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
Schreyer Scholar Markea Dickinson looking over a cliff during study abroad in Argentina

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.

London Study Tour Theatre

Program Summary

The London Study Tour embarks on its 38th year! Associate Professor Steve Snyder of Penn State's School of Theatre will curate and guide the tour and teach its course component: Theatre 490H.

London is a world-leading theatre city, offering consistently rich and exciting choices in plays, musicals, and unique theatrical experiences that ferociously explore what theatre can be and do. It's also a city full of vibrant neighborhoods, parks, restaurants, museums, and cultural sites — all with singular personalities and a multitude of stories. This tour and course will explore it all, with London Theatre framing our inquiry. Students will see a minimum of twelve performances: ten or so will be chosen in advance by the instructor, and the others will be selected by participants from a wide range of choices. Students will get to know many sides of London as we see a huge variety of performances in a huge variety of venues all over the city. We'll explore neighborhoods and cultural sites on foot—using London's Underground transit system to expand our reach. We'll wind our way through London's lush parks and alongside the Thames. We'll meet yet another side of London in its restaurants and markets. And through it all, we'll be examining the power of storytelling through Theatre — looking at the stories we tell ourselves to grow, to heal, to celebrate, to awaken, to challenge, and to remind ourselves that we are not alone.

Course Design

This course is designed for the student who is interested in learning about the Art and Craft of Theatre through seeing, discussing, and writing about live performances, as well as visiting important theatre sites, and even doing a bit of theatre-making! Alongside our theatre study, we'll get to know London through visits to historical sites, neighborhood explorations, food adventures, and more, incorporating discussion and journaling to process and examine our experiences.

We'll conduct classes, conversations, and pre- and post-performance discussions in various settings around the city. We'll employ curated and open daily journal entries to process performances, site visits, and other course experiences. A specific topic, chosen by the student and confirmed with the instructor, will be explored in a final paper. Assessment will be based upon the journal, participation in class experiences and pre and post-show discussions, and a final paper.

Enrollment

Students accepted for the LST will be enrolled for 3 credits of Theatre 490H in the summer.

Pre-Departure Seminars

Students will be required to attend several preparatory meetings and on-campus theatre performances during the second half of the spring semester (please see syllabus). Information on these meetings and performances will be provided as part of the application process. Arrangements can be made for accepted students at other campuses to meet pre-departure requirements.

Course Work

Student journals will be read in two stages: the first half will be read by Professor Snyder while in London, and the second half will be turned in soon after our return to the United States. The final paper, described below, will be due at the same time as the second half of the journal. Students will be given a participation grade, which evaluates your level of inquisitiveness and positive contributions to discussions and other group activities.

The final project will be a paper that focuses on a specific topic, chosen by the student and agreed upon with the instructor, that uses an aspect or event from our theatrical engagements as the frame for exploration.

Travel

Transportation to and from London will be handled by the student.

Eligibility

This program is for Scholars in all majors, and at any Penn State campus, who want an intensive academic and cultural experience in the theatre capital of the English-speaking world.

Estimated Costs

Three credits of summer undergraduate tuition/fees, program fee ($3,750), transportation to London (purchased by student), estimated in-country costs of $600-$800. Program fee includes lodging, most shows and cultural visits (Westminster Abbey, Shakespeare's Globe, Parliament, Tower of London, and Stratford for example), transportation allowance, and welcome and farewell meals. Summer tuition is charged at in-state, lower-division rates for all students. Schreyer Scholars will receive a refund ($1,500) via scholarship for the program fee upon confirmed program commitment. Additional need-based funding may be available for Schreyer Scholars; for more information, contact Sarah Lyall-Combs.

Application Process

The application will be available through the Penn State Education Abroad website in early October 2024 and must be submitted by January 23, 2025. Decisions will be released by February 7, 2025, and the commitment deadline is February 19, 2025. Please check the Education Abroad program page for any changes to this timeline.

