Saint Mary’s has a long history of providing global education programs as an essential part of our educational mission—forming leaders who will make a difference in the world. As this world becomes increasingly interdependent, the College offers an expanding range of semester, year, semester break, and summer study and service programs in a wide variety of countries, and encourages students to take advantage of them. These programs are coordinated by the Global Education Office (GEO). Since program requirements and credit arrangements vary considerably, students should start the planning process as early as possible in their college careers. The GEO Office will assist students in researching and pursuing their options. Students should work closely with the academic advisors to craft a course of study that will allow them to take full advantage of the opportunities available while making progress toward their major and General Education requirements. For Saint Mary’s College programs, the point of contact for each study abroad program will support the students through their experience.
Saint Mary’s College offers a Spanish-language immersion program in Córdoba, Argentina via its long-term partner, SSA Education Abroad. Córdoba is recognized as a center for arts and learning in Argentina with its many universities, theaters, and museums. Semester, year-long, and summer programs are available. Students study at the distinguished Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC). Intermediate-level students take courses in Spanish designed for international students. Advanced-level students have the option to take one or two regular courses at UNC alongside local students, and can also apply for internships or service learning courses. All students stay with host families, and excursions are included in the program.
Saint Mary’s College offers a week-long spring break field experience in South Water Caye, Belize, as part of BIO 209 Marine Biology for 3 credits. This experience is offered in alternate years. Students will stay at the facilities of IZE Belize Marine Biology field station on South Water Caye.
Through the course, students explore marine sites for observation and/ or snorkeling. Students carry out a week-long independent research project and learn about Belize culture. This program is open to any student who has taken BIO 156 Foundations of Ecology and Evolution or by permission of the instructor. Enrollment preference will be given to Biology majors.
The University of Nicosia in Nicosia, Cyprus is the largest research university in southern Europe that teaches in English and offers a wide range of courses for students. Experiencing 12,000 years of cultural history, students can learn in the classroom and on the island as part of a 7-city tour designed to showcase Cyprus’s long history. The University of Nicosia is offering Microbiology and Pathophysiology in the fall semester specifically for Saint Mary’s College Nursing students in order for them to remain on track in their degree plan without the need for summer classes. This program is open to all majors. Students will stay on-campus in their own studio apartments. This program is available for fall and spring semesters. There are internship and service opportunities available.
The three-credit course highlights the natural beauty of Ecuador in a two-week travel experience. Particular emphasis is placed on local cultures, the rich diversity of life, and the intersection between biodiversity, culture, and socio-economic pressures. Participants spend several days exploring the highlands of Ecuador, including historic sites in the capital city of Quito. Students will hike in the Andes Mountains, visit a volcano, and explore high elevation cloud forests. They then travel by boat down the Napo and Tiputini Rivers into the Amazon ecosystem to a biological research station in the jungle, exploring the grandeur of the rainforest with canopy walks, night hikes, and canoe tours. Students will get first hand field research experience studying vulnerable species of the rainforest to inform ongoing conservation efforts in the region.This course is ideal for adventurous students with an interest in biology, environmental science, Latin American culture, indigenous studies, ecology and conservation, sustainability, or scientific research.
St. Mary’s University, Twickenham, London is located in the historic Strawberry Hill area near the river Thames. The campus is only 30 minutes away from central London by train and hosts a large international student population. Students can study at St. Mary’s University for either the fall or spring semester. The university offers more than 40 programs of study, such as Arts and Humanities, Education, Theology and Leadership, Management and Social Sciences, Sport, Health and Applied Science, and Drama and Theatre to name a few. Internship opportunities are available for some majors. Students are housed in shared on-campus accommodations. Students must have completed at least one academic year.
The three-week practicum in London offers students the opportunity to take two courses and manage a project with real clients. The program is facilitated by London Enrichment & Business Education (LEB Education). In this hands-on program, students will consult with clients on issues facing their organization. This summer program has cultural excursions available and is ideal for management, business, finance, and marketing students.
