Summer study abroad
Explore other shores through a shorter, summer trip if you can't afford a whole semester abroad. Each summer, Northwestern professors lead 3- to 4-week courses in a variety of disciplines and countries. The timelines vary, but most take place in late-May/early-June, right after the end of the spring semester. The courses are specially planned to fit the needs and curiosity of NWC students and meet the college's cross-cultural general education requirement.
The selection of course topics and destinations changes each year, with 2 to 6 options each summer. NWC professors have taught summer courses focused on community development, crossing cultures, ecology, history, language learning, music, nursing/health care, religion, sociology, sports/fitness and theatre in these countries:
| China |
Ethiopia |
Israel and Palestine |
Taiwan |
| Czech Republic |
France |
Japan |
Tanzania |
| Ecuador |
Germany |
Mexico |
Thailand |
| England |
India |
Russia |
Turkey |
Eligibility
- Student must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 (or without that, the consent of the faculty leader) to participate in a summer study abroad program.
- Most programs are open to freshmen through seniors.
- A small number of programs have a foreign language requirement.
Course and credit
- GEN350 fulfills Northwestern’s general education cross-cultural requirement.
- Students earn 4 to 6 credits, depending on the program’s duration (3 to 4 weeks).
- Some programs have a 1-credit GEN316 pre-trip course that takes place the second half of spring semester.
- Summer study abroad courses cannot be taken for audit.
Application deadline
Usually in early February of each year