Big Ben in London
Overview
  • Maymester (May 12 - June 4, 2025)
  • London, England
  • All Scholars and Paterno Fellows
  • Steve Snyder
  • THEA 490H (3 credits)

Bulgaria Study Tour World Media Systems

The deadline for the Bulgaria Study Tour has been extended until Friday, November 8, 2024 by 5 PM
Program Summary

Nestled in the heart of the Balkan peninsula, Bulgaria is the easternmost member state of the European Union. As a territory on the crossroad between Asia and Europe, Bulgaria features a fascinating history and a multiethnic society that distinguishes it from traditional Western European destinations. For five centuries, Bulgaria was a province of the Ottoman Empire, and in the twentieth century it experienced both fascism and communism. In 1989 it embarked on a transition to capitalism and liberal democracy, and in 2007, Bulgaria joined the European Union.

The trip to Bulgaria during Spring Break 2025 is an intensive cultural and learning experience that continues “on the ground” the survey of Southeastern European media, history, and culture undertaken during the first part of COMM 419H World Media Systems. Through visits and exploration of cultural and historical sites, tours of the capital Sofia, and visits of local media institutions, students will learn how the country navigates its tumultuous history, multiethnic society, and divided geopolitical allegiances between Western Europe, the United States, and Orthodox Russia.

The travel component is integrated into the three-credit course COMM 419H World Media Systems. This course is designed to train you to think critically and holistically about the history, culture, and media in Southeastern Europe. Through the lens of media, the focus is on how political, economic, and socio-cultural environments influence the intense transformations of Southeast European societies. In this course, we use an interdisciplinary analytic framework that intermixes media studies, history, politics, and social theory.

Itinerary
About Bulgaria

Bulgaria is an East European country, neighboring Türkiye, Greece, Romania, North Macedonia, and Serbia. With a population of 7 million, Bulgaria’s territory is comparable to the U.S. state of Tennessee. There are three main ethnic groups including, Christian Orthodox, Turkish-speaking Muslims, and Roma. The country is mountainous and has a long coast on the Black Sea. Even though Bulgaria is the poorest member of the EU and has one of fastest shrinking populations in the world, it is a safe and welcoming society with a liberal democracy and a rule of law. It features a vibrant media system with primarily privately-owned, commercial media as well as a solid public radio and television channels.

This program is open to Penn State students at University Park. Priority will be given to Schreyer Scholars and Bellisario students. Schreyer Scholars who have not taken the prerequisite COMM 410, but are interested in the course, are encouraged to apply, and will be interviewed.

Estimated Costs

The program fee of $1,500 includes hotel accommodations (double occupancy) in Sofia, daily breakfast, welcome and farewell dinner, in-country ground transportation, public transportation for select site visits, and select cultural site visits. Schreyer Scholars will receive a refund of $1,100 via scholarship toward this fee approximately 30 days prior to travel. Additional need-based funding may be available for Scholars; for more information, contact Sarah Lyall-Combs.

Students are encouraged to apply for funding through our provider, World Strides (Trip ID: 217855). Please note that the deadline for the two $3,000 scholarships for any March program is November 15. Additionally, $500 grants from the International Financial Assistance Program are available through World Strides, with a deadline of at least 90 days prior to departure.

Out of pocket expenses include roundtrip airfare to Sofia ($900-1,100), site visits not covered by the program fees, meals, passport, optional travel insurance, and personal expenses.

Application Process

Interested students should complete the application form and return it by e-mail attachment to both Dr. Martin Marinos and Ms. Sarah Lyall-Combs. Applications must be submitted by 5:00 PM on Friday, November 8, 2024. However, decisions will be made on a rolling basis upon a review of the application; the academic department will facilitate course registration. Accepted students will be asked to commit to the program by 5:00 PM on Monday, December 2, 2024.

Aleksander Nevski Cathedral in Sofia, Bulgaria
Overview
  • Spring Break (March 7-16, 2025)
  • Sofia, Bulgaria
  • All Penn State students at University Park with priority given to Schreyer Scholars and Bellisario students
  • Martin Marinos
  • COMM 419H (3 credits)

Cambodia Study Tour Non-Profit Organizations and Cambodian Youth

Program Summary

Life in Cambodia is rapidly changing. While still struggling with widespread poverty, its economic growth is among the fastest in the world over the last two decades. This rapid economic growth has huge implications for youth and young adults as they adapt to the changing economic opportunities and educational choices. These opportunities and choices exist against the backdrop of both current cultural changes that comes with globalization and the still recent historical trauma of Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge Genocide of the 1970s, which killed nearly a quarter of its population, then its subsequent decade long occupation by Vietnam.

