International experience, cross-cultural communication skills, global awareness, and foreign language skills are becoming increasingly important in all areas of work and study, and your study abroad experience will prepare you for future challenges that will require this knowledge and experience.
Studying abroad through Harper College is an exciting way to gain course credit, while developing skills and traits that will give you an advantage after you transfer and throughout your career.
All types of programs are credit-bearing and financial aid eligible.
These programs are a Harper course(s) with a built-in international travel component. They range from one to three weeks and are taken over summer, spring break, or winter breaks. Course offerings vary from year to year.
The Study Abroad is available to Honors students and it's a collaboration between two professors: Mukila Maitha and Crystal Pierce. It will convene a cohort of students enrolled in Geography 111 and Biology 103. These courses will take place at Harper's main campus in Palatine, IL, with a study abroad component in various sites in Kenya, allowing students to examine environmental realities and challenges locally and globally. Students will be able to communicate with individuals involved in environmental conservation and biological monitoring in Kenya, which reflects a high degree of biodiversity. In addition, they will have the opportunity to visit sites appropriate to each course's learning objectives.
Courses: BIO 103 or GEG 111
Dates:
Course Dates: January 21 - May 16, 2024
Travel Dates: March 21 - 30, 2024
Program Fees: $3,350*
Includes: full board accommodation in double room, ground transportation, entrance fees listed in the itinerary, transfer from/to airport in Kenya, insurance, 24h local support.
Does not include: Harper tuition (3 or 6 credits), airfare ($1,500 est.), passport, visa costs,vaccine costs, and miscellaneous.
Professors:
Crystal Peirce - BIO 103 - cpeirce@harpercollege.edu
Mukila Maitha - GEG 111 - mmaitha@harcolege.edu
Apply here: Brochure | Term Information (via-trm.com)
Students will analyze and describe the structure and dynamics of human society. They will use scientific methods to observe social norms, groups, intergroup relations, social change, social stratification and institutions. This course focuses on the basic concepts, research, and theories involved in understanding human behavior and human societies. It's an overview of basic sociological analysis covering a wide range of topics, such as gentrification, immigration and demographic change, economic change/decline, inequality, social movements, and civic disengagement, enhanced by a cross-social comparison between the US and UK during a 10-day site visit to London.
Course: Sociology 101
Dates:
Course Dates: 04/01/24 through 06/02/24
Travel Dates: 05/22/24 through 06/02/24
Tentative itinerary:
(possible changes to the itinerary can happen at any time due to availability, weather, safety concern, etc)
Day 1: Depart for London
Overnight flight from ORD to LHR
Day 2: Arrive LHR
Walking Tour of London
Instructor-led walking tour of central London. (City of London/South Bank)
Group Welcome Dinner (Included)
Day 3: Breakfast (Included)
Walking Tour of Westminster
Instructor-led walking tour of Westminster. (Covent Garden/West End/Westminster)
Academic Tour: Liminality and Marginality in Urban Space
Instructor-led academic tour of central London focused on the unhoused population.
(Covent Garden/Holborn/Waterloo) Topics include the social, physical, and cultural
contexts in which they live and work.
Day 4: Breakfast (Included)
Orientation Activity
Instructor-led city navigation exercise/London transit scavenger hunt.
Group Dinner (Included)
Day 5: Breakfast (Included)
Academic Tour: East End Reforms in the Victorian Era
Instructor-led academic tour of East End communities. (Shoreditch/Spitalfields/Whitechapel/Bethnal
Green/Bow) Topics covered include the Old Nichol slum, the Matchgirl’s Strike, the
Whitechapel murders, Toynbee Hall and the Settlement Movement, and the London Dock
Strike.
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Performance
Students attend a Shakespearean play at the Globe Theatre.
Day 6: Breakfast (Included)
Academic Tour: Third Places – London’s Markets and Pubs
Instructor-led academic tour of several of London’s markets. (Brick Lane/Borough/Camden)
Topics covered include the nature of third places, the role they play in fostering
civic engagement, and the structural and physical features of London that enable their
development and operation.
Afternoon High Tea (Included): Students enjoy a traditional high tea experience.
Day 7: Breakfast (Included)
Guest lecture on British government (pending confirmation)
Students will attend a lecture focused on the structure of British government and
politics.
Academic Tour: Social Movements, Antifascism, and Class Politics
Instructor-led academic tour of notable sites in the social movement history of London.
