International Summer Programs
The University of Southern California is again offering several programs abroad during Summer Session 2023. The purpose is to create opportunities for USC students to learn in an international environment. Each program features intensive courses from two to 10 weeks in duration, and many programs visit more than one country.
Experienced USC faculty serve as instructors, tour guides and coordinators, sharing with students the unique excitement of learning at an overseas location. Excursions to important cultural and historical sites supplement classroom lectures. Housing is prearranged for students in university dorms, hostels, inexpensive hotels or with local families.
These special programs offer travel and study opportunities at reasonable costs; programs planned for International Summer Session 2022 are listed below. Interested students should call the contact person indicated for further information about a specific program.
Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism
Communication, Public Relations and Journalism – – International Communication Studies Program (ICS) in London, Paris and Madrid
The International Communication Studies (ICS) program provides Annenberg students an opportunity to study a range of approaches to public communication and media across Europe.
Selected undergraduate and graduate students will participate in a variety of company visits and academic discussions in London, Paris and Madrid, with cultural activities included. Students participating in this multi-week, career-focused program will leave with a deeper understanding of global communication in a European context, and a robust program experience to add to their résumés.
Students enroll in the 4-unit course JOUR 482 Comparative Media in Europe. For further information and application, contact Annenberg International Programs at (213) 821-1276, email ascintl@usc.edu and refer to annenberg.usc.edu/international.
Program dates: May 30 to mid June 25, 2023
Total number of units: 4
Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
Cambridge Summer Programme – Cambridge, England
The USC-Cambridge Summer Programme (CSP) in Cambridge, England offers students an exceptional opportunity to experience life as an undergraduate in one of the oldest and most distinguished university cities in the world. The USC CSP is geared toward students who have demonstrated academic excellence and a continuous love of learning.
The CSP program provides students an excellent opportunity to take courses with a very interdisciplinary approach to fields such as British literature, art, history, economics, creative writing, science, political science and international relations, and to examine the background of modern Britain and its rich and diverse cultural heritage.
Students apply in the fall and if admitted must make a financial commitment to the program in January and then attend orientation meetings during the spring semester in preparation for the intellectual and cultural environment they will experience in the lectures and specialized seminar courses at Cambridge.
Students may earn 7 undergraduate elective credits by taking three courses over six weeks and completing both a final exam and a comprehensive essay in each course. The program is open to qualified undergraduates with a GPA of 3.5 or higher (3.7 or higher recommended). For further information, visit the program webpage or contact Overseas Studies at (213) 740-3636.
Program dates: early July to mid- to late-August (six-week program). Total number of units: 7 units of elective credit
Chinese – Taiwan Summer Program
The USC Taiwan Summer Program offered by the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures provides students with the unique opportunity to experience the vibrant city of Kaohsiung while joining a four-week Chinese language program at one of the top-ranked academic institutions, National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU), in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Participants in the program will be able to take language courses, which include local elements and experiences. In addition to regular classroom activities, each week the program will have one or two cultural courses and excursions that allow students to experience the exciting Taiwanese culture and the Kaohsiung City. There will also be longer field trips to other parts of the island. Both on campus and through various field trips, students will have myriad opportunities to interact with the local community and other international students who come to NSYSU to study Chinese.
Students enroll in ONE course:
| EALC 106 | Chinese II | 4 |
| EALC 204 | Chinese III | 4 |
| EALC 206 | Chinese IV | 4 |
| EALC 304 | Advanced Modern Chinese I | 4 |
| EALC 306 | Advanced Modern Chinese II | 4 |
| EALC 404 | Advanced Modern Chinese III | 4 |
| EALC 406 | Advanced Modern Chinese IV | 4 |
Program dates: May 17 – June 13, 2023
International Relations — Brussels, Belgium
The School of International Relations offers students the opportunity to study and intern for six weeks in Brussels, Belgium. Students take a course on the contemporary issues in European foreign and security policy while interning at an international organization. Students enroll in IR 391x Contemporary Issues in Europe Foreign and Security Policy (4 units), which can be used to fulfill an IR major or IR minor requirement. Students intern full-time for the first week, after which their schedule will consist of class in the morning and internship in the afternoon. The summer courses are offered by the School of International Relations, and taught by our university partner Vrije Universiteit, Brussels’s Center for European Studies. The courses are designed exclusively for our students.
This program is open to IR and IR-related majors with a minimum 3.0 GPA. Applications for this program are on the School of International Relations website.
Program dates: Monday, May 29 – Friday, July 7
Suggested arrival date: May 26
International Relations — Paris, France
The School of International Relations offers students the opportunity to study and conduct research for three weeks in Paris, France. Students take a course on European policy modeling and contemporary challenges to the European Union focusing on the particular case of France. The course will focus on weekly topics such as: the Confederalization of Europe; Governance through Law, Politics and Economics; EU Citizenship: Refugees, Migrants and Belonging; Going Green European Style; and Doing Business in Europe, Green as Business.
In addition to completing course requirements, students will also participate in a research policy task force. Students enroll in IR 490x Directed Research (4 units), which can be used to fulfill an IR major or IR minor requirement.
The summer courses are offered by the School of International Relations, and taught by our university partner American University, Paris. The courses are designed exclusively for our students.
This program is open to all majors. Applications for this program are available on the School of International Relations website. GPA: 2.8.
Program dates: June 26 – July 20
Applications for both programs can be found here: dornsife-poir.usc.edu.
French – USC Dijon: Dijon, France
The Department of French and Italian offers students the opportunity to improve their knowledge of French language, literature, and culture – while earning 4 university credits this summer- during our four-week summer program.
Dijon, at the gates of France’s most famous wine region, is the capital of Burgundy. The city, which has a famous university, is renowned as an art center. Strategically situated at one of the leading European crossroads, Dijon is an important center of commerce and industry, two hours southeast by train from Paris and three hours from Geneva, Switzerland. Students will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of extra-curricular activities, including a visit to the city of Beaune and a weekend to the Loire castles.
Students enroll in ONE course:
| FREN 150 | French I | 4 |
| FREN 220 | French III | 4 |
| FREN 250 | French IV | 4 |
| FREN 300 | French Grammar and Composition | 4 |
| FREN 310 | Media French | 4 |
| FREN 330 | Critical Writing in French | 4 |
| FREN 490 | Directed Research | 4 |
Program dates: May 29 – June 23, 2023