Study Abroad Programs

Rome, ITALY

June 1–22
Rome via Brooklyn

Imagine a course with no classroom. Instead, we explore the ancient ruins, timeless museums, and modern streets of Rome. You don’t just read about the eternal city, but see, taste, smell, feel, and hear it.

More Details

• Course Syllabus
• 3 credits—Classics 1110
• $2,200—includes housing, insurance, three special meals, local transportation, and course-related excursions. Not included: tuition, flight, airport transfers, and personal expenses.

Accra, Ghana*

May 29 –June 28

• Option 1: Africa and the Diaspora & Chieftaincy and Development
• Option 2: Gender and Culture in Africa & Appropriate Technology for Development in Africa

The program is hosted by the University of Ghana, in Accra.

Using the medium of interactive lectures that seek to immerse students in discussions on Africa-centered topics, the program tells the story of Africa from the perspective of Ghana. It offers a unique opportunity for intellectual exploration, cultural enrichment, building a new network of friends, and expanding your understanding of the world.

Besides the academic courses, participants visit vibrant and diverse regions in Ghana and engage in fun cultural activities and excursions in addition to a service learning component to engage and connect with the local community.

More Details

• 3 credits total—Africana Studies
• Academic courses are offered in pairs, and students get to choose either option 1 or 2.
• $2,200—includes housing with daily breakfast, tuition, insurance, some group meals, and course-related transportation and excursions.
  Not included: flight, visa, yellow fever vaccination, and personal expenses.

Courses

Africa and the Diaspora

This course explores some of the fundamental issues in the trade of enslaved Africans. While it focuses on the trans-Atlantic slave trade it contextualizes slavery as an institution across time and space to understand its nature, impact and legacies on Africa, Europe and the Americas as compared to other forms of forced subordination. The course draws attention to various parts of the Atlantic world to identify different types of involvement in the slave business and to understand the implications at the local as well as the global level.

Chieftaincy and Development in Africa

This course examines the history of chieftaincy and other forms of traditional political leadership in Africa. It is concerned with the relationship between traditional authority and social, cultural, political and economic transformation that took place from precolonial times to the present. The course is also about debates and discussions on the relevance or otherwise of chieftaincy and other forms of traditional leadership in Africa, especially the role of chiefs in resource management and development in Africa.

Gender and Culture in Africa

This course examines how culture shapes the positions of women and men in African societies, and analyses cultures and cultural practices as dynamic, contested and rooted in socio-economic conditions and power relations. Key concepts in gender studies are analyzed concerning debates about accepted notions of culture. Students will be encouraged to reflect on their own experiences of gender and their role in reinforcing and transforming the nature of gender relations in society.

Appropriate Technology for Development in Africa

This course focuses on the discourses on, practices with, and outcomes of technology in the transformation processes in Africa. It is premised on the assumption that technology mediates development processes globally and in Africa, whether sustainably or not. Globally, human progress towards social well-being, economic progress, and environmental conservation has been impacted and shaped by technology, in ways that either pose threats to or opportunities for our common survival as humans. Based on the recognition that technology increasing plays a central role in human progress, the ways technology is conceived of and applied are among the most important topics and narratives that form the bases of policy and programs aimed at governing human progress. In this course, the concepts of technology and development, the relationship between them, as well as outcomes for social and environmental sustainability would be analyzed.

* Courses taught by our partner universities—summer schools.

Istanbul, Turkey

June 8–29
Turkish History and Society—Past, Present, Erasure, and Construction

This class will take place on-site in Istanbul, a city that spans two continents, Europe and Asia. It aims to teach the history of the late Ottoman period and modern Turkey.

The class will be divided into two components: the first part will focus on Turkey’s Ottoman past. It will rethink issues related to Ottoman history, politics and society, and other aspects such as art and architecture.

We will visit the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Churches, and Synagogues during this part. We will also take a boat trip up the Bosphorus straights and end at Mehmet the Conqueror’s Fortress.

In addition to the lessons from Brooklyn College faculty members, students will hear from local experts, who will provide important information unavailable in the classroom.

The second part will cover modern Turkey’s history, taught by some of Turkey’s top professors. It will include meetings with journalists, Armenian and Jewish groups, and other social groups within the society.

This component will allow the students to understand how histories are contested and how many competing narratives are shaped.

Program participants will stay in a hotel (with breakfast included) near the European side’s main center.

We will also explore the Asian side as part of our class.

Lastly, there will be a day excursion to Edirne, the historic Ottoman city.

This program is open to undergraduate and graduate students from all majors.

More Details

• 3 credits—Hist 3590
• $2,200—includes housing with daily breakfast, insurance, some group meals, and course-related excursions. Not included: tuition, flight, and personal expenses.
• Contact: Associate Professor Louis Fishman, History Department

Lyon, France*

June 9–July 18
French Language and Culture (open to intermediate and advanced levels only; no beginner levels)

From Jean Moulin Lyon 3 University’s campus, students are immersed in the dynamic and culturally rich city of Lyon. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Lyon offers countless opportunities for exploration. Within walking distance, students can discover the charm of the Presqu’île, the historic Vieux Lyon, the bustling Croix-Rousse district, and the scenic Rhône and Saône riversides.

More Details

• Get full details at University Lyon III—Jean Moulin French Summer School.
• Deadline to apply: March 14, 2025
• 4 credits—Global Languages, Literatures, and Cultures Department
• Approximately $3,000—includes tuition, accommodation, meals, excursions, and local transportation. Not included: flight, insurance, and personal expenses.

