance Community Center. They will also visit world-renowned natural and cultural sites, including the lower slopes of Mt. Meru, a UNESCO World Heritage site that serves as a living classroom for wildlife behavior, ecology, and sustainable land management.
Students will earn honors credit through a structured hybrid course model that combines regularly scheduled classroom instruction, online learning, and an immersive international field experience. Students enrolled at University Park are expected to attend all regularly scheduled class meetings in person. To broaden access across the Penn State system, the course is also open to students enrolled at Penn State Commonwealth Campuses. Therefore, all University Park class sessions will be delivered synchronously through an online platform, allowing Commonwealth Campus students to participate remotely in real time while engaging alongside their University Park peers.
In addition to the regularly scheduled class meetings, students will participate in a series of live online lectures featuring international guest speakers, including academic scholars, business leaders, nonprofit professionals, conservationists, and community partners from Tanzania and other global organizations. These sessions will expose students to diverse international perspectives on sustainability, ethical marketing, tourism, conservation, social entrepreneurship, and community development. Because many guest lecturers will be joining from different regions of the world, meeting times may occasionally be adjusted to accommodate international time zone differences. Students will receive advance notice of any schedule modifications.
The hybrid instructional model prepares students for the nine-day in-country field experience, where they will apply marketing concepts, sustainability frameworks, and interdisciplinary perspectives to real-world challenges through field research, community engagement, and experiential learning. By integrating face-to-face instruction, synchronous online participation, international expertise, and immersive fieldwork, the course creates a collaborative learning environment that connects students across the Penn State system while providing a meaningful global educational experience.
Travel
To promote a cohesive cohort experience, students will travel together whenever possible. A chartered coach bus will transport University Park students to the departure airport. Students enrolled at Penn State Commonwealth Campuses are welcome and encouraged to travel to University Park and join the group for the bus transfer and shared travel experience.
The cohort is expected to depart on Friday, March 6, from either Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) or Harrisburg International Airport (MDT). The departure airport will be determined based on flight availability and logistics. Flights will be coordinated through a third-party travel provider, which will arrange each student's itinerary to and from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). While students are encouraged to travel with the cohort, exceptions may be made for those who need to make their own travel arrangements due to personal circumstances.
The group is expected to arrive in Tanzania on Saturday, March 7. The return journey will begin with a departure from Tanzania on Sunday, March 15, with arrival back in either Philadelphia or Harrisburg anticipated on Monday evening or Tuesday, depending on airline schedules, flight connections, and travel times.
Regardless of individual travel arrangements, all participants are expected to arrive in Tanzania within the designated program arrival window on March 7. Airport transfers to and from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), as well as all regional ground transportation during the program, are included in the program fee.
Eligibility
This program is open to all Penn State students, at any campus and in any major. Priority will be given to Schreyer Honors Scholars, and Smeal Marketing majors/minors.
Estimated Costs
Students enrolled in the course will be charged regular Penn State tuition for the three-credit course in accordance with their residency status and enrollment. In addition to tuition, students will pay a program fee of up to $4,300 per person (final amount subject to enrollment), which includes airport transfers to and from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), all regional ground transportation in private 4x4 safari vehicles, full-board accommodations (all meals) at Kiboko Lodge, Osiligilai Maasai Lodge, and Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge, all scheduled lectures and cultural excursions, community engagement visits, guided activities, required park and conservation entry fees, crater vehicle permits, Wildlife Management Area access fees, expert local guides, and Flying Doctors emergency medical evacuation services.
Schreyer Scholars will receive a scholarship in the form of a program fee refund, with the final award amount to be determined. Students who are not Schreyer Scholars will be responsible for the full program fee; however, they are encouraged to inquire about other university scholarship and funding opportunities that may be available to help offset program costs.
Out-of-pocket expenses include round-trip international airfare to Tanzania, passport and visa fees, personal health and travel insurance (strongly recommended), incidental expenses such as laundry services, additional beverages beyond those included with meals, optional spa services, gratuities for guides and lodge staff, souvenirs, and any personal expenses not explicitly included in the program itinerary.
Application Process
Complete the application form and return it as an email attachment to Dr. Keisha Nichols and Ms. Sarah Lyall-Combs no later than 5:00 p.m. on December 18, 2026.
