One of the best ways students internationalize their education at The University of Tampa is by taking one of the University’s faculty-led programs. In order to participate, students must enroll in an on-campus course with a travel component. After the on-campus portion of the class is completed or during spring break, the students take off, all while earning UT academic credit. Each program's travel component may last from seven days to four weeks and options vary slightly each year.
Where to Begin
Visit the UT Study Abroad Portal and explore the program offerings. To only see the Faculty-Led program offerings on the portal filter by Program Type = Faculty-Led and Internal/ Authorized = Internal.
Students may also contact the International Programs coordinator, Barbara Prucha, to discuss faculty-led program opportunities.
How to Apply
The application deadline for Faculty-Led Programs in January is Oct. 1 and for spring semester and summer sessions is Nov. 1. Please note that once programs reach full enrollment they will be closed. Students must first apply online through the UT Study Abroad Portal. Please note: Instructor permission is required for some faculty-led programs.
Participants are required to register with the Office of International Programs by submitting an application and completing pre-departure instructions. Costs and applications will be available this summer.
UT Faculty-Led Program Offerings
JANUARY 2025 – Course and travel take place during January Term (except where noted)
( group flights are from Tampa to Tampa so you must plan accordingly)
BUS 101: Introduction to Global Business – DUBAI/ABU DHABI (S. Dieringer/K. Weaver)
Jan. 9-18, 2025
Want to ride a camel, visit a traditional spice market, and see the view from the tallest building in the world, while gaining new perspectives on the ethics, norms, entrepreneurship, culture, and communication styles in a very unique and exciting part of the world? This travel course provides the opportunity to experience real world, international business functions and applications all while earning BUS 101 course credits. Dubai is a major hub for international trade with a diverse economy including shipping, finance and tourism. The Dubai of today has risen from the desert to become a cultural and tourism hotspot. Dubai is a melting pot of different cultures welcoming all nationalities and religions, making it the perfect destination for a student visit. Join us for a travel course to Dubai in January 2025 and get credit for a core business course!
NUR 422L Community Health, experiential hours – PERU (R. White/R. Delacroix)
Jan. 9-12, 2025
This course is open to undergraduate nursing students to visit health care facilities and work with the Indigenous people of Peru. Students will apply community health promotion/ disease prevention concepts in a transcultural environment. Visit both city and rural areas of Peru; take part in guided tours covering history, culture, and health care trends; spend days in the community of rural Cusco, as well as the rural community of Sacred Valley and learn the daily rhythms of Peruvian village life while implementing student and community designed health care-focused projects. As a community health practicum, the service-learning component includes opportunities to practice concepts of health promotion/disease prevention through community education and outreach activities. Students will also learn about traditional Peruvian healing practices.
SPRING BREAK 2025 – (spring semester course, travel over spring break)
ATT 301: Global Perspectives in Athletic Therapy and Sport Performance – IRELAND
(JC Andersen/J. Weiner)
ATT 301 and SPM 399 are a joint program to Ireland
March 7-16, 2025
This is a faculty-led travel course that requires travel to selected destinations to study the delivery of athletic therapy and sport science services to teams and individuals. Students travel to these destinations to learn about the role of athletic therapy and sport science in the broader sports performance and healthcare systems. The travel component of the course will include interactive tours covering the history, culture, and athletic therapy and sport science trends of the country(ies) visited. Students will participate in class(es), scholarly lectures, and practical experiences with students and faculty of host institutions or organizations.
COM 212: Co-Creative Documentary Abroad - CARRILLO, MEXICO (C. Boulton/A. DeMil)
March 8-16, 2025
This faculty-led travel course takes you abroad to co-create short documentary films with local changemakers: non-profits, social justice entrepreneurs, and innovative non-governmental organizations solving problems in their own communities. The course begins on campus, where you will learn filmmaking techniques for the first seven weeks, then travels to Mexico over Spring Break, where you will shoot your films, stay with local host families, and engage with local history and ecology through the Na'atik Language and Culture Institute. The travel component culminates in an overnight excursion in Tulum. You’ll spend the second seven weeks of the semester back on campus editing, incorporating changemaker feedback, and sending your films out to festivals. Documentaries from previous versions of the course have won awards and screened all over the world. Since you will have translators on site, there are no language prerequisites for this course.
This course can be counted towards fulfilling the Non-Western and International/ Global Awareness (NW/IG) requirements of the Baccalaureate Experience.
