Internships and Study Abroad

This study abroad program offers USU students a unique opportunity to explore and better understand the complicated history and ongoing relationship between these two countries and how this relationship has impacted both countries economically, culturally, and politically to this day.  More importantly, it offers students first hand insights into these impacts, particularly for Cuba and the Cuban people. 

During this program, students will have opportunities to better understand Cuba and its people, their complicated relationship to the United States and its people, and will delve more deeply into the sources of this conflict and its continued relevance, if any.  At the end of the program, students will be better able to answer important questions for themselves, such as, “Is the US policy towards Cuba still justified?” and “Is the Cuban model a viable alternative to the US model of capitalism and democracy?”

Dates: May 8, 2024 to May 21, 2024

Explore the various cultures of Tanzania through visiting Dar es Salaam and western Tanzania.  Students will examine the influence of culture on beliefs, behaviors, and values as compared to their own country and culture through spending time at an environmental school near Kigoma, where they will have cross-cultural interactions with Tanzanian students and learn basic Swahili.  Excursions include Gombe National Park on Lake Tanganyika, where Jane Goodall conducted her research, and a safari to Katavi National Park to see wildlife. 

Dates: May 7, 2024 to May 27, 2024

Summer 2024 marks the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of western Europe and 110 years since the outbreak of World War I. Join us for a trip to important battlefields, cemeteries, and museums in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands dedicated to both wars while learning about the two world wars and their impact in western Europe. As we examine the myriad ways the world wars transformed societies--gender, class, race--both at the origins and impacts of both conflicts, we will also spend time exploring memory and commemoration of the wars and the peace processes that followed. 

Dates: May 22, 2024 to June 7, 2024

Immerse yourself in Spanish language and culture through a semester-long, USU faculty-led experience in Argentina! Students will take classes in the Programa de Español y Cultura Latinoamericana (PECLA) housed at the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC), go on excursions that showcase Argentinian culture and history, and pair with local university students in a buddy program that allows them to develop their intercultural communication throughout the semester.

Besides taking three courses on a range of topics (e.g., Latin American Culture, Latin American History, Latin American Art, Argentinian Film, Argentinian History and Culture, Spanish Grammar and Advanced Conversation, Argentinian and/or Latin American Literature, Contemporary Social/Political issues of Latin America (among various other course options), students will also attend a seminar course taught by the USU faculty leader based on their area(s) of specialization. Global practicum and internship experiences can also be arranged.

Students from all majors are welcome.

Dates: August 6, 2024 to December 3, 2024

Engage in an experiential journey to understand how history, culture, and narratives shape the modern state of Vietnam. Along the way, students will learn about Vietnamese history, culture, and politics through an exploration of Vietnam from North to South. Students will learn the complex history of foreign intervention in the region, the war with the United States, and the modern use of narratives in the construction (and division) of space/place to explain to themselves and the world what Vietnam means in an increasingly globalized world. We will be partnering with Youthlinc and students from the University of Nebraska at Kearny on this journey. 

Dates: May 26, 2024 to June 8, 2024

This course seeks to help students understand the impact of genocide and its lasting impact (psychologically, socially, economically, and politically) on a country and its people and, more importantly, their unique and continuing path towards justice, reconciliation and peace. Over a two-week period, students wil travel to key national sites and meet with governmental, academic, and NGO representatives to learn about the Rwandan genocide and local and national efforts towards justice, reconciliation, and peace-building. Key themes we will be exploring over this period will include: the the roots and nature of genocide,  “ethnic” and national identity, the role of external actors in fostering division and peace in the country, and the role of community,  NGOs, and government in the effort to create peace, stability, and sustainable development  in the aftermath of violent conflict. 

Dates: July 14, 2024 to July 27, 2024