January Term Study Away Courses
Luther faculty have proposed 15 courses for J-Term 2027: four domestic and 11 international, traveling through 16 different countries.
1st Round Application: April 1 – April 25
2nd Round Application (for available spaces): August 18 –September 14
To Apply, click on “MORE INFO” by the photo below that corresponds with your first choice program. The link will take you to our on-line application system – Via-trm. You can indicate a second and third choice program in your application.
Biology 140/240: Ecology of the Southwest (Arizona)
Field study of the ecology of the arid Southwest, with a focus on adaptations of organisms to arid conditions and understanding the challenges of setting environmental policy.
History 297: Slavery and Freedom in the Making of America (DC/VA)
This course will travel to some of the most significant sites from the formative years of the United States, focusing on the complicated relationship between freedom and slavery in early American history.
Spanish 340: Language and Culture in the Spanish-Speaking World (Spain)
This course will introduce students to the culture of a Spanish-speaking country (Spain) first-hand, with the principal goal of improving language and intercultural skills.
Paideia 450: Practicing Embodiment (Costa Rica)
This course is an interdisciplinary exercise between spirituality, sustainability, and the body.
Paideia 450: Green Europe (Iceland/Germany)
Explore how nations in Europe are changing the way they produce and consume energy and why they are doing so. We also will look at how energy is consumed on the household level, specifically, how government incentives and building standards have an impact on energy efficiency.
Communication Studies 239/Leadership Studies 239: Tourism Ethnography in Hawai'i
Coursework will provide an in-depth framework as to how and why Hawai’i, with its distinct terrains, communities, and resources, is a place to value, to preserve, and to celebrate.
International Studies 240: Ethical Engagement in Postcolonial Roatan
This course uses the island of Roatan as a case study to examine how individuals can engage ethically with social and environmental challenges in the developing world.
Paideia 450: Gender, Embodiment, and Culture in Cambodia and Thailand (Cambodia/Thailand)
Examine the history and performance of gender relations and gender identities as aspects of embodied being in Thailand and Cambodia. Students will become familiar with these differences and reflect on how they shape the experience of gender within Thai and Cambodian cultural spheres.
Paideia 450: People and Parks: Pastoralism and Conservation in East Africa (Tanzania)
This course examines the intersections of the conservation of natural habitats and cultural identity, through the lens of the Maasai people of northern Tanzania.
Paideia 450: English Theatre: Mirror of Society and of the Human Condition (England)
This course is a study of English theater—among the richest in the world in its variety and depth—and the ways that it both mirrors and seeks to influence social values by dramatizing ethical conflict.
Global Health/Identity Studies 239: Apartheid and Health Care in South Africa (South Africa)
This course will use Durban, South Africa for studying post-apartheid health care strategies. Through our partner organization, Child and Family Health International, students will spend two weeks learning about health determinants and current realities through clinical and public health observation in various settings, including public hospitals, private clinics, hospices and NGO’s.
Paideia 450: Comparative Education Models (Namibia)
Explore the education systems of the United States and Namibia through a comparative lens. This course examines the historical roots, structures, policies, and cultural influences that shape the Namibian education system with a focus on the international cooperations that have assisted and hindered Namibia.
GS106: Symphony Orchestra Residency. The Art of Writing in Vienna (Austria/Germany) [Orchestra members only]
In residence in a city renowned for its music, art, architecture, and literature, Luther Symphony Orchestra students will reflect on and develop their engagement with Vienna through writing.
Environmental Studies 139: Know your Place (Iowa/Montana) [First Year]
Students will explore place-making, community, and questions of purpose through an off-campus program based in Decorah and Flathead Lutheran Bible Camp in Montana.
History 199: Istanbul and Rome: Empires East & West (Italy, Turkey) [First Year]
Designed for first-year students, this course explores the concept of ‘empire’ by focusing on two historic imperial cities: Rome and Istanbul. First-year course only.
