Skip to main content
Office of Education Abroad

Major Advising Page - Geography

The Department of Geography and the Environment strongly encourages Geography majors students to not only study abroad, but to approach it as an integral part of the major. 

The opportunity for in-depth, experiential learning many of the of the study abroad opportunities, along with immersion in new cultures, is outstanding. Depending on the student, and which type of study abroad they pursue, these two experiences are the most desirable from the faculty's viewpoint.

Students are especially encouraged to pursue study abroad programs that have an experiential component (independent research, internship) and/or cultural immersion component.

Geography majors should begin the study abroad advising process as early as possible to make study abroad fit into the four year curriculum. Tell your academic advisor that you are interested in study abroad at each registration appointment. Together, identify the best terms to go abroad,  for summer or semester, based on the courses in your four-year-plan. 

Specific things to consider: 

  • The introductory Environmental Science sequence (GEV 1050 and GEV 1051) are not appropriate to take abroad. Other major requirements are possible to fulfill with appropriate courses.
  • The opportunity for cultural immersion, and aspects of the department's cultural perspective goal, are better met during study abroad than on-campus.

Search the OEA Course Approval History database to select from more than 3,000 study abroad courses that have already been pre-approved for liberal education requirements and a growing list of technical courses.

The Course Approval History database is not all-inclusive and students can work with an OEA advisor to submit additional courses for review.

Don't forget - CLAS has a list of policies and limitations specifically focused on study abroad. Make sure you're aware of these as you plan your overseas experience.

Timing
For Geography students, summer study abroad is possible after the first year through the end of junior year, though ideally, as rising juniors or rising seniors. Semester study abroad is possible anytime between the second semester of sophomore year through juior year.

Due to sequencing, students should work with their academic adviser to determine the best time to study abroad. 

 

The Department of Geography and the Environment strongly encourages students consider programs that include independent research, internships or strong cultural immersion. 

Study abroad opportunities are not limited to formal instruction. Consider taking advantage of the unique research, internship, and fieldwork opportunities available in different regions of the world. 

In the past, students have:

  • Researched Marine protected areas, rainforest biodiversity assessment, tourism impacts, ecosystem monitoring, community livelihoods, perceptions on conservation (Panama)
  • Geography class with lab that focused on rock formations with outside classroom excursions to view and study in natural environment (New Zealand)
  • Studied ice cores in lab, then travelled to a glacier to learn how samples were taken, the landscape that allows glaicers to form, and their importance of understanding the changing climate. (Denmark)
  • Coursework which engaged discussions about environmental justice,  environmental policy in the U.S. and internationally; included hikes through Black Forest and the Swiss Alps. (Germany)

*Villanova University - Irish Studies at the University of Galway

Arcadia University - ISI Perugia, Umbra Institute
Certificate in Sustainability & Environmental Studies with research opportunity (Scholar's Program) highly encouraged.

DIS - Study in Scandinavia

IES Abroad - Environmental Studies and Sustainability in Freiburg

IES Abroad - Galápagos Academic Institute for the Arts and Sciences (GAIAS)

School for Field Studies (SFS)

School for International Training

Looking for more? 
If a program is not listed above, it does not limit your eligibility to study abroad. Perhaps you're looking for something different. Visit Passport Villanova to discover other programs. 

Course Approval Database 
Students should consult with the  OEA Course Approval Database  to view a full list of pre-approved courses for most programs.  The Course Approval Database may not contain updated/new courses and students may need to submit additional courses for review and approval. Programs and universities are continually updating course offerings so and the program’s website will list most accurate course offerings for the planned term abroad.  

 

Non-VU partner programs under 6-weeks long must require a petition in order to be approved. Contact your OEA advisor for petition information.

*Villanova Summer at Korea University in Seoul, South Korea
NUIG offers a wide-array of Biology and science offerings; research opportunities exist for motivated students. 

Arcadia University College of Global Studies
STEM Summer Research Opportunities

DIS - Study in Scandinavia (DIS)
Summer programs in Copenhagen and Stockholm, offering programs in Biomedicine, Medical Practice and Policy, Public Health, Sustainability as well as research and lab opportunities. 

School for Field Studies (SFS)
Grounded in research, real-world application, and hands-on experience, SFS offers programs around the world with focuses on Sustainability and Environment-related issues.

School for International Training
Summer programs focusing on experiential learning, programs in Global Health & Well-being, and Climate & Environment, offer strong hands-on experiences.

Villanova Course-embedded Travel
Each year the Biology Department offers short term, international opportunities that are embedded within a semester or year long on-campus classes, which provide students with the opportunity to connect classroom learning with onsite Biology field work. Previous opportunities have included Field Ecology in Costa Rica, Sweden and Nova Scotia. Contact the Biology department for current offerings. 

Looking for more? 
If a program is not listed above, it does not limit your eligibility to study abroad. Visit Passport Villanova and explore other opportunities.
Note, programs that don't appear on the list, above, need to be reviewed and approved by the VU Italian program.

Course Approval Database 
Students should consult with the  OEA Course Approval Database  to view a full list of pre-approved courses for most programs.  The Course Approval Database may not contain updated/new courses and students may need to submit additional courses for review and approval. Programs and universities are continually updating course offerings so and the program’s website will list most accurate course offerings for the planned term abroad.  

 

It is important to plan ahead as it is not uncommon for scholarship deadlines to occur much earlier than a Villanova or program application deadlines.

There are many scholarships available for students through Villanova University, our partner programs and other external sources, like the US Government. The OEA can help students with the scholarship search and application process. If a scholarship is found outside of the OEA scholarship page, students should have it reviewed by the OEA to determine if it is a viable option.

Browse the scholarships opportunities found on the OEA website.