B.S. in Integrated Science and Technology - Study Abroad

Designed to serve majors from many different disciplines, JMU’s East Africa Field School (12 credit hours) offers a unique opportunity to learn about peoples, cultures, and environments of contemporary Kenya and Tanzania through direct interaction. The program focuses on three broad themes, each supported via site visits, homestays, lectures, readings, and Kiswahili lessons:

• Histories and Cultures of East Africa – the diversity of cultures extant in Kenya and Tanzania, the impact of colonialism, governance, and meanings of post-colonialism and nationalism.
• Human-Environment Interactions and the Quest for Sustainability – dimensions of rural life in East Africa, impacts of major cities, varied land uses and pressures on the land, and use and potential of renewables.
• Education in East Africa – the history of the education system, its challenges and achievements, and local responses to the educational system.

Students also participate in internships through opportunities with our partners specializing in sustainability projects, education, health sciences, and more.

Learn More About Africa

Participants in this study-abroad experience in Saarbrücken, Germany, will complete two 3-credit courses, chosen from ISAT 416, ISAT 426, ISAT 428 and ISAT 480. ISAT 416 (Alternative Energy Practicum) is a mini-internship conducted in the energy labs of the host university. ISAT 426 (Environmental Information Systems) is a project-based course conducted in tandem with a German course of the same title. ISAT 428 (Industrial Ecology) is a lecture-based course conducted in tandem with a German course of the same title which considers ways to create a more sustainable industrial society. ISAT 480 (International Energy Initiatives) is an experiential course consisting of site visits and tours, guest lectures, and discussions about energy technologies and policies in Germany. The courses will use a combination of lectures, guided tours, field work, journal assignments and/or research papers. Facilities include classrooms, laboratories, and energy sites. This program is conducted in partnership with the Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft (HTW) des Saarlandes. 

Learn More About Germany

The Malta Experience is one of JMU's longest running short-term international programs. During the four week program, students from the College of Integrated Science and Engineering (CISE) disciplines (Engineering, ISAT, Geography, and Computer Science) and the Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies (IdLS) programs explore the unique geographical, environmental, cultural, economic, and political issues that have and continue to shape Malta. In the required ISAT 480: Sustainable Societies course, students will explore the island to investigate the relationships between technology, economy, history, and culture and the implication of these factors for personal and societal sustainability. A cultural and historic learning program includes excursions to awe-inspiring geographic features, prehistoric megaliths, medieval dungeons, Renaissance cathedrals, and Baroque palaces. Disciplinary fieldwork project courses provide the opportunity for students to study and suggest solutions to important technological and societal issues under the guidance of Maltese mentors and JMU faculty. 

Students will be housed in apartment-style flats in a quiet neighborhood that is conveniently located near the University of Malta campus, public transportation, grocery stores, and restaurants, immersing students in the Maltese environment and lifestyle. Find out more by visiting the Study Abroad website. 

A project-based course examining energy conservation, monitoring, and applications and providing team-oriented project experience. Addresses energy issues associated with economic and social development. Project participation, tours, and interactions with resort employees, managers and owners to identify, apply, and provide recommendations to energy-related problems. Students will work on various projects at a resort in Costa Rica. Each student will pick a project before arriving in Costa Rica and work to complete it during the three-week class. Students will work with advisors and project mentors that include JMU professors, owners, and managers of a resort in Costa Rica.  Find out more by visiting the Study Abroad website. 

For a complete list of all JMU Study Abroad Programs, how to apply, and tuition and fees, please visit the Center for Global Engagement.