* Courses taught by our partner universities—summer schools.

Barcelona, Spain*

June 23–July 11 (summer session 1, tentative dates)
July 14–August 1 (summer session 2, tentative dates)
Various courses, including Spanish language classes

More Details

• Universitat Autonòma de Barcelona
• Courses: various courses including Spanish language classes

* Courses taught by our partner universities—summer schools.

Seoul, South Korea

July 10–31 
Media Production and Cultural Studies in South Korea

The Media Production in South Korea program will provide students with the opportunity to on a great range of production techniques and tools of the medium, including electronic media production theory, shooting on-location, graphics, audio and post-production. Students will not only explore the diversity of South Korea, but also be able to document and create a story of their personal experience there.

Dongguk University, located in the heart of Seoul, will provide an ideal setting for studying media production and cultural studies within a South Korean environment.

Participants will work collaboratively with Dongguk University students on the pre-production, production, and post-production of short video projects. Students will also take a work streetwise course on Korean language and culture that will facilitate their understanding of traditional culture while they are shooting.

The first week of the course will focus on an introduction to pre-production and production. During the second week, participants will shoot on-location in different parts of Seoul. In the third week, students will learn and apply the post-production process to their product.

Additionally, we will visit popular Korean TV networks and experience live concerts. The group will also get a chance to visit the city of Busan. Housing will be at Dongguk University on-campus residence hall.

This program is open to undergraduate students from all majors.

More Details

• 3 credits—TREM 3841
• Course Syllabus (PDF)
• $2,200—includes housing, insurance, some meals, and course-related excursions. Not included: tuition, flight, and personal expenses.
• Contact: Professor Young Cheong, Television, Radio & Emerging Media Department

Busan, South Korea*

July 6 – August 1
Korean Language and Culture

Hosted by our exchange partner, Pusan National University (PNU) short-term Summer School. The program provides 4-week Korean language course with authentic cultural activities and exciting field trips.

• Field Trips: Explore famous Busan sites including Gamcheon Culture Village, Temple Visit, and Haeundae Beach for an immersive cultural experience
• Cultural Activities: Experience Korean culture through hands-on activities like Traditional Calligraphy, K-Pop dance, Taekwondo, K-Beauty, and more, immersing you in Korea’s heritage.

This program is conducted entirely in English, except for the Korean language classes. The language classes range from basic to advanced levels, focusing on reading, speaking, and listening skills in Korean for everyday conversations.

More Details

• Pusan National University Summer School
• 3 credits—Global Languages, Literatures, and Cultures Department
• Approximately $2,000—includes the academic course, accommodation, some meals, and field trips and cultural activities.
  Not included: CUNY tuition for 3 credits, international airfare, insurance, and personal expenses.
• Deadline to apply: March 17 for Brooklyn College application and April 30 for PNU application.

* Courses taught by our partner universities—summer schools.

Osaka, Japan*

July (dates TBD)

• Kindai University
• 3 credits—Japanese Language and Culture
• Cost TBD

* Courses taught by our partner universities—summer schools.

How to Apply

Submit your study abroad application here. 

Deadlines

• March 1 for fall semester
• October 1 for spring semester

Due to limited spaces, interested students should submit their applications as early as possible.

If accepted and nominated by International Programs and Study Abroad (IPSA) office, students will need to submit another online application directly to the host university.  IPSA will contact accepted students about their next steps.

Academic Credits

Students receive credit and grades for the courses taken abroad on our programs.

As part of your study abroad post-acceptance requirements, you will need to complete a signed Study Abroad Course Equivalency Form (PDF). This helps guarantee that the coursework for which you register abroad will apply to the coursework you need at Brooklyn College. Changes can be made to the course equivalency form once you arrive on site if you find other classes of interest.

Participants who are not Brooklyn College students should confer with their home campus study abroad office for instructions on attaining equivalencies.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

Financial aid and most scholarships that a student receives for semester study at Brooklyn College can be applied on semester abroad exchange programs. Students should consult the financial aid office about specifics on how their financial aid applies.

• Financial aid
• Study abroad scholarships
• Brooklyn College’s Scholarship Office

Health Insurance

Students are required to purchase CUNY CISI Health/Travel Insurance for their entire time abroad (approximately $65/month). Instructions will be sent as part of the acceptance email.

Visa

Please check with individual exchange programs for visa information.

Other CUNY Study Abroad Programs

• CUNY/Italy Student Exchange (administered by Queens College)
• CUNY–Paris Exchange (administered by Queens College)

Visit the CUNY Global Directory of Study Abroad Programs for a full searchable database of CUNY programs that are available.

Non-CUNY Study Abroad Resources

Students may also choose to participate in programs through other accredited non-CUNY colleges and organizations:

• Check out programs offered by CIEE.
• Check out winter programs offered by USAC.

Valparaíso, Chile

January 2–23 (tentative dates)

• Immigrant Communities in Latin America: Diasporas in Chile
• 3 credits—PRLS 4635: Study—Travel Seminar
• Contact: Assistant Professor Carla España, Puerto Rican / Latinx and Latin American Studies
• Application Deadline: October 17, 2025

Taiwan

January (dates TBD)

• 3 credits—Zen Meditation class (three credits)
• Contact: Professor Chia-Ju Chang, Department of Global Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
• Application Deadline: October 17, 2025

Other Winter Programs

Check out winter programs offered by:

• Other CUNY Campuses, via Global CUNY website (Brooklyn College students are eligible to go abroad with other CUNY programs)
• CIEE
• USAC