Tentative On-Ground Itinerary
- Day 1 - March 7 - Arusha
- Evening arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport. Transfer to Kiboko Lodge. Welcome orientation.
- Day 2 - March 8 - Arusha
- Field lecture of "4 A's Framework." Visit United African Alliance Community Center.
- Day 3 - March 9 - West Kilimanjaro
- Transfer to Osiligilai Maasai Lodge. Cultural immersion with Maasai community. Walking safari on Mt. Meru slopes.
- Day 4 - March 10 - West Kilimanjaro
- Visit Watoto Foundation. Field research on sustainable tourism models.
- Day 5 - March 11 - West Kilimanjaro
- Adumu Safaris lecture on ecotourism. Community project visits and stakeholder interviews.
- Day 6 - March 12 - Karatu
- Transfer to Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge. Wildlife conservation lecture. Visit agricultural cooperative.
- Day 7 - March 13 - Ngorongoro Crater
- Full-day safari and field research in Ngorongoro Crater (UNESCO World Heritage Site). Game drives and wildlife viewing.
- Day 8 - March 14 - Ngorongoro Crater
- Morning game drives. Visit Ngorongoro Rhino Project. Final presentation preparation. Farewell ceremony.
- Day 9 - March 15 - Departure
- Transfer to Kilimanjaro Airport for departure.
Overview
- March 7-15, 2027
- Various Locations, Tanzania
- All Penn State Students
- Keisha Nichols
- MKTG 399 (3 credits)
Taiwan Study Tour Comparing Media Systems
Program Summary
Taiwan is a vibrant democracy with a diverse and hybrid cultural landscape shaped by Indigenous heritage, Chinese diasporic histories, Japanese colonial modernity, and ongoing global exchanges, making it a key site for understanding contemporary East Asian societies. Its dynamic media and cultural industries—spanning independent cinema, television dramas, pop music, and everyday political cultures—operate within one of Asia's freest yet most contested media environments, increasingly supported by cultural policies and institutions that seek to project Taiwanese voices onto regional and global platforms.
The Spring Break 2027 trip to Taiwan is an intensive travel-and-learning experience focused on the island's political and cultural history, media and creative industries, and environment and sustainability. During the program, you will visit historical and cultural sites, explore different neighborhoods in Taipei, bike along the Tamsui waterfront, sample local cuisines in night markets, tour media companies and creative industry parks, and interact with media professionals and university students.
The travel component is integrated into the three-credit course COMM419H Comparing Media Systems. This course is designed to train you to be a critical thinker equipped with analytical tools to compare and assess media systems across countries, with particular attention to how political, economic, and socio-cultural environments shape media ownership, the news industry, and digital transformation—and, in turn, everyday life and the broader social world. We use an interdisciplinary analytic framework that intermixes media studies, history, politics, and sociology in this course.
About Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is an East Asian island off the southeastern coast of mainland China, with Taipei as its political, economic, and cultural capital. It is a vibrant democracy with competitive multiparty elections and an active civil society. Mandarin is the official language, alongside widely spoken Taiwanese Hokkien, Hakka, and multiple Austronesian Indigenous languages that reflect the island's diverse communities and histories. Taiwan's Indigenous peoples and their cultural traditions remain an important part of contemporary public life, while the island's media and creative sectors—spanning news, entertainment, music, and design—are increasingly visible across Asia and beyond. Taiwan is also known for its convenient, safe, and generally tourist-friendly transportation systems and public spaces.
Eligibility
This program is open to all Penn State students. Priority will be given to Schreyer Honors Scholars and Bellisario students.
Estimated Costs
The $2,450 program fee will include double occupancy hotel accommodations, daily breakfast, welcome and farewell dinner, airport transfer upon arrival and departure, bus transfer for select site visits, select cultural site visits, and public transportation cards. Schreyer Scholars will receive a refund of $1,500 via scholarship upon program commitment. Additional need-based funding may be available for Schreyer Scholars; for more information, contact Sarah Lyall-Combs.
Out of pocket expenses include roundtrip airfare to Taipei (approximately $1,600), visa, site visits not covered by the program fees, meals, passport, optional travel insurance, and personal expenses.
Application Process
For those who are interested in the program, please fill out the application form and return it by e-mail attachment to Dr. Sara Liao and Ms. Sarah Lyall-Combs by 5 PM on Friday, October 16, 2026). We will be in touch soon after to schedule an interview. Once the decision has been made, the academic department will facilitate course registration.