SPM 399: Global Sport Management – IRELAND (J. Weiner/ JC Andersen)
SPM 399 and ATT 301 are a joint program to Ireland and fulfills the required international elective.
March 7-16, 2025
Sport serves as a global language bridging many cultural, social, and political barriers. As an industry, sport accounts for about 5% of the worldwide economy. This is a travel course that will provide students an experiential learning experience in the global marketplace. This course examines strategic, operational, cultural and technological factors to prepare future business leaders for success in the competitive sport marketplace. The course can be used for IG credit towards the baccalaureate experience OR for SPM major requirement – it can also be substituted for SPM 375 History of The Modern Olympics or SPM 374 International Sport Management.
THR 205: Oral Interpretation of Literature – LONDON (M. Staczar)
March 7-16, 2025
William Shakespeare said it best when he wrote “All the world’s a stage”. Where better to study theatre than the home of so many brilliant playwrights and actors? Theater is sewn into the fabric of life in England and is a hotbed for new theatre productions, so choose London for an unforgettable spring break that will enhance your understanding of theatre, performance, and stage craft! A course designed to develop interpretive skills, vocal range and flexibility, understanding of language, and expressiveness of voice and body in the interpretation of literary forms. During this 10-day itinerary students will explore London, attend productions, participate in backstage tours, and will embark in three full day excursions visiting iconic landmarks such as Bath, Oxford, and Stratford-upon-Avon. The students will join together academic value and cultural immersion, while making long-lasting memories.
This course is a required course for the Theatre major and is considered a Visual and Performing Arts course for the Spartan Studies core.
MAY 2025 – spring semester course, travel in May after semester ends
(group flights are from Tampa to Tampa so you must plan accordingly)
BIO 407: Fermentation Microbiology – FRANCE/BELGIUM (L. Logsdon/E. Freundt)
May 11-25, 2025
Fermented Foods: From Art to Science, we will explore both the history and present-day industries of fermented foods. Students will discover the applications of fermentation microbiology in this important industry through required international travel and visits to food producers in France and Belgium. We will also visit the European Commission in Brussels, where students will learn about the European Union and ways the commission works to protect the production of traditional fermented foods. Students will learn about the microbial species used in different food fermentations, metabolic activities of microorganisms and their influence on product characteristics, microbial interactions, processing of fermented foods, industrial applications of microbiology, and problems that may arise during fermentation.
Pre-Requisites: Biology lower-core curriculum, Bio307 (Microbiology) and permission of instructor. Counts as a biology category II elective.
CRM 248: Comparative Criminal Justice Systems – DENMARK/NORWAY
(C. Hilinski-Rosick/K. Branch)
May 11-23, 2025
This course is designed to expose students to critical criminal justice themes in a Scandinavia context and to help students better understand the criminal justice systems in the United States and Scandinavian countries. Students will examine the three components of the criminal justice system and approach to corrections and rehabilitation in Denmark and Norway through personal observation of various agencies within these countries, as well as through personal interaction with selected agency personnel. Tours and guided activities will acquaint students with the ways in which the criminal justice system operates in Scandinavia.
This course counts as a category 1 elective for the CRM major.
ECO 205: Principles of Macroeconomics – SEVILLE, SPAIN (D. Diaz) PENDING APPROVAL
May 11-26, 2025
This course serves as a comprehensive introduction to macroeconomics, delving into the study of the economy at the macro level. Throughout the program, participants will explore topics such as the benefits of trade and specialization, the overall functioning of the economy, the government’s role in the economy, and the impacts of economic policies. Core macroeconomic issues, including growth, business cycles, unemployment, inflation, interest rates, and the role of money, will be examined within diverse economic systems. The course incorporates the idiosyncratic differences between European, Spanish, and Andalusian governments, economic structures, regulations, customs, and traditions, providing an invaluable comparative perspective for students accustomed to a US-centric framework. This international exposure enhances comprehension of macroeconomics and fosters an understanding of divergent global growth paths and their societal implications. This eye-opening experience emphasizes the relevance of principles of macroeconomics, culture, history, politics, and institutions, amongst other dimensions of two diverging socioeconomic contexts for students, regardless of their major—a very fun and pedagogically rich experience.
This course meets the Social Science requirement for the baccalaureate experience. Proficiency in MAT 150 is recommended but not required.
