After a two-year suspension, PNW Study Away is back.

For the first time since the pandemic forced colleges around the world to suspend in-person classes and other activities, the university will once again offer several opportunities to study abroad. 

During Maymester, trips are planned for England, France, Spain and Germany. 

Participating students will receive 3 to 6 credit hours, depending on the trip. Costs range from $1,500 to $4,800. Students will be required to go to classes as posted on their schedules, but there will be outings. 

The first trip will arrive in Germany on May 7 and the program will officially begin on Monday, May 8. It is the equivalent of 499 Sustainable Energy Technologies/ECET. The program tuition is $2,000, but an available scholarship will decrease the cost to $1,500. Airfare is not included. The trip’s destination, Wolfenbüttel, is an old city in northern Germany. 

The mission is to understand how Germans and Europeans are dealing with global warming, energy costs and sustainability. 

“Of course, it’s a study abroad, so you will have a test or two …. sometimes we do projects,” said Athula Kulatunga, who is leading the trip. “When you come back, you will wrap up by writing a paper about your experience.”

Up to 15 students can register for the program and will be paired-up with German students during the trip. 

On May 12, a second group will leave for Cáceres, Spain. The trip will offer six credit hours and serve as the equivalent of SPAN 201 and SPAN 202. The cost is $3,000, not including airfare. 

“Students will live with the host family … to immerse them in Spanish,” said Herlinda Ramirez-Barradas, professor of Spanish, who is leading the group. “We require them to be able to formulate simple sentences. …. like ‘I’m hungry’, ‘where’s the bathroom’.”

She said the program will be similar to taking a summer class – but in an unfamiliar setting. Advanced Spanish speakers take classes with a professor from the University of Extremadura, PNW’s partner institution.. Basic Spanish speakers will be taught by Ramirez-Barradas. 

At least 10 students must register for the trip – scheduled for May 12 to June 9 – to take place. 

On May 22, Turedi will lead the trip to France. Students will spend five days in Paris and six days in Toulouse. This trip is scheduled to run to June 3 and will cost $4,800, excluding airfare. It will be the equivalent of BUSM 39200.

The study away in France is open to all, not just to College of Business students, and does not require knowledge of French. 

“There are classes in Paris, there are cultural visits,” Turedi said. “We will go to the Louis Vuitton Museum, we will go to UNESCO.”

Courses will cover topics such as cross-cultural leadership, data visualization and luxury brand management. 

Turedi hopes 15 students register. 

On May 16, students will begin a 3-credit class in London.

Cross-listed and available to cover English 39600, History 39000, Political Science 39000, the course focuses on sustainability, global warming and climate change in London. Details are still being worked out, but the price is expected to be about $4,000. Some scholarships may be availablee, but the flight is not included in the price. 

Mita Choudhury, professor of English, will be in charge.

“Our focus is on sustainability,” said Choudhury. “This course … is about climate change, global warming and what this particular country … has done to address some of those issues.”

Students will learn the history behind the development of squares throughout London, the parks, and will visit different areas in the city. 

Choudhury hopes 12 students register. 

For more information, contact Athula Kulatunga, [email protected], about Germany; Herlinda Ramirez-Barradas, [email protected], about Spain; Ceren Turedi, [email protected], about France, and  Mita Choudhury, [email protected], about England.