Discover Summer Programs

LMU Summer Abroad offers a unique and exciting opportunity for students to continue learning from LMU’s world-class faculty whose expertise span the globe. Embark on one of our faculty-led summer programs for an immersive academic experience as you explore the sights, sounds and culture of a new city abroad!

To learn more about the program, click on the name to access the program brochure page.

 

SUMMER 2025 PROGRAMS: 

ITALY: LMU SUMMER IMMERSION IN ROME: CHRISTIANITY AND ART 
Experience a vibrant city, beautiful art, awe-inspiring ruins, and delicious food!  LMU Summer Immersion in Rome: Christianity and Art is a 12-day program in May led by LMU faculty in Rome, Italy.  Through class readings and daily site visits to places of historical importance, students examine perspectives coming from different academic disciplines as they investigate how Christianity helped to initiate a new architectural and artistic vocabulary. 

CATH 3988 / THST 3988 / ARHS 4754: Christian Faith and Visual Culture in Rome (4 units)
Taught by LMU professors Dr. Kirstin Noreen and Fr. Marc Reeves
Core attribute: Faith and Reason; Engaged Learning Flag

There will be three required Saturday classes during the spring semester. 


CHINA: LMU SUMMER IN BEIJINGCity of Beijing
LMU Summer in Beijing is a five-week program based primarily in Beijing (about 3 weeks) and secondarily in a region of China away from Beijing (about 2 weeks). You will experience diverse Chinese cultures, balancing the central and the peripheral, the modern and the traditional, the iconic and the under explored. You will take two courses, one in Chinese language appropriate to your proficiency level (prior experience in Chinese not required) and one in Chinese culture, for a total of eight credits. The culture course is designed to maximize your immersive learning on location and closely integrates the many field excursions you will go on throughout the program. You will finish the program having not only seen the what, experienced the how, but also understood the why and why not.

Students will enroll in the following two courses:

CHIN 1101/2103/3105/4107 Chinese 1/3/5/7 (4 units)
Taught at The Beijing Center.
By placement or permission of program director

CHIN 4208 ST: China Up, Close, and Personal (4 units)
Taught by LMU Professor Yu Li
Core attribute: Interdisciplinary Connections; Engaged Learning Flag

Three preparation meetings in the Spring semester are required.

CROATIA: LMU SUMMER IN CROATIA: THEATRE, PERFORMANCE, AND CULTURE
This 6-week summer study abroad program takes theatre students to Grožnjan and Zagreb, Croatia! The program begins in Los Angeles or your home, and then takes students to four exciting weeks in Croatia.  LMU faculty and faculty from the renowned Croatian Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb will train students in the latest approaches and techniques in acting, voice, and stage movement.  Students will learn about history, arts, culture, gastronomy, and livelihood in Croatia. This is a once in a lifetime personal, academic, and professional opportunity that prepares students well for the career in acting and theatre arts. This program is only open to theatre students. 

Students will enroll in the following three courses: 

THEA 480: : Theatre in Culture, Art & Society (3 units)
Taught by LMU Professor Nenad "Neno" Pervan
Core attribute: Interdisciplinary Connections; Engaged Learning Flag
Theatre 480 counts toward the major in Theatre History/Literature/Criticism. 

THEA 498: Advanced European Movement & Voice Techniques (3 units)
Taught by professors from the Academy of Dramatic Arts

THEA 461: Advanced Acting Techniques and Methods (3 units)
Taught by professors from the Academy of Dramatic Arts

 

CROATIA: LMU SUMMER IN ZAGREB AND VIS
LMU Summer in Zagreb and Vis is a five-week summer program that will explore Zagreb, Croatia, Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Vis, Croatia. This program will examine the dynamics of conflict and the challenges involved in bringing about reconciliation among groups divided by distrust and enmity. Students will take two courses that offer 8 LMU core credits with numerous core and flag fulfillments. You will meet and converse with war survivors, and political, religious, and intellectual figures. This, in turn, will allow you to examine tendencies to exclusion and violence in their own lives, and to develop hospitable practices and attitudes that lead to peace. Courses will be taught in Zagreb at the European Center for the Study of War and Peace (ECSWP).

Students will enroll in the following two courses: 

PHIL 3998 War and Peace: Philosophical and Theological Perspectives (4 units)
Taught by Dr. James Taylor
Core attribute: Faith & Reason; Engaged Learning Flag

HISt 4910 Topics in Public History: War, Memory, and Identity (4 units)
Taught by LMU Professor Elizabeth Drummond
Core attribute: Engaged Learning Flag

DENMARK: LMU SUMMER IN SØNDERBORG
Application to be available soon.
LMU Summer in Sønderborg is a five-week summer program in partnership with the University of Southern Denmark. According to the United Nations, Denmark ranks among the happiest countries on earth and exploring the why and how of happiness is a central theme of this summer program. This experience immerses students in Denmark’s innovative and entrepreneurial spirit: Denmark is a leader in digital technology, a gateway to 500 million European consumers, and consistently ranks among the top startup ecosystems worldwide.