ENS 122: Global Sustainability – FIJI (D. Huber/N. Grondin)
May 11-24, 2025
This course examines how humans impact land, water, food, energy, and biodiversity resources and how those resources are, or could be, used in a sustainable manner. These subjects are discussed from environmental, social, political, and economic perspectives with an emphasis on comparative sustainability between different locations on the planet. Fiji, known for its friendly people and breathtaking tropical scenery, serves as an excellent location for studying international issues in sustainability.
HSC 401T: Interprofessional Global Health– THAILAND/VIETNAM (R. Olsen/G. Firth)
May 12-26, 2025
Travel to the beautiful city of Chiang Mai, Thailand. Visit the city’s most important temples and markets, while learning about and applying community health promotion and disease prevention concepts. The travel component of the course will include two weeks in Thailand & Vietnam with guided interactive tours covering the history, culture, healthcare, and public health trends of both countries. In addition, students will visit the local humane Elephant Sanctuary to learn about Thailand’s elephant population, experience Thai cooking classes to learn about the cuisine and nutrition of the region, go hiking to visit hill-top villages and have time for exploration. As a community health practicum, the service-learning component will be held in the Doi Suthep-Pui National Park in a small hill-tribe village in the mountains of Thailand and the National Institute of Hematology & Blood Transfusion and the National Hospital of Traditional Medicine in Hanoi, Vietnam. These experiences will provide students with opportunities to practice concepts of health promotion/disease prevention and giving through community education activities.
HSC 499: Special Topics in Health Sciences – Health Through the Ages– ITALY/LONDON (A. Miller/H. Borgeas)
May 10-25, 2025
This course introduces students to the history of medical science with travel to Italy and England to see medical sites and artifacts. The course begins with a survey of ancient Egyptian and Greek therapeutics, then progresses through the advancements made during the Renaissance and modern day. The class will travel to Italy to see life-like models created out of wax by famous artists like DaVinci. The models expanded our knowledge of the body beyond the work with cadavers. Students will also visit the oldest cadaver dissection theatre in the world, dating back to 1595. Then the class will travel to London to visit the Hunterian Museum and explore the vast collection of preserved anatomical and pathological specimens, antique surgical instruments, and models from the 17th Century to present day.
MAR 344: Coral Reefs Lab – ROATAN, HONDURAS (M. Middlebrooks/M. Osovitz)
May 11-24, 2025
Coral reefs are the most diverse marine habitat on the planet. In this course students will examine coral reef ecosystems, including their biology, ecology, chemical and physical characteristics, and the impact of global climate change on this ecosystem. The course requires scuba diving I and international travel to visit a coral reef ecosystem. The travel component of this course is designed to take the information that students learned in the classroom and apply it in the field. Students will travel to the Roatan Institute of Marine Science in Honduras to study coral reefs first-hand via scuba diving. This immersive course will cover three main components while in Honduras: 1) Learning to identify the organisms living on the coral reef 2) Coral reef management and restoration 3) A short research project where students will design their own research, collect data underwater, and present the results of their study.
NUR 422L Community Health, experiential hours – COSTA RICA (T. Pedroff)
May 12-21, 2025
This course is open to undergraduate nursing students who wish to learn about the Latin American culture as well as the health care system and major health issues of the population. Students travel to Costa Rica to apply community health promotion and disease prevention concepts in a transcultural environment. This 10-day faculty-led experiential travel experience includes guided tours covering the culture and history of the country. Three days are spent in the urban center of San Jose exploring the differences between public and private healthcare. The next week is spent in the rural/rainforest areas of Monteverde as an immersion homestay experience. Here, students can interact closely with the local people in the region.
This is a community health practicum including patient care, health promotion, disease prevention, and community education activities (Clinical hours awarded for Community Health Course).
PSC 282: Community-based Development – GHANA (K. Fridy/E. Fernandez-Figueroa)
May 11-24, 2025
Through class readings, films, discussions and a travel component, this course focuses on development as part of an academic discourse and as an underlying assumption behind applied service projects. Students begin by questioning what development is and who defines it, and they explore who benefits from it. The culminating experience is a project students and residents of the poor and rural villages of Nabdam, Ghana, put together to spark development. Ghana is called "Africa for beginners" because of its peaceful history, English-speaking population, and traveler friendly infrastructure. It is a destination popular to those simply curious about Africa and those who want to spend years abroad as a volunteer, aid worker, international businessperson, or Foreign Service officer. On our trip we visit the bustling capital of Accra where you will homestay with families along the coast and Damongo where we will explore ecotourism and hopefully see a few elephants. For most the highlight of our trip is the week spent in rural farming communities of Nabdam. Here students attune themselves to the daily rhythms of village life while implementing student and community-designed development projects. Your life will be changed as you learn about the struggles of the world's poor and how to responsibly help your fellow human.
