International Travel Programs Led by Faculty & Staff

• Estimated Cost: $4,000, depending on final airfare quote and number of participants
• Credit: Credit-bearing, 1 credit
• Eligibility: Open to students in the University Honors College or students majoring in Earth or Environmental Science with instructor permission.
• Program Leader: Nick Soltis (soltisn@uindy.edu)

This Honors study abroad spring break program immerses students in the field of Environmental Science by exploring the volcanic geology, unique island biodiversity, and rich heritage of Portugal's Mid-Atlantic Islands, the Azores—sometimes called the Hawaii of the Atlantic. Centered in Ponta Delgada on São Miguel Island, the region will allow students to better understand the culture and unique environment of the Azores. Students will experience firsthand the interplay of the natural environment and the island's people in shaping the unique culture of the Azores. Students will have the opportunity to experience volcanic calderas, beaches, sustainable farming, geothermal springs, whale watching, and the city of Ponta Delgada.

• Estimated Cost: $3,500
• Credit: Credit-bearing; course name and number TBD
• Eligibility: Open to Music majors and minors.
• Program Leader: Meredith Smith (smithm009@uindy.edu)

Students will travel to Budapest and Ketskemet, Hungary, to the Kodaly Institute for an intensive musical study workshop. Students will also participate in historical and cultural sightseeing, exploration, and concert experiences. In addition to musical learning, students will experience the language, culture, and history of Hungary through the lens of the Hungarian people. They will also experience and develop a sense of micro-cultures through itinerant means as they seek to understand the historic and artistic roots of Hungarian and nearby Central European cultures.

• Estimated Cost: $2,000
• Credit: Credit-bearing; course name and number TBD
• Eligibility: Open to all majors.
• Program Leader: Ken Reid (reidk@uindy.edu)

This is a trip to a mission field, exploring service in healthcare, education, construction, communication, and the culture around San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic. Students will explore their major, meet people from a different culture, and serve.

The exact dates and duration TBD based on budget and flight availability. The program may range from approximately 10–14 days.

• Estimated Cost: TBD
• Credit: TBD
• Eligibility: Open to all Health Professions students.
• Program Leader: Dr. Toni Morris  (tomorris@uindy.edu)

Experience Costa Rica through an interdisciplinary experiential learning program focused on healthcare, community health, public health, and well-being. Students will explore Costa Rica’s healthcare system and community health practices through visits and networking opportunities with local clinics, healthcare centers, hospitals, and community organizations. The program will provide opportunities to experience urban, rural, and coastal communities while connecting classroom learning to real-world health and community experiences. Educational and cultural activities, opportunities for service, and time to explore Costa Rica’s natural beauty—including Manuel Antonio National Park and Rainmaker—will complement healthcare-focused programming. Students will return with a broader understanding of global health, cultural perspectives, community well-being, and the social and environmental factors that influence health.

• Estimated Cost: $3,500
• Credit: Credit-bearing — IREL 480: D-Day and the Norman Conquest: Britain and France
• Eligibility: Open to all majors.
• Program Leader: Dr. Milind Thakar (mthakar@uindy.edu)

This course introduces students to cross-channel conflict across the English Channel, with a special focus on the Norman invasion of England in 1066 and the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in Normandy in 1944. Students will visit London, Battle Abbey (site of the Battle of Hastings in 1066), Portsmouth (headquarters of the Allied fleet in 1944), Caen (home to William the Conqueror of Normandy and a major battle site in 1944), and finally Paris.

• Estimated Cost: $3,500
• Credit: Credit-bearing — HON 299: Experiencing Korean Culture and History
• Eligibility: Open to students in the University Honors College.
• Program Leader: Alex Nelson (nelsonaj@uindy.edu)

In this two-week travel course, Honors students will have the opportunity to experience Korean culture, society, and history firsthand through a guided tour of life in the nation’s capital, Seoul, from an established scholar of Korean culture, Dr. Alex Nelson, a cultural anthropologist who has been visiting Korea for two decades and spent years working and conducting ethnographic research in Seoul. Seoul is a vibrant city nestled among rivers, mountains, and some of the world’s best urban parks.

In this travel course, students will learn to navigate the city using public transportation (subways, trains, and buses), explore the city’s museums and historic landmarks, including Gyeongbok Palace, the Korean War Memorial, National Museum, and Folk Culture Museum, and gain an appreciation of Korea’s history and culture. Students will also engage in cultural exchanges with local students and learn to explore the city and navigate relationships with locals on their own.

This trip will also include excursions beyond Seoul to the Demilitarized Zone marking the boundary between South and North Korea and to Busan, Korea’s second-largest city, located on the southern coast of the Korean Peninsula. Students will complete regular reflections on their experiences, read academic studies on Korean history and culture, and learn about contemporary social issues in Korea through readings, instruction, and everyday interactions with Koreans.

