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. 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 in 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
- CLA students can apply for CLA Study Abroad Scholarships in addition to other Learning Abroad Center scholarships.
- Department of Sociology Scholarships
Programs
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
Israel
University Study in Israel: Hebrew University of Jerusalem
- Program Type: University Study
- Choose from an extremely wide variety of LCJ related courses. Sample course offerings include: Terror, Counter-terror and Human Rights; Corporate Crime; Transitional Justice: Arab-Israeli Conflict; The Secret History of International Law; Law of the United Nations
- Fall or spring semester, academic year, or summer. Summer offers coursework during either July or August sessions.
- Instruction at the Rothberg School is in English; no prior Hebrew is required. Students may also take regular courses in the larger university (many offered in English) in addition to courses through Rothberg.
- Spring in Jerusalem—Honors Program is offered in the spring semester. Combines language study, research, and advanced coursework. Includes study tours and additional lectures. Available to outstanding students on a competitive basis.
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.
- Instruction is in English
- Fall or spring semester, academic or calendar year
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 Center hybrid.
- Lima-based PUCP is Peru’s oldest private university. Program participants take university courses plus 2 required center courses. For online course find Sociología, then click on Sumillas
- Sample course offerings: Sociological Theory; Urban Sociology; Ethics & Society; Drugs and Society, Migration and Urban Culture in Peru, Rights and Citizenship in Peru, Sociology of Conflict and Negotiations, Sociology of Violence
- Instruction is in Spanish; five prior semesters of Spanish are required
- Fall or spring semester, calendar or academic year
Australia
- Program Type: Field Study and Study Center
- Program Term: Fall or Spring Semester, Summer
- The greatest attraction for many students is the internship component.
- An extraordinary range of internship opportunities could include law offices, human rights organizations, environmental advocacy groups, and many others.
- Instruction in English, by Australian faculty.
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
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.
- Choose from an extremely wide variety of LCJ-related courses, including cultural Criminology; The Criminal Mind- Crime and Individual Differences; Ethnic Targeting- Crime, Racialization and The State; Law, Inequality and the State; Last Call: The Sociology of Death and Dying; Outsiders-Youth and Adult Subcultures; The Sociology of Mental Health; Women and Deviance; Sociology of the Welfare State; Sociology of Violence; Deviance and Social Control; Contemporary Issues in Punishment; Research in Criminology.
- Instruction is in English
- Fall semester, spring semester, or academic/calendar year
Victoria University of Wellington (available through IFSA New Zealand)
- Program Type: University Study.
- Program Term: Fall or Spring Semester, Academic or Calendar Year.
- This university of over 17,000 students is located in the political capital of New Zealand.
- Location and the country’s small size (4 million) mean students have unparalleled access to politicians and the political process
- Courses available in such areas as Commercial Law, Criminology, International Relations, Maori Studies, Political Science, Law, Public Policy, and Social Policy, and many others.
- Instruction is in English
- Fall semester, spring semester, or academic/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
Denmark
Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS)
- Program type: Study Abroad Center.
- Academically superb program, includes LCJ-relevant courses such as Anatomy of Hatred; 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
France
Language & Culture in Southern France
- Program Type: Study Center and University Study hybrid.
- One of the premier study opportunities in France, the University of Minnesota’s own program in Montpellier attracts students from throughout the US.
- Special language and culture courses for international students plus courses from the regular curriculum of l’Université Paul Valéry.
- Sample course offerings from l’Université Paul Valéry include Sociology of Violence; Urban Legends; Political Sociology; Sociology of the Digital Age; Sociology & Society; Contemporary Sociology.
- For-credit internships are available in many settings.
- Instruction entirely in French
- Fall or spring Semester, academic year
Italy
- 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.
- Summer session
Netherlands
IES Netherlands—Law and Criminology Track
- Program type: University Study.
- Hosted at VU University Amsterdam (VU), you enroll in a core course on law and three to four law or criminology-related courses at the VU. Observe some of Europe’s most progressive laws in action, and have access to the professionals and experts who can help you put them in context.
- Sample courses include Transnational Organized Crime; Transnational Law in Social Context; Victimology; Crime and Justice in the Netherlands; Law & Legal Practice- an International & Comparative.
- Instruction is in English; no prior study of Dutch is required. Fall or Spring semester.
Norway
- Program Type: University Study.
- This highly affordable program is located in Norway’s capital; the University of Oslo is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive institution of higher education.
- Wide range of LCJ course offerings available in English. Sample courses include Torture, Terror and Rights; A Criminology of Globalization; Criminological Perspectives on Gender, Sexuality and Violence; Cultural and Narrative Criminology; Media and Crime.
- 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
United Kingdom
- 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.
- This program offers several internships related specifically to students focusing on Law, Criminology & Deviance (LCJ).
- Instruction in English
- Fall or spring semester, summer session
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: Punishment & Society; Drugs & Culture; Sexualities; Sociology of Health & Illness; Black Radical Social Thought; Youth & Social Change.
- Instruction in English
- Fall or spring semester, academic year, or summer session
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.