Learning Abroad Center

Learning Abroad in Sociology- General

Study abroad is an excellent way to put your sociological imagination into practice!

Academic Planning Recommendations

Liberal Education Requirements

Search the U Credit Abroad Search. You may also submit any liberal education course not yet evaluated for approval online.

Major and Minor Requirements

With careful planning, it is possible to take courses to fulfill Sociology major and minor requirements abroad. The department will screen overseas coursework and help you fit appropriate courses into your major requirements. Courses must have significant sociological content, but don’t have to be listed under sociology.

For exact course substitution (Soc 1001, 3701, 3801, 3811, etc.) the course needs to be equivalent. It may be easier to apply study abroad to the five required upper-division elective courses within the major. Only upper-division courses may fulfill requirements in the sociology major.

Honors students must take their Proseminar I and Proseminar II (SOC 4977 and Soc 4978) at the University of Minnesota the fall and spring of their senior year.

Internships

Internships abroad might apply toward the elective component of the major, but the academic documentation must be persuasive. Although the department encourages internships, you may be able to use them only toward elective credit outside the major. Your chances will improve if you work with the sociology adviser before departure.

College of Liberal Arts Language Requirement

Sociology B.A. - Courses taken abroad for the CLA Language Requirement must be at least 4 credits. CLA college advisers can approve courses that are clearly identified in a syllabus or online course description as first-, second-, third-, or fourth-semester language courses. If the course level is not explicitly stated, you must work with your CLA adviser to have the course evaluated by the appropriate language department. Advisers cannot approve these courses.

Sociology B.S - Instead of the second language courses required to earn a sociology BA, students in the BS program take additional math and statistics courses. While not required, you may choose to take a second language, since language skills may still be beneficial in completing post-graduation goals.

Who will advise me and help me with course approvals?

Learning Abroad Center advisers can help you find program and course information to help you prepare for your study abroad academic planning discussion with your academic adviser. Once you have narrowed down your program options, 'meet with the Coordinator of Undergraduate Advising in Sociology ([email protected]) to help determine if a course can count toward your Sociology program. Use the Academic Planning for Study Abroad (APSA) form to structure your academic planning.

College/Department Scholarships for UofM Students

Programs

Africa & the Middle East

Ghana

SIT Ghana: Globalization, Cultural Legacies, and the Afro-Chic

  • Located in Accra
  • Fall and spring semester
  • Key topics include how Africa is represented in mainstream media discourse, the impact of new and emerging technology on Ghana's social landscapes, changes in class structure and processes driving change, and changing gender relations and the status of women

Madagascar

SIT Madagascar: Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management

  • Located in Antananarivo, Madagascar
  • Fall and spring semester
  • Key topics include: marine and coastal ecosystems, conservation, and resource management, diversity of forest ecosystem types and land use dynamics, addressing issues pitting conservation against economic development, and ethnobotany and the interactions between culture and the environment

Morocco

SIT Morocco: Migration and Transnational Identity

  • Located in Rabat, Morocco
  • Fall and spring semester
  • Key topics include: Factors driving migration in Morocco, North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, the EU management of migration in the Mediterranean, African migrant communities in Morocco and resilience, Migration and human rights, Transnationalism and identity among Moroccan migrants to the Netherlands, gender and migration

Rwanda

SIT Rwanda: Post-Genocide Restoration and Peacebuilding

  • Located in Kigali, Rwanda
  • Fall and spring semester
  • Key topics include: Rwanda history and origins of conflict and genocidal outbreak, collective strategies of remembrance and combating genocide deniers, Social and psychological impact of genocide on survivors, Changing gender relations and the status of women, refugees and displaced people in post-conflict environments, post-genocide economic development

Senegal

MSID—International Development in Senegal

  • Program type: Field Study
  • Program type: Field Study
  • The themes are Entrepreneurship, Health, Human Rights, and Sustainability
  • An academic program built around grassroots development internships and research. Students will either receive credit for Internship in Senegal, or Research in Senegal, depending on which option they choose.
  • Instruction is in French
  • Fall or Spring semester

South Africa

University of Cape Town (available through IES South Africa)

  • Program type: University Study
  • Experience South African culture firsthand while learning alongside African students. Study in an urban setting at the University of Cape Town. The University of Cape Town is South Africa’s oldest university and is one of Africa’s leading teaching and research institutions.
  • Particularly good for students who are interested in learning about the culture of South Africa. Course options include African studies, historical studies, political science, and many others.
  • Fall or spring semester, academic or calendar year
  • Instruction is in English
Americas

Argentina

Study & Intern in Buenos Aires

  • Program Type: Study Center
  • Focus on social and cultural geography
  • Take Spanish language courses while also learning about Argentine society through courses taught in English
  • Explore Latin American culture with courses such as Politics & Society in Latin America and Buenos Aires: City of the Arts
  • Instruction is in Spanish and English (no language prerequisite).
  • Fall semester, spring semester, winter break, May session, summer term, or academic year

Chile

Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (available through IES Chile)