• Estimated Cost: $3,800
• Credit: Credit-bearing; course name and number TBD
• Eligibility: Open to all majors.
• Program Leader: Suranga Dharmarathne (dharmarathnes@uindy.edu)

This travel program aims to explore the culture, history, and ancient civilization of Sri Lanka and the influence of Buddhism and other religions on its early development. Participants will visit two key archaeological sites of the first two capitals of ancient Sri Lanka, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. Both cities are designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

In the Sacred City of Anuradhapura, students will learn how the ancient Sri Lankans engineered the city and its irrigation system. Participants will also visit Sri Maha Bodhi, known as the oldest living human-planted tree and a sacred tree for Buddhists. The group will visit large stupas and stone carvings in the area and may have the opportunity to visit Mihintale Temple, which is considered the birthplace of Buddhism.

The group will then travel to Polonnaruwa to see stone-carved statues of Lord Buddha, ancient Hindu temples, and the development of an ancient city. Students will then travel to Trincomalee, where they will have time to reflect on their experiences while enjoying the beach. While in Trincomalee, participants will visit Koneswaran Temple, a classical-medieval Hindu temple.

Afterward, the group will travel to Sigiriya, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Students will see ancient paintings and an ancient royal palace atop a 180-meter-tall rock. The palace features water gardens, frescoes, and giant lion paws. The visit provides students with insight into how ancient Sri Lankans built a palace within a fortress.

The next destination is Dambulla Cave Temple, which features five cave sanctuaries carved into a huge 160-meter rock face, with more than 150 Buddha statues and 2,100 square meters of ancient murals. The group will then visit the last kingdom of Sri Lanka, the city of Kandy, where students will visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. Finally, the travel program ends in Colombo, the commercial capital of Sri Lanka.

• Estimated Cost: $3,000
• Credit: Credit-bearing; course name and number TBD
• Eligibility: Open to all majors.
• Program Leader: Dr. Kea Deppe (deppek@uindy.edu)

Hope Across Borders: Malaysia combines meaningful service-learning with cultural immersion in Kuala Lumpur. UIndy students will work with multilingual Burmese refugee students and local educators while experiencing Malaysia’s history, traditions, and vibrant culture.

• Estimated Cost: $3,800
• Credit: Credit-bearing; course name and number TBD
• Eligibility: Open to all majors.
• Program Leader: Ryan Behan (behanr@uindy.edu)

Experience the music, art, history, and vibrant culture of southern Germany and Austria on an unforgettable study abroad journey through Munich, Augsburg, and Salzburg. Designed for students interested in music, art, and the creative arts, this program combines behind-the-scenes cultural experiences with the opportunity to encounter some of Europe’s greatest artistic treasures.

In Munich, students will explore the magnificent Alte Pinakothek, home to masterpieces by artists such as Rembrandt, Rubens, and Dürer, as well as the Pinakothek der Moderne, one of Europe’s leading museums of modern and contemporary art, design, architecture, and graphic arts. Students will also discover the historic city of Augsburg, enjoying its beautiful architecture, lively public spaces, and rich musical heritage before continuing to Salzburg—the city forever associated with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Salzburg provides an extraordinary setting for students to experience music at the highest level. Visits to Mozart’s Birthplace (Mozart Geburtshaus) and other important sites connected to Mozart and Salzburg’s musical history will bring their classroom studies to life. Students will attend world-class performances in the center of European classical music, experience concerts and educational opportunities at the Mozarteum University, and explore the city’s remarkable musical and cultural landscape.

Along the way, the itinerary will include fun excursions, local cuisine, historic landmarks, scenic adventures, and opportunities to experience everyday European life. It is an immersive adventure that connects the classroom to the concert hall, museum, historic city, and unforgettable experiences shared with fellow students.

• Estimated Cost: $4,200
• Credit: Credit-bearing; course name and number TBD
• Eligibility: Open to all majors.
• Program Leader: Ryan Behan (behanr@uindy.edu)

This interdisciplinary study abroad program immerses students in the rich artistic and cultural traditions of England and Scotland, exploring the connections between music, visual art, architecture, literature, history, and cultural identity.

Beginning in London, students will explore the city’s historic and cultural landmarks, including Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery, Westminster, Covent Garden, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Students will also have opportunities to experience world-class live music through performances at venues such as the Royal Academy of Music, Royal Albert Hall, and Wigmore Hall.

The program then travels north to York, where students will encounter medieval architecture and history through York Minster, the historic city walls, The Shambles, and Clifford’s Tower, before continuing to Edinburgh. In Scotland, students will explore the architecture, history, literature, and musical traditions of Edinburgh, with particular attention to figures such as Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, and Robert Louis Stevenson, while also experiencing traditional Scottish and Celtic music.

Excursions to Stirling Castle, the National Wallace Monument, Loch Ness, and Urquhart Castle provide opportunities to connect Scotland’s cultural heritage with its landscape and national identity. The program concludes in Glasgow with a visit to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and opportunities to experience chamber, folk, Celtic, and professional concert performances, including the possibility of attending events at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Throughout the program, students will learn by experiencing works of art, historic sites, architecture, literature, and live performances in the places where these cultural traditions developed and continue to thrive. The result is an engaging, hands-on exploration of how music and the arts reflect and shape the history, identity, and cultural heritage of England and Scotland.