Short-Term Study Away
Your experience begins in the AU classroom and ends with one to two weeks of faculty-led travel to a destination either in the U.S. or abroad. Short-Term Study Away is offered throughout the academic year:
- Fall: Complement your learning in a fall semester course with travel during fall break.
- Spring: Bring your classroom learning to life in a spring semester course by engaging in a travel experience over spring break.
- Summer: Take an additional travel-based course with one or more weeks of destination-based learning and still have time for your summer job or traditional summer school classes.
Study Away Virtual Information Sessions
Join us on Zoom to explore upcoming opportunities to travel for credit and learn about the next steps to secure your spot.
- Wednesday, September 23 | 5-5:30 p.m.
- Thursday, September 24 | 1:30-2 p.m.
2027 Spring Travel Courses
Spend spring break 2027 exploring the national museums, galleries, and archives in Washington, D.C. and reflect on how they speak to the recent political debates regarding who counts as an American, legally and socially.
HIS2880 Study Away – Washington, D.C.
Travel Dates: March 7–13, 2027
Credit Hours: 4
Faculty:
Jerry Butters, Professor of History
Dunham Hall 217 | 630-844-5615 | gbutters@aurora.edu
Dive into the past and present through art, history, culture, and science by exploring the Smithsonian museums in Washington D.C. Enjoy the grand finale of the spring break trip by visiting the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
MST3880 Study Away – Washington, D.C.
Travel Dates: March 7–13, 2027
Credit Hours: 4
Faculty:
Natasha Ritsma, Director of the Schingoethe Center
Hill Welcome Center | 630-844-6157 | nritsma@aurora.edu
2027 Summer Travel Courses
Explore the psychological perspectives on health, well-being, and longevity that contribute to exceptional patterns of wellness and aging while traveling to one of the world’s five recognized Blue Zones: Ikaria, Greece.
PSY3880 Study Away – Greece
Travel Dates: May 13–24, 2027
Credit Hours: 4
Faculty:
Sara Johnson, Associate Professor of Psychology
Institute for Collaboration 311 | 630-844-3680 | sjohnson@aurora.edu
Explore the social, environmental, and cultural factors that contribute to exceptional patterns of health and aging while traveling to one of the world’s five recognized Blue Zones: Ikaria, Greece.
SWK5880 Study Away – Greece
Travel Dates: May 13–24, 2027
Credit Hours: 3
Faculty:
Alison Arendt, Professor of Social Work/Director of Graduate Studies for the School of Social Work
Institute for Collaboration 226D | 630-844-5793 | aarendt@aurora.edu
Explore the social, environmental, and cultural factors that contribute to exceptional patterns of health and aging while traveling to one of the world’s five recognized Blue Zones: Ikaria, Greece.
SWK3880 Study Away – Greece
Travel Dates: May 13–24, 2027
Credit Hours: 4
Faculty:
Allison Schuck, Assistant Professor of Social Work/Chair of Undergraduate Social Work
Institute for Collaboration 226E | 630-947-8936 | aschuck@aurora.edu
This travel course examines business within the economic and cultural environment of Panama. Through classroom instruction, cultural immersion, and site-based learning, students explore the relationship between business, global commerce, operations, tourism, and sustainability. Experiences involving the Panama Canal, Miraflores Locks, Panama City, a coffee tour, and the Gamboa rainforest provide contexts for examining global supply chains, operations, global commerce, and the relationship between business and sustainability. Students connect business concepts to their experiences in Panama and evaluate how economic, cultural, operational, and environmental factors influence business decisions in a global economy.
BUS3880 Study Away – Panama
Travel Dates: May 17–24, 2027
Credit Hours: 4
This course also satisfies the Critical Analysis/Global and Cultural Perspectives general education credit requirement.
Faculty:
Elbert Hearon, Associate Professor of Business Analytics/Director of Graduate Programs for Dunham School of Business
Dunham Hall 227 | 630-844-5689 | ehearon@aurora.edu
Explore the relationship between culture, language, and education within a vibrant Latin American context. Stroll through Casco Viejo, the Embera Indigenous Village, Portobello, and other sites, and visit with sloths and howler monkeys.
EDU2880 Study Away – Panama
Travel Dates: May 17–24, 2027
Credit Hours: 2
Faculty:
Janice Gont, Assistant Professor of Special Education/CESW Faculty Fellow/Chair of Initial Licensure
Institute for Collaboration 222B | 630-844-7849 | jgont@aurora.edu
Expand your Spanish language mastery while standing in Panama! Stroll through Casco Viejo, the Embera Indigenous Village, Portobello, and other sites, and visit with sloths and howler monkeys.
SPN3880 Study Away – Panama
Travel Dates: May 17–24, 2027
Credit Hours: 4
Faculty:
Denice Hatcher, Professor of Spanish/Chair of Foreign Languages
Eckhart Hall 417 | 630-844-7827 | dhatcher@aurora.edu
2028 Travel Courses – Details Coming Soon
New Orleans, LA
Thailand
Netherlands
Spain
Explore Past Travel Experiences
- New places, perspectives, and leadership lessons in Japan
- Exploring the origin of the Olympics in Greece
- Training elite athletes in Colorado
- Old cars, new friends, and a spontaneous soccer game in Cuba
Ready to travel for credit?
Interested students should:
- Meet with the instructor and secure permission to register.
- Meet with Mary Tarling, the director of global engagement, in Institute 303 to discuss questions and secure permission. A link to make the deposit will be shared at that time.
- Review and sign the Study Away Payment Agreement and Pre-Registration Request Form.
- Submit the $500 deposit via Touchnet Marketplace by the course-specific deadline.
- Be registered for the course by the Registrar after the deposit is received.
- Pay the remaining balance via Touchnet Marketplace by the course-specific deadline.
Eligible students may receive scholarships of up to $1,000 to support course costs. Additional financial aid may also be available. Complete the scholarship application. Please contact the Office of Financial Aid at finaid@aurora.edu or 630-844-6190 for specific information.
Questions?
Please contact Mary Tarling, director of global engagement, at mtarling@aurora.edu or 630-844-7802.