Education Abroad

Center for Global Health

Engage in a faculty-led education abroad program and get immersive, hands-on learning experiences in diverse international settings.

These programs, guided by OSU faculty, combine academic credit with cultural engagement and professional development.

Puerto Rico

Faculty lead: Doris Cancel-Tirado

Spend spring break in Puerto Rico exploring its environmental and cultural landscapes through community engagement.

Open to undergraduates from all majors, the program examines food security, climate change adaptation, coastal resilience, biodiversity conservation, community health, and sustainable development. Earn 3 credits while collaborating on community-based projects with local schools, government agencies, NGOs, and the University of Puerto Rico–Mayagüez.

The program focuses on food security, climate change adaptation, coastal resilience, biodiversity conservation, community health and sustainable development. Daily activities include field visits with USDA researchers, restoration projects in forests and coastal ecosystems, agricultural education in local schools, and engagement with public health and nutrition initiatives.

This immersive experience provides the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge in real-world contexts while contributing to the sustainability and resilience of island communities.

Read the "Transformative Spring Break" article, published by College of Agricultural Sciences for an overview of the 2025 program.

Visit OSU GO for program details.

London, England

Faculty lead: Stephanie Grutzmacher

Spend two weeks in London exploring the social determinants of health – the conditions in which people are born, grow, learn, work, play, pray and age that strongly influence our health.

Open to undergraduates from all majors, the program uses London’s neighborhoods and institutions as a living laboratory to examine how education, housing, food systems, and community resources shape health outcomes. You will earn 6 credits (H399 or H599) while engaging with public health professionals, touring clinics and community organizations, and exploring the city’s public health legacy.

You will retrace the footsteps of contemporary and historical health care providers, engineers, educators, advocates, and community leaders as they’ve worked to create and influence modern London’s social, economic and built environments.

These environments will serve as a laboratory to understand how education, healthcare, neighborhood, infrastructure, and social, community and economic resources are generated, distributed and sustained and how they shape health and a more just, equitable future.

Learn more about the London program.

Gaborone, Botswana

Faculty leads: Sunil Khanna and Courtney Jost

Immerse yourself in Botswana’s capital, Gaborone, to explore the intersections of global health, culture and community engagement.

This six-credit program combines classroom learning with hands-on experiences in clinics, NGOs and community organizations addressing HIV prevention, maternal and child health, youth wellness, disability equity, and environmental health.

You will enroll in H333: Global Public Health, AND H312 HIV/AIDS and STIs in Modern Society OR earn 6 credits (H399 or H599). Open to sophomores and above, the program emphasizes cultural competence, leadership, and sustainable, community-driven solutions.

Work alongside public health professionals and community partners to understand real-world challenges and contribute to sustainable, community-driven solutions. Explore the vibrant city of Gaborone, Botswana’s capital, and a dynamic center of social, economic and cultural transformation. Work alongside local and regional leaders in public health and community development who are shaping Botswana’s path forward toward sustainable health and social justice.

Gaborone and its surrounding communities will serve as your living classroom, where you will learn how health is created and maintained through interactions among education, healthcare systems, environmental conditions, infrastructure, and community resources. Explore how social, cultural and economic factors influence health outcomes and how Botswana’s unique mix of traditions and modernization offers lessons for building healthier, more equitable societies.

Among many activities, you will:

  • Visit government and community clinics, NGOs, and agencies engaged in HIV prevention, maternal and child health, youth health, and environmental health initiatives.
  • Meet with local public health professionals, researchers, and community leaders addressing the social determinants of health in low-resource settings.
  • Explore urban and rural communities to understand the links between health, nutrition, and environment.
  • Participate in cultural learning experiences that highlight Botswana’s history, languages, and traditions.
  • Reflect on global health challenges and solutions through comparative discussions between Botswana and the U.S.

Learn more about the Botswana Global Learning Internship Program.

OSU Global Opportunities

Learn about all faculty-led programs offered through OSU Global Opportunities.