  • Program type: University Study
  • Top-rate Santiago institution with special sociological expertise in the areas of development and social justice.
  • Particularly strong for students interested in social inequality and politics or in organizations, work, and markets.
  • Fall or spring semester, academic or calendar year
  • Instruction is in Spanish

Ecuador

MSID—International Development in Ecuador

  • Program type: Field Study
  • The themes are Entrepreneurship, Health, Human Rights, and Sustainability
  • An academic program built around grassroots development internships and research. Students will either receive credit for Internship in Ecuador, or Research in Ecuador, depending on which option they choose.
  • Instruction is in Spanish
  • Fall or Spring semester

Mexico

SIT Mexico: Migration, Borders, and Transnational Communities

  • Located in Oaxaca, Mexico
  • Fall and spring semester
  • Key topics include: Factors contributing to high rates of undocumented migration, Effects of large-scale migration on communities, Gender and family culture shifts as women take on new leadership roles, Experiences of undocumented migration and changes over time, Border enforcement strategies and their impacts on border communities, Policy changes that could address the causes of undocumented migration 

Peru

Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (available through IFSA Peru)

  • Program type: University Study (and Study Abroad Center)
  • Lima-based PUCP is Peru’s oldest private university. Program participants take university courses plus 2 required center courses. For online courses find Sociología, then click on Sumillas.
  • Sample course titles: Peruvian Social Processes and Thought; Sociological Theory; Rural Sociology; Urban Sociology; Sociodemographic Analysis; Ethics & Society; Field Practicum.
  • Instruction is in Spanish; five prior semesters of Spanish are required
  • Fall or spring semester, calendar or academic year
Asia & Oceania

Australia

Study & Intern in Sydney

  • Program Type: Study Abroad Center
  • Choose from a variety of courses that focus on Australian culture; areas include sociology, politics, art, cinema, business, and the environment.
  • Enhance your experience by participating in a 6-credit internship at places such as Asylum Seekers Centre, Police Community Youth Clubs, etc.

University of Melbourne (available through IFSA Australia)

  • Program type: University Study
  • One of Australia’s most prestigious universities, with a sociology department offering courses in a number of different subfields.
  • Students interested in gaining a perspective on comparative race relations will find Melbourne’s Indigenous Studies Program attractive.
  • Fall or spring semester, academic or calendar year

India

SIT India: Public Health, Gender, and Sexuality

  • Located in New Delhi, India
  • Fall and spring semester
  • Key topics include: Learn about reproductive healthcare in India, examine the spectrum of identities evolving outside of heterosexual marriage and emerging health needs, explore a range of public health challenges, witness regional and grassroots approaches to healthcare access, understand health and its relationship to human fulfillment.

Indonesia

SIT Indonesia: Arts, Religion, and Social Change

  • Located in Kerambitan, Bali, Indonesia
  • Fall and spring semester
  • Key topics include: Religion, society, and arts on side-by-side islands of Bali and Java, Foundations and non-governmental organizations, confucianism, Hindu-Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam, land, water, ethnic identity, tourism, and the environment in Bali, Ancient roots and information of modern-day Indonesia, research and interviews for self-designed, independent project

Japan

IES Japan—Tokyo Society & Culture

  • Program type: Study Abroad Center
  • Multidisciplinary language and area studies program for students with little or no Japanese language background. Includes some sociology courses plus excellent field study opportunities.
  • Optional but highly recommended course on Social Organization in Japan includes a field placement of a day each week as a participant-observer with a Japanese organization.
  • Instruction is in English; no prior Japanese is required
  • Fall or spring semester, academic year, or summer

New Zealand

University Study in New Zealand: University of Auckland

  • Program type: University Study
  • New Zealand’s largest university, located in its largest city and boasting one of the country’s strongest sociology departments.
  • Students interested in indigenous studies or comparative ethnic relations will find Auckland very strong in Maori studies as well.
  • Instruction is in English, although some Maori studies courses are taught in Maori instead
  • Fall or spring semester, academic or calendar year

Thailand

MSID—International Development in Thailand

  • Program type: Field Study
  • The themes are Entrepreneurship, Health, Human Rights, and Sustainability
  • An academic program built around grassroots development internships and research. Students will either receive credit for Internship in Thailand, or Research in Thailand, depending on which option they choose.
  • Instruction is in English; no prior Thai required
  • Fall or spring semester

Vietnam

SIT Vietnam: Traditional Medicine & Community Health

  • Located in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • Summer session
  • Key topics include: Social, economic, and cultural paradigms that frame traditional Vietnamese medicine, Healthcare and health delivery among diverse groups, including marginalized and indigenous populations, The philosophy behind traditional Vietnamese medicine and its connection with traditional Chinese medicine, Herbal remedies, medicinal preparation, Vietnamese massage, and acupuncture, Standard Vietnamese language and communication skills
Europe

Denmark

Study Abroad in Denmark

  • Program type: Study Abroad Center
  • An academically superb program offering several relevant tracks, including Child Diversity & Development; European Politics & Society; Justice & Human Rights; and Sociology.
  • Includes LCD-relevant courses such as Criminology & Criminal Justice in Scandinavia; Gang Crime in Scandinavia; Human Trafficking in a Global Context.
  • Instruction is in English; no prior Danish is required
  • Fall or spring semester, academic year, or summer

