Previous Study Abroad Opportunities

Winter 2022​, 2020

Budapest, Hungary: Students studied in the heart of Europe for 2.5 weeks as we explored in the beautiful city of Budapest, Hungary. We compared public policy between Hungary and U.S., focusing on a variety of common policy themes - from education to health and social issues. Learning how to compare policy across different nations gave participants a deeper understanding of what drives government decision-making, on both a national and global scale. This is especially true in a country that has gone through such dramatic political change in the past 100 years - from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, through WWII and Communism, and now as a member of the EU.

Winter 2020

Cluj-Napoca, Romania Comparative Public Administration and Collaborative Research Experience: This two-week program encompassed a comparative study of public policy and public administration involving students from UD and Faculty of Political Science, Administration and Communications (FSPAC), Babes-Bolyai University (BBU) in Romania one of the largest and most renowned higher education institutions in the country through a dual course in which students register at their home institutions. 

Fall 2019

Seoul, Republic of Korea - Policy and Management: This course was a case study of Seoul, the capital city of the Republic of Korea (ROK), both as an intriguing megacity in itself and as an example of governance, policy, and management in global cities. It focuses on the motivation, design, and implementation of urban policies and services in Seoul and in comparative context. Topics include the global and national context for Seoul's policy, management, and service-delivery efforts; the design, implementation, and evaluation of governance reforms and policy innovations generally; and specific policy subareas of urban governance including but not limited to urban planning and design, public health, health care delivery, education, infrastructure planning and management, social services, housing, public finance, and economic development.

Winter 2019

Budapest, Hungary: Comparison of public policy between Hungary and U.S., focusing on a variety of common policy themes - from education to health and social issues. Learning how to compare policy across different nations gave participants a deeper understanding of what drives government decision-making, on both a national and global scale. 

Fall 2018

Seoul, Republic of Korea - Policy and Management: Intensive study of urban policy and management in a global mega-city in a joint program with graduate students and faculty from the University of Birmingham (UK), Cornell University, the University of Central Florida, and Portland State University.

Summer 2018 

LEAD in Italy with Cruise to Spain: It takes cultural intelligence to lead effectively in our interconnected, global world. Students who participated in the Summer 2018 study abroad had the opportunity to develop their own cultural intelligence by joining us in a new SPPA adventure. The program spent two weeks in Tuscany, Italy and then boarded the Celebrity Constellation cruise ship for a one week cruise from Rome to Spain, with port stops in Nice (France), Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca and Barcelona.

Winter 2018

Vietnam and Laos: Vietnam and Laos provided great locations for an undergraduate civic engagement, leadership-focused study abroad experience. In Vietnam our locations will be Hanoi and Hoi An in northern Vietnam; in Laos our location will be Luang Prabang.

Fall 2017 

Seoul, Republic of Korea - Policy and Management: Intensive study of urban policy and management in a global mega-city in a joint program with graduate students and faculty from the University of Birmingham (UK), Cornell University, the University of Central Florida, and Portland State University.

Winter 2017

Cluj-Napoca, Romania Comparative Public Administration and Collaborative Research Experience: This two-week program encompassed a comparative study of public policy and public administration involving students from UD and Faculty of Political Science, Administration and Communications (FSPAC), Babes-Bolyai University (BBU) in Romania one of the largest and most renowned higher education institutions in the country through a dual course in which students register at their home institutions. 

BBU and UD students worked cooperatively to develop study methodology and survey instruments in advance of the trip, conduct interviews and collect primary and secondary data in Romania, and write papers to be drafted during our stay in Romania and submitted at the conclusion of the course, with a deadline in the spring semester. Meetings with well-informed individuals, and classes and briefings led by course leaders, BBU faculty and Romanian public officials complemented information presented during orientation.   

Winter 2016

Thailand/Laos: Thailand and Laos provided great locations for a civic engagement, leadership-focused study abroad experience. In Thailand our location was Chiang Mai in northern Thailand; in Laos our location was Luang Prabang.  Students received a firsthand understanding of how culture impacts leaders and the leadership process and learned about direct action organizing, consensus organizing and coalition building while developing leadership development workshops and civic engagement projects.

Fall 2015

Seoul, Republic of Korea: Intensive study of urban policy and management in a global mega-city in a joint program with graduate students and faculty from Cornell, the University of Central Florida, and Portland State University. This graduate study-abroad program examined the metropolitan city of Seoul, Republic of Korea, as a case study in urban governance and management reforms for global cities in the 21st century. Students had the opportunities to listen to briefings from policy-makers in SMG and learn more about Seoul's creative policies. They also had the chance to actually visit these policy sites and see for themselves why they are so widely recognized. Through the city tour, participants experienced the urban and traditional culture of Seoul.

Spring 2013

Poland: This course focused on the city planning and historic preservations efforts of Krakow and Warsaw, Poland. Participants studied the ways in which a countrys identity is reflected in its built environment, both in its historical architecture and in the ways in which its urban centers evolve. It focused on post-WWII, Soviet, and post-Soviet development of two medieval cities through readings, lectures, and participation in an 11-day study trip between March 20th and April 30th, 2013.