This program is primarily designed for CBA students. 

Courses: 
Students will enroll in the following two courses: 

MGMT 4698: Happiness and Global Management (4 units)
Taught by LMU Professor Ellen Ensher

BCOR 3860: International Business (4 units)
Taught by LMU Professor Jason D'Mello

 

ENGLAND: LMU SUMMER IN OXFORD
The LMU Summer in Oxford program is a four-week long program where students get to live the life of an Oxford university student at Queen’s College: living in the university dorms, attending classes, dining in the great hall, and punting along the river in the afternoons. This summer come explore Oxford and Queen’s and wander along the cobbled lanes, get lost in the great libraries, have afternoon tea, and live in the city that was home to such notable personalities as Oscar Wilde, J. R. R. Tolkien, Hugh Grant, the band Radiohead, and even Eric Garcetti, mayor of Los Angeles. 

Courses: 
Students will enroll in the following two courses: 

PHIL 3998/ CATH 3998: Science and Religion (4 units)
Taught by LMU Professor Tim Shanahan 
Core attribute: Faith & Reason

PSYC 3998: Neuropsych of Oliver Sacks (4 units)
Taught by LMU Professor David Hardy
Core attribute: Interdisciplinary Connections

 

FRANCE: LMU SUMMER IN PARIS
LMU Summer in Paris is a five-week summer program in Paris, France. You will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in French culture. Discover all that France has to offer while earning upper division credit in courses taught by LMU professors and developing your French language skills. Experience a city of excellent food, joie de vivre, creativity, literature, philosophy, and science this summer by participating in LMU Summer in Paris.

Students will enroll in the following two courses: 

Required - ONE French language course:
FREN 1011, 2011, or 3011: Elementary, Intermediate, Advanced Conversational French (3 units)
Taught at Institut Catholique de Paris.

Student choose ONE of the following options:

FREN4331/ FNLT 4331/ FTVS 498: Paris Through Film (4 units)
Taught by LMU Professor Veronique Flambard-Weisbart 
Core attribute: Creative Experience, Engaged Learning Flag

CMSI 1010/ FREN 4998: Learning to Program with Art and Python (4 units)
Taught by LMU Professor Anna Farzindar
Core attribute: Quantitative Reasoning (core offered for all colleges with the exception of Seaver)

Prerequisite: Students taking the course as FREN 4998 towards the French major must have taken one FREN 3000-level course.  

THEA 330: Costume History and Fashion (3 units)
Taught by LMU Professor Leon Weibers
Core attribute: Creative Experience

 

GREECE: LMU SUMMER IN SPETSES
Join us for a four-week Odyssey traveling, studying, and exploring the land and vibrant culture of the cornerstone of Western civilization! The Odyssey program is an LMU faculty led program that begins in Athens where students visit the magnificent Acropolis, the ancient Agora, and various museums and art spaces around the city. A walking tour of the city and its street art provides students with a feel for Athens as a modern European metropolis.  The group continues their exploration with a week-long trip all around Greece for visits to significant sites: the ancient theatre of Epidavros, Mycenae, Corinth, Nafplio, Sparta, Mystra, Olympia, Delphi, and Meteora are some of the places we visit.  The remaining three weeks of the academic program takes place on the beautiful island of Spetses, famous for its history, distinctive architecture, stately mansions, and lovely beaches. Students will have an opportunity to immerse themselves into Greek life and culture while exploring Spetses and the nearby island of Hydra. 

Students will enroll in the following two courses: 

MDGK 3342/ENGL 3341/FNLT 3998: Ancient Landscapes: Modern Voices Modern Greek Society & Culture (4 units)
Taught by LMU Professor Christina Bogdanou
Core attribute: Interdisciplinary Connections; Engaged Learning Flag 

SOCL 3391: Work and Labor in the Global Economy (4 units)
Taught by LMU Professor Stephanie Limoncelli 
Core attribute: Interdisciplinary Connections

ITALY: LMU SUMMER IN ROME
Imagine spending your summer sipping espresso on the cobble-stone streets of one of the world’s oldest cities. Picture yourself walking past the coliseum on your way to the day’s lecture and chatting in Italian as you enjoy a raspberry gelato under the warm Mediterranean sun.  The LMU Summer in Rome program provides an immersive academic experience to student’s seeking to make this Italian capital city their new home for five weeks. Living in shared private apartments, students are taught by LMU faculty and engage in coursework designed to expose the rich history, culture, and livelihoods that make up modern Rome.

Students will enroll in two of the following courses:

ITAL 2101, 2102: Italian 1 OR 2 (4 units)

ITAL 3251/FNLT 3998: Italian Food Cultures (4 units)
Taught by LMU Professor Aine O’Healy
Core attribute: Engaged Learning Flag

THST 3238: Theology and Science (4 units)
Taught by LMU Professor Roy Fisher
Core attribute: Faith & Reason

ITALY: LMU SUMMER IN BOLOGNA 
Spend your summer in Bologna and attend The Cinema Ritrovato festival, the largest and most prestigious film restoration festival in the world! The Ritrovato partners with upwards of 25 institutions around the world dedicated to film restoration, including Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Foundation. Learn from LMU faculty and receive LMU credit for coursework in the fields of film and television studies and animation. 

