Students can expand their Johns Hopkins education by studying abroad. Many PHS majors take advantage of this opportunity. There is nothing like a global learning experience to catalyze the critical thinking skills and independence required for success at Hopkins and post-graduation. There are over 400 programs to consider in more than 65 countries around the world across all terms of study, from intersession and summer, to a semester or full academic year.
Some programs offer traditional classroom-based opportunities at universities and study centers abroad, while others are more experiential. These offer field, research, internship, or volunteer opportunities around the globe. There are programs that meet the needs and interests of every Hopkins student, regardless of major, foreign language proficiency, or budget.
The Hopkins Global Education Office works individually with students and supports them through every step of the process, from identifying the right programs to securing funding, travel planning, credit transfer, and beyond.
“This course was phenomenal as we were able to critically apply our public health knowledge to varying projects ranging from water sanitation and hygiene to infectious diseases, to child health and nutrition. There were so many moments on this trip where I learned things simply about collaboration with people with different backgrounds that I had ever considered for, but I find essential to succeed in any kind of international work and helped instill in me great skills I can apply when working with anyone.”
Joel Espinoza, 2021
Hopkins-Sponsored Programs
Cape Town Summer Program
Public Health in South Africa is a 6-week program in Cape Town. Students will explore the intersection of community and government approaches to public health. With South Africa as the backdrop, students will gain an understanding of public health issues facing both the local and global communities. This program incorporates experiences inside and outside the classroom and a significant service-learning component. In pairs, students will be placed with a community organization in Cape Town for an immersive internship. The program includes both co-curricular and cultural field trips and one overnight excursion to a game reserve.
Hopkins King’s College London Exchange Program (Semester/Year)
Spend a semester or full academic year studying at one of the UK’s most historic and prestigious research universities, part of the famed Russell Group. Based in the heart of central London and spread across five London campuses, King’s is one of the largest multi-faculty institutions in the UK. It has a particularly distinguished reputation for teaching the life sciences and has one of the top-ranked medical schools in the world. Among its numerous health-related undergraduate programs is a multidisciplinary degree in Global Health and Social Medicine, ranked in the top 10 in the UK.
Highlighted Public Health Programs Offered by Approved Providers
BU Public Health Internship Program in Geneva (Semester)
This program combines coursework at the Boston University Geneva Center with professional work experience. After completing the program’s six-week core phase, students spend the final eight weeks interning at a local global health organization in Geneva, Switzerland, which is a hub for global health organizations, including the World Health Organization.
CIEE Community Public Health Programs in Argentina (Summer) or Botswana (Summer/Semester)
Well situated to explore regional, social, and scientific health issues, the CIEE community public health programs in Buenos Aires and Gabarone offer students hands-on experience and the opportunity to further understanding of biology, development, medicine, and public health. Students get firsthand experience visiting clinics, non-governmental organizations, and hospitals, with opportunities to volunteer at local organizations.
Courses are available at both the CIEE study centers and their local university partners. They are complemented with CIEE co-curricular activities and excursions beyond the city to enhance classroom learning and provide intercultural understanding.
DIS Copenhagen or Stockholm (Semester/Summer)
A nonprofit study abroad foundation established in Denmark in 1959, DIS has state-of-the-art locations in Copenhagen and Stockholm that provide high-impact learning experiences to undergraduate students at distinguished North American colleges and universities. Programs are offered for a summer, semester, or full academic year and all courses are taught in English.
The intellectually challenging curriculum is broad, cutting edge, and enriched by experiential learning components, including faculty-led study tours across Europe. It provides students with opportunities for meaningful cultural engagement and personal growth, which is further enriched through housing and extracurricular offerings. DIS is particularly well considered for its coursework in public health, pre-med/health sciences, psychology, and neuroscience, and is one of the few study abroad programs to provide lab and research opportunities for students to complement their studies abroad.
IES Abroad Health Studies Program in Santiago, Chile (Semester)
Designed for advanced Spanish students in health-related majors such as pre-med, nursing, and public health, among other health-related fields, this program offers valuable insight into Santiago’s unique health care system. Students will develop health care-related experience while improving their communication skills through a Spanish course for health care practitioners. While in Santiago, students also have the option to enroll in Spanish-taught courses at local partner universities, such as Universidad de Chile and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
SIT Public Health Programs in Argentina, China, India, Kenya and Switzerland (Semester/Summer)
The School for International Training is a long-established provider of immersive, field-based programs abroad developed around a framework of the most critical global issues of the day, including Global Health. Students on all of SIT’s programs must learn the local language and live in a homestay to immerse themselves in local culture. Students also participate in a series of excursions relevant to the program’s academic theme. Students spend the final month of their program either conducting an independent research study or interning at a local community organization.
SIT IHP Program
SIT also offers a series of comparative programs that begin with two weeks in the United States before moving on to spend four to five weeks in each of three other countries on different continents to give students a comparative look at a critical global issue such as health, human rights, climate change, cities, food systems, or geopolitics.