20 Global Seminars for Arts students to study abroad in summer 2024

Global Seminars are an amazing opportunity to take UBC courses led by a UBC instructor in global locations around the world. From global citizenship in Guatamala, to an archaeological excavation in Romania, study in a different country this summer.

Global Seminars are part of Go Global, but rather than spending a whole term or two studying at a partner university, you can take just one course with a small cohort of UBC students.

Global Seminars are a great way to immerse yourself in a specific topic of study in a location with strong ties to the subject. There are also several benefits for Arts students:

• Arts Research Abroad (ARA) funding means 70-100% of the cost is covered for many of the seminars
• Many of the seminars are in the Faculty of Arts with credits applicable to Arts degrees
• Many of the seminars have few or no prerequisites, allowing you to explore new directions outside your field of study and even in other Faculties
• New grant funding is available to support Indigenous students in any Go Global Seminar

Plus, there are so many cool topics to explore! Here are 20 Global Seminars Arts students can take in summer 2024.

Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies

Israel | Archaeological Excavation in Israel (AMNE 395/595)

Train in the principles and methods of field archaeology as practiced in the Mediterranean and Near East today.

Romania | Apulum Roman Villa Project (AMNE 395/595)

Excavate a Roman villa in the hinterland of Alba Iulia, Romania.

Art History, Visual Art & Theory

Germany (Berlin) | Art and the City: Berlin Field Course in Contemporary Art and Theory (VISA 470)

Explore historical and contemporary relationships between politics, activism and art production in the city of Berlin.

Asian Canadian and Asian Migration Studies

Asia (China) | The Heritage of Asian Canadian Migrations (ACAM 390A)

Get a multi-disciplinary perspective on the histories, cultures, foodways, heritage and geographies of Asian migration around the Pacific.

Central, Eastern, and Northern European Studies

Austria (Vienna) | Multicultural Vienna–Mutikulti Wien (GMST 424)

Consider how multiculturalism shapes post-imperial political struggles and how it comes to define the lived experience of marginalized peoples in contemporary Vienna.

Poland | Experiencing Eastern Europe and Witnessing Auschwitz (CENS 304D/SLAV 307)

Examine the representation of the Nazi Holocaust through a focused lens on Auschwitz.

First Nations & Indigenous Studies

Nepal | Global Indigeneities (FNIS 360)

Learn about the rich Newa civilization, tradition, and transformation from the communities in four city centers: Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, and Kirtipur.

French, Hispanic, and Italian Studies

Lyon, France | La représentation de Lyon dans les médias (FREN 395)

Explore the vibrant literary culture of Lyon through museum visits and documents. This course is offered in French.

Barcelona, Spain | Study Abroad for Global Seminars (RMST 395)

Consider Barcelona from a cultural studies perspective, including literature, visual arts, cinema, architecture, urbanism and responses to mass tourism.

Peru | Making and Unmaking Indigeneity in the Andes (LAST 315)

Trace the construction and reconstruction, negotiation and reinvention, production and consumption of Indigeneity in the Andes, with a focus on Peru and the “Sacred Valley”.

Philosophy

Guatemala | Global Citizenship Term Abroad (CENS 315 and PHIL 335)

Explore theories of power, oppression and civil society in the case of Guatemala.

Political Science

Europe | European Union Study Tour (POLI 326)

Visit critical institutions of the European Union, NATO and the Canadian Embassy in Brussels, and hear from representatives of these institutions.

School of Information

Switzerland | Emerging Issues and Perspectives on Web3, Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies (ARST 575N/LIBR 559U)

Receive specialized training in Web3, blockchain and distributed ledger technologies (DLTs).

Theatre and Film

Portugal (Espinho) | Studies in Film at FEST Film Festival (FIPR 469 or CINE 434)

Attend FEST Film Festival, for a scholarly introduction to film festivals and their role in contemporary global film culture.

Romania (Sibiu) | Global Contemporary Performance: Sibiu International Theatre Festival (THTR 440A)

Attend the FITS (Festival International Theatre Sibiu), to see, study, and discuss specific performance works created by artists from around the world.

Other Faculties

While the courses below are organized by other faculties at UBC, Arts students are still eligible to apply.

Chile | Field school: Natural and planted forests in the global bioeconomy (FRST 456)

Explore Chile in the global forestry context, discuss fundamentals of intensive silviculture, cutting edge forest products and society & land use optimization.

Ecuador | International Conservation and Forest Ecosystem Management Field School (CONS 453)

Explore cultural values and their depth of influence on policy, decision-making and action.

Indonesia (Bogor) | Impact Evaluation Analytics (LFS 302B)

An introduction to the principles and applications of project Monitoring, Evaluation, & Learning (MEL) and impact analysis in a post-COVID world.

Indonesia (Jakarta) | International Field Studies in Policy Analysis for Agriculture and Natural Resources (LFS 303)

An introduction to the principles and practice of policy analysis. Students will complete field research, and present their findings to policy makers, community leaders and other key stakeholders.

Iceland | Field course: Systems approaches to regional sustainability (ISCI 361 or 461)

Examine the complex interconnecting components that contribute to the nature and status of the present‐day system of a country, a region or a city.

Applications for most Global Seminars close December 5, 2023. Visit the seminar pages to learn how to apply.

Want to talk to someone about Global Seminars? Book a virtual advising appointment, drop-in for in-person advising, or attend a virtual group advising session with Go Global.