(Whitechapel/Lewisham/Trafalgar Square) Topics covered include the Battle of Cable
Street, the Battle of Lewisham, and the Poll Tax Riots.
Day 8: Breakfast (Included)
Academic Tour: Brixton Rising and Coming of Thatcherism
Instructor-led academic tour of notable sites in the 1981 and 1985 Brixton riots.
(Lambeth) Topics covered include intergroup relations and the history of racial dynamics
in London as well as the political context of the riots.
Day 9: Breakfast (Included)
Academic Tour: Immigration, Succession and Gentrification
Instructor-led academic tour of select ethnic enclaves in London. (Chinatown/Peckham/Stamford
Hill/Tooting) Topics covered include assimilation and pluralism, Anglo conformity,
and multiculturalism.
Migration Museum
Instructor-led tour of the Migration Museum in Lewisham.
Canal Cruise
Students tour Regent’s Canal as they ride from Little Venice to Camden Market for
a group dinner.
Group Farewell Dinner (Included)
Day 10: Depart for Chicago
Program Fee: $2,477*
Includes: transport from/to airport; accommodation (10 nights); 14 meals; local transport pass (zones 1-3)
*Does not include: Harper tuition (3 credits), airfare (aprox. $1,000) and miscellaneous.
Professor: Jim Gramlich, jgramlic@harpercollege.edu| 847-925-6279
Apply here: Brochure | Program Overview (via-trm.com)
This blended class will combine virtual and in-person meetings, providing students
a learning immersion experience. Students will take their first three weeks online
as an asynchronized course. Then they will travel to Merida, Mexico, for two weeks
to continue their studies. After their
immersion experience, students will return to the United States and continue their
online studies for three more weeks to complete the course.
While in Merida, students will attend three hours of language instruction in addition
to two hours of studying Mexican history at the Centro empresaríal de Merida, Mexico.
For additional cultural experiences, students will participate in events and excursions.
Courses: Spanish 101, 102 and 205
Dates:
Course Dates: June 3 to July 28, 2024
Travel Dates: June 24 to July 8, 2024
Program Fee: $2,000
Includes: accommodation in double room with two meals/day, ground transportation, excursions fees, transfer from/to airport in Mexico, and insurance. Does not include: Harper tuition (4 credits), airfare (aprox. $500), and miscellaneous.
Apply here: Brochure | Program Overview (via-trm.com)
This 3 credit course will travel as a group to Cape Town, South Africa. Designed by faculty from Harper College and Heartland Community College, in collaboration with EDU Africa, this program is designed for nursing students and will introduce students to the healthcare system in South Africa, while providing a service learning experience.
Highlights:
Course:HUM 115
Program Cost: $2,660 (Cost includes pre-departure support, ground transportation, 24-hours support while in South Africa, accommodation in double room + meals, entrances to activities listed in itinerary, $5 donation towards reforestation of Brackenhurst Forest. Does not include airfare (approx. $1,100) and tuituion (3 credits).
Program Brochure and Itinerary:
Apply here:
Harper is a founding member of ICISP (Illinois Consortium of International Studies and Programs). Tuition and fees** for these programs are at the Harper in-district rate. Summer and Semester options available. For more information, please visit the ICISP website.
These are programs offered through Harper College's accredited study abroad affiliates. Our affiliate partners offer programs varying in length (a few weeks, a month, a whole summer, a semester, and/or a full academic year), varying locations (over 30 countries!), and offer courses in almost every area of study.
For any questions, please email studyabroad@harpercollege.edu.
Want to have a global experience but can't travel? Virtual exchanges are growing in popularity, allowing students to engage with other students or professionals abroad. Intercultural Dialog and Exchange
Are you the type of person who likes to meet new people from all over the world? Join this Learning Community to connect with students overseas and discuss issues relevant to our global society. You will gain college writing, communication, and study skills that you’ll need to succeed in school and your future career. In these classes, you will practice self-reflection and intercultural communication.
ENG 101-BL4 CRN 64641 (T, 12:30pm - 1:45pm) - Instructor: Richard Johnson
FYS 101-BL4 CRN 64642 (T, 2pm - 3:15pm) - Instructor: Kimberly Jeager
Learning communities are two or more classes with a common group of students focusing on a central team.