Courses:
Students will enroll in the following two courses: 

FTVS 3707: Melodrama and Stardom (4 units)
Taught by LMU Professor Anupama Prabhala

SCRW (TBD) (X units)
Taught by LMU Professor Jeffrey Davis

This program is open to all LMU students. Priority will be given to students who have taken FTVS 1010, 2100 or 2117.


FIRST-TO-GO PROGRAM -
more details coming soon

COSTA RICA: FIRST TO GO IN SAN JOSE
This is a 12-day study abroad immersion program for LMU’s first-generation student population. Fitting to LMU First to Go’s mission, the academic excursions will explore topics of migration and social justice. 

Non-credit program. 

There will be 2-3 meetings required during the spring semester. 


NON-LMU FACULTY-LED PROGRAMS -
more details coming soon 

APP DEADLINE: Early March 2025

These non-LMU faculty-led programs allow students to attend short summer sessions with long-term LMU study abroad partners in Japan, Mexico, and South Korea. Students must be accepted by LMU Study Abroad and the host institution in order to participate in the program.

In addition, students submit a Transfer Course Review (TCR) form to the Office of the Registrar to understand how the courses will transfer to LMU. All fees are paid directly to the host institutions.

Please note that the summer programs below are not eligible for the Study Abroad Financial Assistance Grant and the Gilman Incentive Grant, but Pell Grant students can still apply to the Gilman Scholarship

 

JAPAN: SOPHIA UNIVERSITY IN TOKYO: SUMMER SESSION ASIAN STUDIES
Sophia University’s 3-week summer session offers participants an opportunity to learn about and connect with Japan’s traditionally rich culture while experiencing the modern uniqueness of Tokyo. Students will gain an understanding of the country’s relation to Asia and witness the myriad of ways in which all cultures of the world are reflected. This program is tailored for students who want to experience various aspects of Japanese culture and society, and witness the myriad ways in which all cultures of the world are reflected.

Please note: tuition is paid directly to Sophia University. Students are responsible to arrange their own housing and prepare their own meals. Sophia University provides housing recommendations. 

JAPAN: SOPHIA UNIVERSITY IN TOKYO: SUMMER SESSION JAPANESE LANGUAGE 
The Japanese Language Program, offered by LMU’s partner institution Sophia University, is tailored for students who want to improve their Japanese language abilities in an intensive program. Students be tested and placed into a beginner, intermediate, advanced-intermediate, or advanced level cohorts. To further enhance the effectiveness of Japanese language acquisition, students will have opportunities to practice their language skills through real-world application with Sophia students during engaging activities held outside of the classroom. 

Please note: tuition is paid directly to Sophia University. Students are responsible to arrange their own housing and prepare their own meals. Sophia University provides housing recommendations. 

 

MEXICO: AUGSBURG UNIVERSITY IN CUERNAVACA: SUMMER LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
Augsburg University in Mexico offers four 3 1/2 week sessions (blocks) focusing on Spanish language and Mexican culture in which students can take one course per session, and take up to three courses throughout the summer. This community-based program includes homestays, a trip to Mexico City, optional weekend excursions, and numerous guest speakers designed to help students learn about history, culture, and contemporary struggles for peace, justice, and human rights.

Please note: Tuition, housing, and meals are paid directly to Augsburg University.

MEXICO: AUGSBURG UNIVERSITY IN CUERNAVACA: SUMMER MEDICAL SPANISH AND CLINICAL OBSERVERSHIP 
With a growing Spanish-speaking population in the United States, there is a critical need for our future medical professionals to understand the language in order to better serve their patients. With Augsburg University’s summer Medical Spanish and Clinical Observership program, students will focus on Spanish language and Mexican culture in a medical context. Take a specialized language course, Spanish for Healthcare Professionals, taught by a bi-lingual Mexican Physician. In addition, students have an option to be placed in a *Medical Observership, for practical real-world experiences. *Medical Observership requires at least four-courses of college level Spanish. 

Please note: Tuition, housing, and meals are paid directly to Augsburg University.

 

SOUTH KOREA: SOGANG UNIVERSITY IN SEOUL - INTERNATIONAL SUMMER PROGRAM
The Sogang International Summer Program (SISP) is a 4-week program for students who wish to broaden their academic experience. It is also a great opportunity to explore Korea and engage in cultural exchanges with students and faculty members from around the world. By joining the program, students may combine intensive classwork with exciting field trips and various extracurricular activities alongside Sogang University students. Students can also take advantage of their stay in Sinchon where Sogang University is located, the lively college town in the center of Seoul! 

Please note: Tuition, housing, and meals are paid directly to Sogang University. LMU students receive a 30% off tuition. 

 

Important Information to Know

Study Abroad Summer Withdrawal Policy