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Study Abroad Opportunities

Embrace a Global Perspective

Expand your horizons and experience new perspectives of the world with one of Valparaiso University’s many study abroad programs. With our diverse selection of experiences, from long-term programs to professor-led trips, you’ll be able to find the journey that meets your academic goals and personal interests. 

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Explore Study Abroad Programs

Sociology and criminology professors lead a 10-day Spring Break criminology course, Criminal Justice in Norway.

You’ll get a unique opportunity to learn about Norway’s distinct approach to criminal justice through conversations with practitioners who work in different facets of the Norwegian criminal justice system. On this journey, you’ll visit the Oslo courthouse, Norway’s July 22nd Center, and the universities that train police and correctional officers. Criminal justice practitioners who share their insights include a judge, probation officers, and law school students who work at a legal aid clinic.

To learn more about the geography and culture of Norway outside the urban context of Oslo, students also experience the “Norway in a Nutshell” excursion, including a ride on the Flam Railway, a brief cruise through the Naeroy and Aurland fjords, and a stay in Bergen where you’ll get a guided walking tour of the city.

Experience a cooking class, a sampling of traditional Spanish cuisine, a Flamenco performance, visits to Museo del Prado, Almudena Cathedral, and the Royal Palace, and more on a trip open to most majors.

Although the majority of the trip is centered on Madrid, the capital city of Spain, students will also visit Toledo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where Christian, Muslim, and Jewish communities have flourished in tandem. An additional day trip to El Escorial, the most important architectural monument of the Spanish Renaissance, and an overnight trip to Granada, located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, are also included as potential experiences.

This trip is open to all students and can serve in partial fulfillment of the General Education Social Science course requirement for most majors. There are no prerequisites or language proficiency requirements for this Spring Break cultural immersion experience.

Valparaiso University sponsors more than 25 semester and year-long programs throughout Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa, in addition to a wide variety of short-term programs over breaks. Students in social science programs have explored social justice in Namibia, gained new perspectives through Valpo’s Study Centers in Costa Rica, Germany, and England, and more.

Whether you’re looking for 1-2 weeks of adventure or experiencing day-to-day living in a new country, our trips and global partnerships can help turn your travel dreams into an exciting reality. 

Contact the Department

Valparaiso University’s School of Social Sciences welcomes inquiries from prospective students, fellow researchers, and community members. 

James Old, Ph.D.
Director, School of Social Sciences

Associate Professor of Political Science and International Relations

school Of Social Sciences

Arts and Sciences Building, Room 352
1400 Chapel Drive
Valparaiso, IN 46383

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