The David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies at BYU hosted a Study Abroad Fair on Sept. 19, teaching students about experiential learning opportunities.
With more than 100 international experiences and more than 2,000 students studying abroad each year, BYU has one of the Top 20 largest study abroad programs in the United States, according to BYU's facts and figures.
These study abroad, internship, direct enrollment and field school experiences are offered in more than 60 countries throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas and Oceania — helping students enhance their learning while at BYU.
Programs are offered year-round and teach students various subjects ranging from art to culture, engineering, marketing, languages and much more. More information on what subjects and programs are available can be found on the Kennedy Center website.
Patrícia Baialuna de Andrade, assistant professor of Luso-Brazilian literature and culture, is the faculty director for the Brazil internships that will take place in summer 2025. She said the internships partner with the University of São Paulo, offering internships for students of any major. However, students must be fluent in Portuguese to participate.
Baialuna de Andrade said interns work 20 hours a week with professors and staff from the Brazilian Studies Institute at the university, cataloguing artwork, restoring documents, helping librarians and more.
“São Paulo is a huge city with endless cultural opportunities. There is not a single day that you will have nothing to do,” she said. “Your agenda will be filled with so many interesting things to see and visit and go and taste, and it's a very culturally enriching opportunity.”
Amy Easton, associate professor of ancient scripture, is a member of the faculty in charge of the BYU London Centre study abroad taking place in winter 2025. She said the London Centre is a great opportunity for students to fulfill general education requirements, such as global and cultural awareness, religion, letters and civilization credits.
“London, particularly, is the best kept secret about how to get through GEs in a really enjoyable, immersive way,” Easton said.
BYU anthropology student Dinah Grantham taught attendees at the fair about the Korea Field School experience that will be offered in spring-summer 2025. This program allows students to pick their own research projects to study and research Korean culture for two months.
Students do not need to be fluent in Korean for this experience, but Grantham said participants are required to take one Korean language class. While the program covers two anthropology classes, students do not need to be an anthropology major to participate.
“You're not in a classroom every single day,” Grantham said about the field school experience. “We have classes once a week, but the rest of the time, we have more chances to explore the country and what you find interesting.”
Answers to common questions on study abroad programs can be found on the Kennedy Center website. Advice on how to study abroad at BYU can be found on their website as well.