Accepted students will have through the end of regular drop/add for the spring 2027 semester (January 17, 2027) to finalize their participation.
Itinerary (subject to change)
- March 5
- Departure: Bus travel from State College to JFK International Airport
- March 6
- Fly from the U.S. to Taipei, Taiwan
- March 7
- Arrival at the Taipei International Airport. Welcome meal and program orientation. Half-day city tour of Taipei.
- March 8
- Excursion to Jiufen and Shifen historical sites.
- March 9
- University visit, National Palace Museum, Shilin Night Market
- March 10
- Media company visit 1, cooking and dining workshop, low-carbon organic tea farm visit
- March 11
- Media company visit 2, circular economy design workshop at Huashan 1914 Creative Park
- March 12
- One-day excursion to Kaohsuing
- March 13
- Dyeing workshop, Tamsui biking tour, farewell dinner and program conclusion
- March 14
- Half-day free exploration, PM departure for the U.S.
Overview
- Spring Break (March 6-14, 2027)
- Taipei, Taiwan
- All Penn State Students (priority for Schreyer Scholars and Bellisario students)
- Sara Liao
- COMM 419H (3 credits)
Ireland Study Tour The Culture of Deliberative Democracy in Ireland
Program Summary
The Penn State McCourtney Institute for Democracy awarded the 2019 Brown Democracy Medal to Irish Scholars David Farrell and Jane Suiter who spearheaded various deliberation initiatives that led to the Irish Citizen's Assembly, a landmark exercise in deliberation integrated with the Irish government. The Assembly resulted in tremendous legal and cultural change in Ireland, including the legalization of same-sex marriage and a referendum to lift Ireland's abortion ban. Students will travel to Ireland to learn from Irish scholars and citizens about the cultural, economic, and political context of the Irish Citizens' Assembly.
Course Design
Through readings, lectures, a three-week tour of the country of Ireland, and interviews with citizens and legislators, students will develop an understanding and point of view of the significance of deliberation as instrumental to political, cultural, and constitutional change. Working in groups, students will articulate their understanding through twelve-fifteen-minute documentaries that emphasize salient, relevant, and interesting insights about the social and political impact of the Irish Citizens' Assembly.
In addition to visiting iconic Irish landmarks and meeting poets, musicians, and historians, students will consider the contemporary issues and elements of Irish culture which both have made the Citizens' Assemblies so successful, and might also explain why it has recently lost influence.
Enrollment
Students will be enrolled in CAS or PLSC 299H, The Culture of Deliberative Democracy in Ireland, 3 credits (honors).
Eligibility
This program is open to all Penn State students.
Estimated Costs
Three credits of summer undergraduate tuition/fees, program fee ($4,200), education abroad administrative fee ($150), transportation to Ireland (purchased by student), estimated in-country costs of $1,600 (meals and personal expenses). The program fee includes lodging, in-country transportation, select cultural experiences, and select meals. Summer tuition is charged at in-state, lower-division rates for all students. Schreyer Scholars will receive a refund of $2,000 via scholarship for the program fee by completing an application in SRS.
Application Process
The application will be available through the Penn State Education Abroad website in early October 2025 and must be submitted by January 23, 2026. Please check the Education Abroad program page for information on when the decisions will be released and the commitment deadline.
Overview
- Maymester (May 12-June 5, 2026)
- Dublin, Ireland
- All Penn State Students
- Lori Bedell, Johan Bodaski, and Jessica O'Hara
- CAS 299H/PLSC 299H (3 credits)
Volunteer Abroad International Service Learning
After formal study programs, one of the most popular international educational experiences is known as service learning. Service learning is an opportunity for you to go abroad to help an international community or organization, or even the natural environment. These rewarding and challenging experiences are sometimes sponsored by Penn State academic units or student organizations and sometimes self-designed, but most often they are offered by specialized service-learning providers not affiliated with Penn State.
Fund Your International Experience Travel Grants
In addition to the significant subsidies the Honors College offers for its own signature international programs, our travel grant program provides funding for Scholars pursuing experiences abroad whether through Penn State or other providers. Each year, we spend well over $250,000 supporting Scholars in their international pursuits.
Apply for a Grant