This honors class will provide students with background information on the recent history and culture of Cambodia and give students in-depth experiences with local non-profit organizations that assist youth and young adults as they adapt to their rapidly changing world.

The travel component will take place over two weeks in May 2025 in and around the city of Siem Reap, a mid-sized city in northwest Cambodia that provides both employment and educational opportunities for the region. Local non-profit organizations in Siem Reap will provide our class the opportunity to visit and interact with their staff at the sites where they support the educational journey of youth and young adults.

Because Siem Reap is situated near the seat of the ancient Khmer Empire, which dominated Southeast Asia over a thousand years ago, the travel component of this class will provide students the opportunity to learn about the current challenges confronting youth and young adults in Cambodia while immersing themselves in the Khmer culture and history that define Cambodia’s past and ground its future path. Students will spend time learning onsite from local non-profit organizations. They will also visit and learn about the world-famous cultural sites at the center of the ancient Khmer Empire. These sites include Angkor Wat, which is considered to be the largest religious structure in the world, and Bayon, with its huge representations of Buddhist deities.

Students will earn 3.25 honors credits for this experience by registering for HDFS 497 in the spring semester for 3 credits and HDFS 499 for .25 credit during the summer session. There will be at least seven 1-hour classes during the spring 2025 semester during which students will learn about the history of Cambodia and the different organizations that we will visit. Once we have selected the students for the course, we will coordinate the class meeting time based on everyone's availability.

Itinerary
Travel

There will be a recommended flight to/from Siem Reap, but participants are responsible for making their own arrangements and for arriving within the time window specified.

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, Paterno Fellows, and HDFS majors/minors.

Estimated Costs

For travel in Summer 2025, students will be charged a “flat rate” for the associated 0.25 credit course rather than paying regular tuition. The flat rate will be $200 for both in-state and out-of-state students. There is also a program fee of $2,180 which includes hotel accommodations (double occupancy), daily breakfast, select meals (two lunches and three dinners), transportation within Cambodia including airport transfers, and select cultural site visits (subject to change). Schreyer Scholars will receive a refund of $1,500 via scholarship effectively lowering the program fee to $680. 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 Cambodia, site visits and meals not covered by the program fees, passport, visa processing, optional travel insurance, and personal expenses.

Application Process

Complete the application form and return by e-mail attachment to both Dr. Hobart Cleveland and Ms. Sarah Lyall-Combs by 5:00 PM on Friday, December 6, 2024.

Angkor Wat in Cambodia
Overview
  • Maymester (May 12-26, 2025)
  • Cambodia
  • All Penn State students with priority given to Schreyer Scholars, Paterno Fellows, and HDFS minors/majors
  • Bo Cleveland
  • HDFS 497 (3 credits) and HDFS 499 (0.25 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 elements of Irish culture which have made the Citizens' Assemblies so successful.

Enrollment

Students will be enrolled in CAS 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 ($3,700), education abroad administrative fee ($150), transportation to Ireland (purchased by student), estimated in-country costs of $1600 (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 $1,200 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 2024 and must be submitted by January 23, 2025. Decisions will be released by February 7, 2025, and the commitment deadline is February 19, 2025. Please check the Education Abroad program page for any changes to this timeline.

Potato Famine memorial statues in Ireland
Overview
  • Maymester (May 14-June 5, 2025)
  • Dublin, Ireland
  • All Penn State Students
  • Lori Bedell and Jessica O'Hara
  • CAS 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.

Amizade logo
Habitat for Humanity logo
Global Volunteers logo
IPSL logo
Peace Corps logo
Volunteering for Peace logo
Other Opportunities

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
Schreyer Scholar Clifford Stueck

Schreyer’s research requirement has compelled me to augment my classroom studies with hands-on research in my field, which will strengthen my knowledge in my field of aerospace. The Schreyer Honors College was integral in my acceptance into a highly selective study abroad “Engineers Made in Germany” that focused on the automotive industry, complete with a scholarship to help defray the cost.

Clifford Stueck ' 22 Aerospace Engineering

See the World Global Perspective

Education Abroad Fund Your Travel