Germany

IES Germany—Berlin Language & Area Studies

  • Program type: Study Abroad Center
  • Language and area studies program that includes several sociology courses plus related offerings in such fields as history, international relations, and political science.
  • The program is exceptionally strong in field study and internship opportunities. Students also may take regular courses in any of several Berlin universities.
  • Semester instruction is in German, summer in English
  • Fall semester, spring semester, academic year, or summer

Italy

Summer in Sicily

  • Spend your summer in Siracusa, Sicily, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  • Study the rich and complicated history of Sicily through topics such as human rights, entrepreneurship and criminal justice perspectives on migration.
  • Participate in a research project with a local organization.

Study & Intern in Florence

  • Program type: Study Center
  • Explore contemporary and historical issues facing Italy through excursions and courses in sociology, art history, business, literature, psychology, photography, retail merchandising, and more
  • Major elective credit awarded for the History and Sociology of Modern Consumerism course
  • Wide range of internships available
  • Instruction in English

Universitá di Bologna (available through Bologna Consortial Studies Program, BCSP)

  • Program type: University Study
  • Bologna, the oldest university in Europe and arguably the most prestigious in Italy has a strong sociology department.
  • BCSP program supplements UB courses with courses designed for US students. A pre-session intensive Italian course strengthens participants’ language skills before UB classes begin
  • Instruction is in Italian; at least two prior years of language study are required
  • Fall semester, spring semester, or academic year. (Academic year option highly recommended.)

Norway

University Study in Norway: University of Bergen

  • Program type: University Study
  • Integrate into Norwegian university life on this highly affordable program.
  • Coursework options include Globalization and Development of Place, Theories about Development and Migration, Technology, Culture and Society, Scandinavian Area Studies, and many other sociology relevant courses.
  • Instruction is in English.
  • Fall or spring semester, academic year

Portugal

SIT Portugal: Sustainability and Environmental Justice

  • Located Lisbon, Portugal
  • Fall and spring semester
  • Key topics include: Comparative approaches to sustainability and bioeconomy, “The right to nature” and neoliberalism, Environmental in/justice and health equity, Urban regeneration in southern European cities, Environmental best practices and sustainability, Water-energy-food-ecosystem nexus approach, Mediterranean bioeconomy: Land and ocean

Serbia

SIT Serbia, Austria, & Hungary: Comparative European Perspectives on Conflict and Democracy

  • Located in Serbia, Budapest, Hungary, and Vienna, Austria
  • Fall and spring semester
  • Explore themes of post-liberal peace, everyday peace, feminist peace and security, Engage with current debates in Europe regarding the future of democracy, Examine humanitarian crises with a focus on central and southern Europe, Use theoretical, conceptual, and practical tools to identify and conduct field research and/or an internship in Serbia, Austria, or Hungary

Spain

Study & Intern in Toledo

  • Program type: Study Abroad Center
  • Language and area studies program with a broad array of course offerings in the humanities and social sciences
  • Of particular interest to sociology majors is a community engagement course focused on the immigrant community in Spain. Internships are also available
  • Instruction is in Spanish; four prior semesters of Spanish are required.
  • Fall or spring semester, academic year, May term, or summer

United Kingdom

Study & Intern in London

  • Program Type: Study Abroad Center
  • Choose from a variety of courses that focus on British culture; areas include gender issues, politics, religion, art, and business.
  • Enhance your experience by participating in a 3 or 6-credit internship at places such as the Institute for Criminal Policy Research, Monroe Young Families, etc.
  • Fall or spring semester, or summer

University Study in the UK: University of Glasgow

  • Program type: University Study
  • Located in Scotland’s largest city, the University of Glasgow offers over forty undergraduate courses in Sociology.
  • Sample course titles: Black Radical Social Thought; Punishment & Society; Cosmology, Culture & Belief; Drugs & Culture; Sexualities; Sociology of Health & Illness; Youth & Social Change.
  • Fall or spring semester, academic year, or summer
Additional Options to Consider

LAC Global Seminars

  • 3-week, 3-credit programs at the 3000-level led by University of Minnesota faculty and staff over winter break or May session.
  • Explore an exciting location and topic, Fulfill Liberal Education requirements, or earn major/minor credit.

LAC Freshman Seminars

  • Combine on-campus instruction during the spring semester with a study abroad component during spring break, on a 3 credits, 1xxx level Seminar.
  • Freshman Seminars Abroad are designed specifically for first-year students as an introduction to study abroad, an opportunity to explore an exciting location and topic, and likely fulfill a liberal education requirement.

Additional LAC Seminars

  • Check out additional LAC Instructor-led Seminars that might run over winter break, spring break, May, and summer sessions. They vary in length, dates, and content so students can find one that best fits their academic and professional goals.

Intensive Language Programs

  • Begin your language study or work toward completing requirements for a language minor.
  • Complete a semester of language on a short-term program or explore options to complete two or more semesters of language on semester-long program.