January Term

January Term Study Abroad Information

Each year, �鶹�� offers faculty-led off-campus courses to locations around the world and destinations within the U.S. The courses offer a deep dive into a breadth of interesting, international topics, from coral reef ecology of The Bahamas to health care in Peru. Approximately 10 students are chosen by the faculty leaders for each course.

January Term 2027 at a glance

Off-campus courses

HHPA Australia: Sports and Exercise in Australian Society

Faculty: Emily Kosderka and Laura Kenow

This study abroad course in Australia immerses students in the cultural, social, and scientific dimensions of sport and exercise within Australian society. Through visits to major sporting institutions, universities, and community organizations, students explore how physical activity shapes national identity, public health, and everyday life. The program blends academic experiences with hands-on experiences—such as observing elite training environments, engaging with local sport programs, and examining outdoor and Indigenous physical activity traditions—to provide a comprehensive understanding of Australia’s unique sport culture and its broader societal impact. Students can expect to engage with Australian leaders in sport and exercise while also experiencing the wealth of sport & exercise opportunities that Australia has to offer. Possible activities include kayaking on Sydney harbor, hiking in the Blue Mountains, volleyball on Bondi Beach, and playing a game (or two) of cricket! While the full itinerary is currently in development, this will be a very active and engaging experience!

4 credits (GP and IS pending)

HHPA/JAMS Japan: The Story of Japan’s Health and Food Innovations

Faculty: Sarah Coste & Kevin Curry

This January term course focuses on Japan and its discoveries and innovations related to food palatability, nutritional health and physical activity. Students will explore the wide range of Japanese contributions that are embedded unassumingly in our daily American lives; from the identification of the fifth basic taste ‘umami’ (deliciousness) in neuroscience, to the 10,000 daily step count and the development of the first pedometer. In addition, students will be exposed to Japanese tastes, cuisines and lifestyle habits that have been attributed to longevity, particularly in the Blue Zone of Okinawa. We will explore the ubiquitous ‘konbini’ convenience stores that supply healthy foods and provide community. Discussions will include cultural differences in eating, comparisons to convenience stores of the United States, and food deserts. Students will gain skills in storytelling and multimedia content expression by creating and sharing their experiences, ideas and discussions via written, photo, video and podcasts.

Prerequisite: Fall semester prior to JT ’25 departure, students will be required to enroll and participate in the IDST 098 Orientation to International Study (1 credit).

4 credits (CS)

NURS Thailand: Traditional and Modern Health Care in Southeast Asia

Faculty: Julie Fitzwater and Mihee Chung

Explore the impacts of modern life and culture on healthcare policy and outcomes. Examination of traditional and modern health care impacted by history, economy, politics, culture and religion. Role of nursing and other health care disciplines in health outcomes in Thailand.

Prerequisite: Fall semester prior to JT ’25 departure, students will be required to enroll and participate in the IDST 098 Orientation to International Study (1 credit).

4 credits (LCs pending)

SOAN United Kingdom: Reimagining Museums as Sites of Cultural Intervention and Decolonization in the United Kingdom

Faculty: Leslie Walker and Hillary Crane

Description, LCs, and pre-requisites TBD

4 credits

THTR South Africa: Connecting Story to Land

Faculty: Lindsey Mantoan and Janet Gupton

Exploration of the connections among story, culture, identity (national and personal), and history in the unique ecosystem of post-apartheid South Africa. Study of storytelling practices as shaped by indigenous communities, colonization, globalization, and hybrid cultures. Visits to performance spaces, museums, historic and archeological sites, and monuments; workshops with professional artists; walking tours of built and natural spaces; and exploration of the land to understand its relation to transitional justice, truth and reconciliation practices, and the ongoing efforts to address racial equality.

4 credits (CS or GP)

WINE France: Terroir and Sustainability in the Willamette and Loire Valleys

Faculty: Toni Ketrenos

The concept of terroir originates in Western European nations, asserting that food products from a delimited geographical indication where a human community develops a system of complex interactions between an agri-food production, a biophysical environment, and local traditions creates a product with unique characteristics allowing a local and/or a worldwide recognition of this area as well as economic benefits for the people who live there.

This course seeks to raise awareness about the economic and cultural value created by geographically structured food systems, using Pinot Noir wine grown in the Willamette and Loire Valleys as its subject. Students will investigate the geographical, geological, regulatory, and cultural factors influencing wine production in these two regions through reading, lecture, course work, company visits, guest speakers, and group work in both regions.