This course can be used as an elective and counts for PSC/IST.
SPE 208: Speech for Business – MOROCCO (K. Foltz/S.Sawicki)
May 11-25, 2025
This course is intended to introduce students to communication, business communication, and other issues commonly encountered in business and professional situations, particularly in foreign cultures. To prepare students for communicating and conducting business in a non-western culture, students will learn about the history of Morocco while analyzing the social issues that this country faces in the 21st century. Additionally, this course focuses on fundamental communication and stylistic differences between Western and Non-Western cultures, including non-verbal and verbal communication, high vs. low context cultures, and generally how cultural differences can impact business and relations. At the same time, we hear directly from entrepreneurs, innovators, and economic experts about how Morocco is poised to act as an essential gateway to the African continent. While anyone could benefit from such a course, this academic endeavor may be of particular interest to those currently studying communication, journalism, business, international business, consulting, public relations, interested in social media, or anyone with aspirations to enroll in advanced-level public speaking and communication courses. Students will develop advanced public speaking skills through professional presentations and class activities before departure.
SUMMER SESSION I – June 16-29, 2024
( group flight is Tampa to Tampa so you must plan accordingly)
BIO 205: Tropical Biology and Conservation – COSTA RICA (M. Meers/L. McRae)
June 2-15, 2025
This course is intended for students interested in the natural history, biology, and ecology of the tropics, the most biologically divers region of the world. Students will study evolutionary, ecological, and other biological principles of tropical ecosystems and the natural history of the organisms that live there. We will examine conservation programs, sustainable development practices, and the widespread impact of this region of the globe. The course culminates in a two-week travel experience where students will visit places like lowland tropical rain forests, high elevation tropical cloud forests, coastal ecosystems, primary and secondary forests, and more. In the field, students will conduct brief research programs designed to illustrate the possibilities of careers working in the tropics over a broad range of biological specialties, ranging from tropical biodiversity, evolution, and sustainability to agriculture and medicine.
This course can count as a Biology upper-level or Category III elective.
MGT 330: Principles of Management – MADRID (A. Salaiz)
June 1-15, 2025
Part of Spain's rich history includes a strong Arabic and Jewish influence in the culture, food, and architecture up to the 1400s, despite the country being predominantly Catholic/Christian today. Historically, Spain was a significant center of global trade and exploration, which cultivated a strong sense of entrepreneurial spirit. Furthermore, the historical emphasis on family-owned businesses and the Catholic church's teachings on ethics and social justice continue to influence business practices, fostering a business environment that values personal relationships, social responsibility and long-term commitment over mere profit maximization. During the course, we will discover the importance of learning and understanding a culture with a rich history and vibrant international business community. Many large, international organizations are in Madrid and students will visit with four to six international companies during the two-week program, along with two day trips outside of Madrid. We will see first-hand how business environments differ from the U.S. and witness international business in a real-world setting. Each company visit aligns with one of the four functions of management (planning, organizing, leading and controlling). For example, there is a stark contrast between the focus on individuals in the U.S. and the focus on groups in Spain, which will bring to life concepts that we discuss related to groups, teams and decision making (i.e. planning function). There are also stark differences in human resources processes that you will see firsthand when visiting with a Spanish company and learning about the organizing function. This course will remain in Madrid with day trips to Toledo and Segovia along and serves as a base for travel around Spain and beyond before and after the course.
Prereqs: AWR 101 with a "C" or better, AWR 201, and COB requirements for taking 300-level courses. *Must be a business major/minor*
AUGUST 2025 – (group flight is Tampa to Tampa so you must plan accordingly)
NUR 422L: Community Health – DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (R. White)
This course is open to undergraduate and graduate nursing students to visit and work with indigenous people in the Dominican Republic. Students will also apply community health promotion/ disease prevention concepts in a transcultural environment. On our trip, we will visit the bustling capital of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo. We will take part in a self-guided tour covering the history, culture, and health care trends of Old Town. Most of the trip is comprised of five days spent in the community of San Juan de la Maguana, as well as the rural communities surrounding. Here, students attune themselves to the daily rhythms of village life while implementing student and community-designed health and healthcare-focused projects. As a community health practicum, the service-learning component includes opportunities to practice concepts of health promotion/disease prevention through community education and outreach activities. Although students will earn clinical hours, no academic credit is earned during the program.