There are two Harper College Educational Foundation Scholarships available for students:
Award: $500–1,500
Castle International Studies Scholarship - Harper College Scholarships (academicworks.com)
This scholarship is awarded to a student who meets the following criteria:
*Study Abroad – Students in a Harper College Faculty-Led Study Abroad program. Priority
will be given to students applying to a program that is going to a country within
the designated Global Region of Focus.
*Demonstrate financial need
*Preference to students from under-served populations
*Completed at least two semesters of study at Harper College
*3.0 GPA (Students with a cumulative GPA lower than 3.0 may be considered)
*Students enrolled in a degree-seeking program and planning to transfer to a four-year
college.
Award: $500–1,000
WorldView Study Abroad Fund - Harper College Scholarships (academicworks.com)
This scholarship is awarded to a student who meets the following criteria:
*Open to Harper students participating in a Harper College study abroad program to
developing countries.
*Demonstrate financial need
*Completed at least one year of study at Harper College
*Available to students who are working towards a goal of earning a degree or transferring
to a four-year college or university to earn a degree.
Scholarship should not underwrite the entire cost of the program.
There are also a number of other scholarships available to Harper students, including
October 2023
The Gilman-McCain August 2023 Deadline Application is open now for applicants whose programs or internships start between September 1, 2023 to April
30, 2024. The application deadline is Tuesday, August 1, 2023 at 11:59pm Pacific Time,
and the advisor certification deadline is Tuesday, August 8, 2023.
Eligibility: Applicants for the Gilman-McCain Scholarship must be a dependent (child or spouse) of active or activated United States military
personnel during the time of application (including Air Force, Air Force Reserve,
Air National Guard, Army, Army National Guard, Army Reserve, Coast Guard, Coast Guard
Reserve, Marine Corps, Marine Corps Reserve, Navy, Navy Reserve, Space Force, NOAA
Commissioned Corps, and USPHS Commissioned Corps), and also be receiving any form
of Title IV Financial Aid. All applicants must provide proof of dependent status
as part of the Gilman-McCain application.
The mission of the Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) is to provide scholarships and ongoing support to students who are underrepresented among the U.S. study abroad population. FEA makes life-changing, international experiences accessible to all by supporting students of color, community college, and first-generation college students before, during, and after they participate in education abroad programs.
In today’s inter-connected world, we believe education abroad is an integral component of higher education. We envision a future in which all U.S. students are given equal access to education abroad experiences, regardless of race and socio-economic status. We foresee a future in which our scholars work to increase global understanding, give back to their communities, and mentor future generations of Fund for Education Abroad scholars.
FEA invests in deserving U.S. undergraduates who are least likely to study abroad. More than 100 volunteer reviewers read applications each cycle. In partnership with them, we consider financial need, demographic factors, and academic plan and preparedness to decide our scholarship recipients.
Financial Need is determined by the FEA Financial Aid Form we provide when you begin an application.
Demographic Factors that are considered include minority background, first-generation college student status, and community college experience.
Academic Plan and Preparedness is determined by your essays and unofficial transcript.
The DiversityAbroad.com Overseas Ambassador Scholarship was formerly known as the DiversityAbroad.com/AIFS Blogging Scholarship. Diversity Abroad, in cooperation with the AIFS Foundation, will offer $500 scholarships for fall and spring semesters as well as summer term. Five scholarships are available for each semester and two scholarships are available for summer. Students going abroad for the full fall, spring or summer terms are eligible to apply. Economically disadvantaged students, first-generation, students with disabilities and ethnic and racially diverse students are strongly encouraged to apply. Click "request information" above, or visit http://www.diversityabroad.com/overseas-ambassadors for application details and additional information.
An initiative of the National Security Education Program that provides funding for U.S. undergraduate students to study less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad.
Awards: Up to $12,500 for 12-24 weeks
Up to $8,000 for 8-11 weeks (STEM majors only)
All applicants must be:
Students that are interested in enrolling in a Study Abroad Program may be eligible to use financial aid to assist in paying for Study Abroad costs. Please follow the instructions to be considered for financial aid.
A student’s enrollment in a program of study abroad approved for credit by Harper College will be considered enrollment at Harper College for the purposes of applying for Assistance under the Title IV, HEA program.
Visit our student and faculty blog: WorldingUS: Situating Harper students and faculty in a globalized world!
Many of our faculty-led study abroad courses include a Geographic Information Systems component. Check out some interesting student ArcGIS Story Map Journals about a recent program to Nicaragua: