A total of 235 Augustana University students are choosing to make the world their classroom for January Interim (J-Term) 2025 — a 51% increase from J-Term 2024. This January, Augustana students, along with 25 faculty members and five guests, are traveling to 14 countries and two states.
“Augustana continues to see high student demand for study-away opportunities,” said Erin Kane, co-director of Augustana’s International Programs Office (IPO) and study-away advisor. “As AU students explore options of study, they are also looking for experiential and immersive programming. Our faculty provide unique and creative courses in a variety of locations for a variety of majors.”
There are 14 faculty-led courses, including courses in Costa Rica, Norway, Greece, Japan, Cuba, India, Dominican Republic, Germany, Italy, Amsterdam, as well as California and Hawaii. The majority of students will travel within these courses, while 10 are studying away with partner programs in Spain, France, Portugal and the United Kingdom.
This year, two Augustana Athletics teams will also study away — Viking Volleyball in Costa Rica, led by Head Coach Jen Jacobs, and Viking Baseball in the Dominican Republic, led by Head Coach Tim Huber.
“The inclusion of athletics teams in study-away courses is an advantage,” Kane said. “Our student-athletes are managing their major and their sport. Having a coach create an opportunity for their team shows the value we collectively hold for study-away experiences.”
During the spring semester, 13 students will study away through partner programs, including Gilman Scholarship awardee, Maddox Sievert ‘26. Spring Break 2025 will see 28 students, six faculty members and two guests venture to Scotland, England and Costa Rica through three faculty-led courses.
Spotlight on 2025 Courses
🧪 Chemistry in Japanese Culture | Drs. Barrett Eichler & Charles Weiss
This course explores how chemistry is intertwined with Japanese culture. The class will visit chemical facilities across the country, including research institutes, universities and manufacturing plants. Students will learn about chemical synthesis, manufacturing techniques, transportation logistics, environmental concerns and commercialization.
🩺 The Art & Science of Healing in Germany & Italy | Drs. Jennifer Gubbels & Sarah Rude
This course will provide students with a deep dive into medieval medicine, understanding how far medicine has come through the scientific method and ethical experimentation, as well as aspects of medieval medicine as an art that could still be useful today. In Germany, the class will follow the established walking pilgrimage route of St. Hildegard of Bingen, a medieval physician, abbess, mystic and musician. In Rome, students will visit the Vatican Library to study medieval medicine manuscripts and understand how medical ethics and experimentation have evolved. From Rome, the class will take a day trip to Assisi to visit the Basilicas of St. Francis and St. Clare, as well as the Franciscan Infirmary and monastic gardens.
🏞️ Exploring National Parks of California | Drs. Emily Roehl & Will Wright
This course is an overview of the national parks from the perspective of both environmental and media histories — learning from authors and artists who have documented the parks, as well as site visits with opportunities for hands-on learning and media-making. Students will visit Yosemite, Death Valley and Sequoia National Parks, as well as Manzanar National Historic Site and César E. Chávez National Monument.
For more information on study away, visit augie.edu/StudyAway.