Winter 2013

Romania: A comparative study of public policy and public administration in Romania combining UD students and Babes-Bolyai (Babesh-Bolyaee) University (BBU), Cluj-Napoca, Romania in a dual format course, in which students worked together in research teams on topics tailored to student interests. Excursions included Budapest, Hungary and Vienna, and Austria.

Fall 2012

Seoul, Republic of Korea:  Intensive study of urban policy and management in a global city. This field trip to Seoul ran Oct. 1928, 2012, and included several daily sessions with officials of Seoul Metropolitan Government and faculty from University of Seoul, as well as daily visits to municipal facilities. Students traveled with groups from Portland State University, Cornell University, and the University of Central Florida.

Winter 2012

Study Abroad Costa Rica, January 7-22: Sustainable Planning and Development. This program ran in conjunction with a 5 week undergraduate program.

Spring Break 2011

England and Scotland: Change and Revitalization in Post-Industrial Europe: An Examination of Glasgow, Scotland and Birmingham, England

The Netherlands: Housing and Neighborhoods in the Netherlands: The Role of Development, Redevelopment, Preservation and Planning

Fall 2011 Semester Abroad

UD/Beijing Normal University  (BNU) Exchange Program:

This program was open only to masters and doctoral students in accordance with the MOU between SPPA and BNU. 

2010 Study Abroad

The program at Beijing Normal University's School of Social Development and Public Policy represents the first full semester exchange for UAPP graduate students. Two SPPA master's students attended Beijing Normal University for the Spring 2010 semester and a SUAPP doctoral student traveled to Beijing to conduct dissertation research for approximately 6 weeks during Delaware's spring semester. Classes in Beijing were conducted in English. BNU provides tuition waivers and students have an assistantship that provides them with a stipend towards incidental academic and living expenses.

In 2010, SPPA graduate students were able to choose between 2 very different opportunities over Spring Break. Professors Peuquet and Wilder conducted a course during Spring Semester, "Housing and Neighborhoods in the Netherlands: the Role of Development, Redevelopment, Preservation and Planning" that culminated in visits to Dutch cities and Neighborhoods. SPPA graduate students were based in Amsterdam for the length of their stay and met with local and national experts with a particular focus on the role of national and local government policy in the field of housing, planning, preservation, development and redevelopment.

Dr. Jonathan Justice led a group to Seoul, South Korea, where they participated with students from other public policy programs in a program sponsored by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Students learned about the local government through lectures, tours and case studies, attended a Korean theatrical presentation and were guests at welcome and farewell dinners. They also had free time to do some exploration of Seoul on their own.

2009 Study Abroad

During the 2009-10 academic year, SPPA graduate students participated in programs in Amsterdam, Beijing, Cluj-Napoca and Seoul, making this the first year programs in Asia were available to students. In January 2010, students under the leadership of Arno Loessner (SPPA Emeritus faculty and co-initiator of the SPPA study abroad programs) and Maria Aristigueta (SPPA Director and Professor) traveled to Romania to conduct a cross cultural research course on various topics in public administration and public policy with students at Babes-Bolyai University. In addition to the academic component, students also had the opportunity to experience the culture of Romania through travel, cuisine, and interaction with students from BBU.

2008 Study Abroad: Romania

In January 2008, 11 graduate students from the SPPA visited Cluj-Napoca, Romania. While there, they partnered with other students from Babes-Bolyai University (BBU) to study successes and challenges in public administration and public policy in another culture. Each University of Delaware student worked with a BBU student to research a specific topic. Topics included:

• Transportation
• Corruption
• Education
• Health care
• City management
• Internship programs
• University and NGO partnerships
• Faith-based NGOs

In addition to the academic component, students also had the opportunity to experience the culture of Romania through travel, cuisine, and interaction with students from BBU.

During January 2007, Professors Loessner and Ware with professional staff member Martha Corrozi led 16 students to examine governance, social and economic development, public/private partnerships and environmental issues in Scotland and The Netherlands.

Also during January 2007, Professors Byrne and Wang led a group of five graduate students to India, where on-site visits to major population centers gave new understanding of poverty, and brought concepts such as sustainability into focus.

During the spring break 2007, Professors Jabbar-Bey and Wilder along with Ph.D. candidate Alain Noghiu led a group of nine graduate students and five professionals on a study trip focused on neighborhood development and housing policy and practice in The Netherlands.

Information about the current year's trips and financial assistance is provided each fall at an open meeting in September. Students receive advance notice about the opportunities through the SPPA summer mailing. All matriculated graduate students accepted for participation are eligible for financial assistance.

Study trips usually occur either in January during winter session when most graduate students are not enrolled in courses or during spring break, and last about one or two weeks. Study trips are designed for academic enrichment and though participants often collect information for their research, no academic credit is given.