Saint Mary’s College offers a French-language immersion program in Angers at the Université Catholique de L’Ouest (UCO) in CIDEF, which is the Centre International d'Études Françaises. Angers is located in northwestern France within the Loire Valley and is home to the Chateau d’Angers. Semester, year-long, and summer programs are available. In the semester and year-long programs, students enroll in French language courses and, depending on proficiency level, one or two content courses per semester. In the summer program, students take French language courses only. Students live with host families, and excursions are included in the program. Students can also participate in volunteer activities.
The Greece Summer Study Tour is a two-week program beginning toward the end of May and continuing into the month of June. Through the course, RLST 191 “Greco-Roman World and Christian Origins,” students immerse themselves in the Greco-Roman world of the first urban Christians converted by Paul the Apostle while traveling throughout mainland Greece. Enrollment is open to students of all class years. Students do not need to specialize in history, religion, or a foreign language to participate.
Budapest Semesters in Mathematics (BSM) is an academically rigorous program for motivated undergraduates who wish to study math in the beautiful city of Budapest. BSM classes are taught in English by Hungarian professors. Students can attend BSM during the fall or spring semesters. Students are expected to take 3-4 mathematics courses during the semester program, which are all taught in English by faculty affiliated with universities in Budapest. Before mathematics classes begin, students enroll in a 2-week intensive course in Hungarian offered through BSM. Students are offered housing in BSM approved furnished apartments nearby. Students must have completed one semester of MATH 353 Abstract Algebra I or MATH 341 Analysis I by the time the program begins, though exceptions are possible.
Since 1977, Saint Mary’s students have studied at Maynooth University (MU) in Ireland. Maynooth is a town located roughly 16 miles west of Dublin’s city center. Students attend regularly scheduled classes with Irish students, and mainly choose general education courses in literature, history, classical civilization, philosophy, theology, economics, anthropology, or sociology. Students can complete a Certificate in Irish Cultural Heritage or a Certificate in International Business, depending on the flexibility of their schedules. Students on the Ireland Program may enroll for the Irish academic year or for one semester. Students live in shared university apartments with a mix of Irish and other international students. Students can also participate in volunteer activities.
The Rome program is facilitated by our partner, John Cabot University (JCU). Semester, year-long, and summer programs are available. Classes are held in English on JCU’s campuses in Trastevere. All Saint Mary’s students live in JCU-owned apartments with other Italian and international students. While in Rome, all students take an Italian language course. During the academic semester most will take 3–4 other courses selected from a long list with a wide variety of courses that have been approved to meet general education requirements. Students may opt to participate in cultural activities and events. Students at a junior standing may also apply for internships in Rome through JCU. It is strongly recommended that students complete a year of college level introductory Italian before going overseas.
This four-week faculty-led summer program in Sorrento, Italy introduces students to the many aspects of society, culture, and history of the Italian southern region around Vesuvius through a focus on Italian language and literature. All students will take 2 courses: a 3-credit course emphasizing Italian literature and culture, broadening your cultural and global perspectives taught by a Saint Mary’s professor (MLIT 205), and a 3-credit Italian language course taught by instructors at our partner institute, Sant'Anna Institute. Your coursework will be enriched through excursions to places in Southern Italy such as Pompeii, Naples, and the Amalfi Coast. Students will live in an apartment.
Ochanomizu University has the longest history as a women's college in Asia and is located in Tokyo, Japan. In 2022, Ochanomizu University was selected as part of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's "Project to Strengthen Universities' Global Expansion Capabilities," and launched the "Practical EDI Program Originating from Women's University to Cultivate Global Leaders." This global program combines EDI (equity, diversity, and inclusion), Japanese language learning, a six month study abroad program, and a practicum for a July to December program. Students stay in international student apartments near campus.
The town of Ifrane is a small French-style ski resort nestled in the Middle Atlas Mountains. A semester or year in Ifrane exposes students to the Arab and Islamic world. Saint Mary’s students take courses that meet General Education requirements at Al Akhawayn University and all classes are taught in English for the fall or spring semester. Students also have the opportunity to develop language skills in Arabic or French. Prior study of Arabic or French at Saint Mary’s is strongly recommended. The average class size at Al Akhawayn University is 17, ensuring that students have the opportunity to interact with faculty and classmates. Students live in the residence halls with Moroccan and other international students.
