International Travel Courses

International travel courses are classes held on campus and include an embedded travel component, led by Siena faculty, typically at the end of the fall or spring semester. Traveling as a class for 1-2 weeks, students engage more fully with course material and form a deeper connection with cultures, communities, and academic themes around the world. 

FALL 2023 OFFERINGS

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ITALY: FRANCISCAN LEADERSHIP

This interdisciplinary course develops the leadership potential of students through the lens of Francis and Clare of Assisi, Bernardine of Siena and the alternative vision of the world they articulated and the movement they inspired. In addition to exploring Siena’s Catholic Identity and the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, this course provides an in-depth and comprehensive orientation to the Franciscan Intellectual Tradition at the heart of Siena College through which students will consider how the wisdom of that tradition might inform their leadership potential to think critically and creatively to engage the questions and issues of today’s complex and globalized world. During winter break, students will experience a pilgrimage to Franciscan Italy and will walk in the footsteps of Saints Francis, Clare, Bernadine and the friars of the early days of the Franciscan movement as well as learn from the friars professing this way of life today.

• DATES: December 27, 2023 - January 6, 2024
• COST: TBA
• For more information, contact Fr. Mark Reamer (mreamer@siena.edu).

JAMAICA: GLOBAL HEALTH TRAVEL SEMINAR

This course will focus on developing community partnerships to promote health in Revival, Jamaica in partnership with Franciscan Friars living and serving in the community. Students will have the opportunity to contribute to a comprehensive community assessment and the establishment of public health initiatives that complement the community health clinic. They will be able to immerse themselves in a culture, country, and healthcare system that is different from their own. Projects may include: supporting an oral health assessment and intervention, a new telehealth initiative, health promotion programming, and science education. This travel seminar is available to junior or senior health studies majors, nursing majors, and students preparing for clinical careers in medicine or dentistry.

• DATES: January 2-10, 2024
• COST: TBA
• For more information, contact Dr. Dan White (ddwhite@siena.edu) and Dr. Jenna Thate (jthate@siena.edu).

SPRING 2024 OFFERINGS

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BELGIUM, LUXEMBOURG & NETHERLANDS: INTERNATIONAL & REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Even if we are unaware, on a regular basis our lives are directly and indirectly impacted by international organizations’ decisions.  On this 13-day long trip, we will familiarize with, and explore, various regional and global international organizations by visiting their headquarters in three European capitals—The Hague (where the International Court of Justice or World Court and International Criminal Court are located); Brussels (headquarters for the European Commission, European Parliament, and NATO), and Luxembourg (hosting the European Investment Bank, EuroStat, and European Translation Center). We will also visit the Schengen village that laid the legal grounds for passport-free travel across the majority of the EU member states and various museums for those who are history-buffs. This unique, 2-credit travel course will introduce students to international organizations, including the most significant and important among them all—the UN—located in NYC!

• DATES: May 7-19, 2024
• COST: TBA
• For more information, contact Dr. Ausra Park (apark@siena.edu).

IRELAND: IRISH IDENTITY

This is a cross-listed course which will focus on Irish Identity in literature and history. The course will tour the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland exploring different facets of Irish identity. The travel section of the course will be 10-14 days in May, beginning in Dublin and traveling from there to Belfast and Derry in Northern Ireland, then onto Sligo and Galway in the west of Ireland. This course will count as HEUR and EXPH, the European History and Experiential History attributes.

• DATES: May 16-27, 2024
• COST: TBA
• For more information, contact Dr. Lara Whelan (lwhelan@siena.edu) and Dr. Karen Sonnelitter (ksonnelitter@siena.edu).

ITALY, FRANCE & SPAIN: Sport in society

This course will allow students to explore the interconnectedness of sport and society culminating with a cultural trip in May visiting Milan, Nice, Monaco, Nimes, and Barcelona. Specifically, the course will focus on how sport interacts with local communities and various societal institutions such as race, gender, nationalism, ethnicity, religion, politics, history, and more. During the trip, students will meet with industry professionals and famed organizations connected to soccer (Inter Milan, AC Milan, FC Barcelona), Golf, Volleyball, the Olympic Games, Formula 1 (Milan, Barcelona), and Handball. In addition to the academic components of the trip, students will immerse themselves in European sporting culture and experience live sporting events firsthand as well as have an opportunity to participate in several sports along the way.

• DATES: May 17-27, 2024
• COST: TBA
• For more information, contact Dr. Adam Pfleegor (apfleegor@siena.edu).