Saint Mary’s partners with AllPeopleBeHappy (Amizade) for this 8-day faculty-led summer program in Belfast. Students study the history and culture of Northern Ireland alongside the philosophy and practice of restorative justice, meeting with ex-combatants, politicians, and youth workers with direct experience with the period of sectarian violence known as The Troubles, as well as the peace process that succeeded it. The three-credit course, JUST 202: Restorative Justice in Northern Ireland, is taught in English and fulfills the Interdisciplinary Thinking general education requirement. It combines classroom instruction and assignments with on-site, hands-on service learning as well as cultural activities and tours. Students stay at a local hotel.
Saint Mary’s College offers a Spanish-language immersion program in San Juan via its long-term partner, SSA Education Abroad. Students study at the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón (Sagrado), a Catholic, independent, co-educational and non-profit institution. Semester, year-long, and summer programs are available. Students participate in the Liberal Arts in Advanced Spanish program and choose courses from regular course offerings taught in Spanish and taken with local students. Optional internship or service learning courses are available. In the summer, an additional option is provided, allowing students at an introductory or intermediate level of Spanish to enroll in a Spanish-language course. A customized program for nursing majors is available, in which students will take the required Microbiology and Pathophysiology courses in San Juan during the Fall semester of their sophomore year. The courses for nursing majors are taught in English, with the exception of one required Spanish-language course. All students are housed in residencias, or on-campus dormitories, and excursions are included.
Saint Mary’s College offers an international program provided by International Studies Abroad (ISA) at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), Cape Town. Students can choose courses taught in English in a wide range of subject areas. Students may take 4 courses or the equivalent of 16 credits per semester and may enroll for the fall or spring semester. They will stay in international student apartments off campus. Upon arrival, students will participate in arrival orientation before the university orientation for new students. Excursion opportunities can include a one-day trip to Table Mountain and Cape Peninsula, multiple days to Aquila Game Reserve or the Jermanus Backpacker Lodge, and a one-day trip to Langa Township and Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years. The program is open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
In 2008, Saint Mary’s established a direct student exchange program with Ewha Woman’s University in Seoul, South Korea, which was established in 1886 as the first higher education institution for women in Korea. It is now one of the most prestigious universities in Korea and the largest women’s university in the world. English is a popular language in South Korea. Students choose from more than 500 courses taught in English, with pre-approval from their academic advisors, and can study for the summer, fall or spring semesters. Students will stay on campus in the residence halls. Korean language is not required, but students may take Korean Language Courses at different levels for 6 credits.
Saint Mary’s College offers a Spanish-language immersion program in Alicante, Spain via its long-term partner, SSA Education Abroad. Alicante, located on the Eastern coast of Spain, has tranquil beaches, a diverse history, and an artistic environment. Semester, year-long, and summer programs are available. Students study at the Universidad de Alicante (UA). Intermediate-level students take courses in Spanish designed for international students. Advanced-level students have the option to take one or two regular courses at UA alongside local students. An additional semester option is available in English for students who do not meet the proficiency requirements in Spanish. Students can apply for internships or service learning courses. Students live with host families, and excursions are included.
In 1999, Saint Mary’s College formally affiliated with SSA Education Abroad, which offers a Spanish-language immersion program in Seville, Spain. Seville is a charming Andalusian city in the south of Spain. Semester, year-long, and summer programs are available. Intermediate-level students take courses in Spanish designed for international students at the SSA Center. Advanced-level students take most classes at the SSA Center, but have the option to take one or two regular courses at the Universidad de Sevilla alongside local students and can also apply for internships or service learning courses. An additional semester option is available in English for students who do not meet the proficiency requirements in Spanish. Students can also opt to participate in a soccer program, which provides training at the Sevilla FC Academy. In the summer, students can complete a Practicum in Education in English, which provides hands-on teaching experience. All students live with host families, and excursions are included.
In 2009 Saint Mary’s launched a six-week summer practicum program working with the Sisters of the Holy Cross in Kyarusozi, Uganda. This program is currently only for Education and Nursing majors for 5 credits. It is an opportunity for students to live and work directly with the Sisters of the Holy Cross and immerse themselves in the local community offering skilled assistance in education and nursing. Students have one overnight outing in a game park midway through the program. Students should have rising Senior status in order to apply.
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