Study Abroad Programs

Education Abroad Program Applications Cycles

Students interested in participating in a semester year-long, or summer education abroad program must submit an online application through Penn State Education Abroad by the appropriate deadline. Learn about an exclusive exchange program with Loughborough University's Sport and Exercise Science Department in the UK. The department of Kinesiology also participates in Penn State's University-wide exchange program at Leeds University (UK) and the University of Waikato (New Zealand). Kinesiology students will be able to take courses at these institutions that will allow them to make degree progress and learn from world-class Kinesiology departments.  

Watch the undergraduate listserv for information sessions on education abroad programs and attend the Global Programs Ed Abroad fair.

An information session for our abroad programs will be held on November 10 at 5:00 p.m. via Zoom. To participate Click Here.

You can use this handout to learn more about our kinesiology-specific programs. 

Whether you want to discover a part of the world that is unfamiliar to you, hone your language skills, prepare for a global career, or learn about a particular culture, you can find a Study Abroad program that ties together your passion for travel and your academic interests.

With more than a dozen faculty-led Study Abroad programs to choose from, Penn State’s College of Health and Human Development provides a wide range of opportunities for students who want to get out and explore a new part of the world while continuing their studies.

Whether you major in Biobehavioral Health; Health Policy and Administration; Human Development and Family Studies; Kinesiology; Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management; or Hospitality Management; you may elect to study abroad in South Africa, Costa Rica, England, Italy, China, Fiji, Australia, Japan, France, Chile, or Spain, to name just a few of your options.  

For a full list of Penn State-approved Study Abroad programs, including semester- or year-long programs, please visit Penn State's Office of Global Programs program search page.

Kinesiology is pleased to offer the following faculty-led short programs. 

KINES 405N: Biking Culture and Urban Design (Copenhagen, Denmark 10 days, Berlin, Germany 4 days)
(Maymester)
May 12-24, 2026
Students will travel to the most bike-friendly city in the world and become immersed in Copenhagen’s bicycle culture. They will observe bicycle infrastructure, including urban design features and multi-modal transportation solutions. Additionally, they will learn from programs and policies that support biking and learn about the role of biking in sustainable, livable communities. This course will be taught from a multidisciplinary perspective to address the complex issues associated with biking. Activities and assignments will be focused on applying information and content to other countries and communities.
Led by Melissa Bopp, Professor of Kinesiology
Mallika Bose, Professor of Landscape Architecture

KINES 499: West London, United Kingdom: Kinesiology, Youth Sport and Athletic Welfare (Summer)
June 6-20, 2026
Kinesiology 499 is designed for students with an interest in exercise science, physical activity, fitness and sport. Brunel University faculty will teach course content from the Sport, Health, and Exercise Sciences Center.
This two-week summer abroad experience in the United Kingdom will focus on the UK's approach to physical activity, physical fitness, and sport, gaining knowledge from past and current norms and traditions. Students will hear lectures from experts in physical activity, fitness, sports, and the Olympic games and visit the 2012 Olympic sites in London. Additional excursions will be planned to sport facilities, commercial and community fitness facilities, “football” stadiums, historical sites, rugby clubs/matches, and local school systems. Students are responsible for tuition costs, personal expenses, and travel to and from the United Kingdom.
Led by Alison Weimer, Ph.D., Applied Exercise & Health Option Program Director

KINES 499: Copenhagen, Denmark: Cultural Kinesiology, Sports and Physical Activity (Summer)
July 13-August 2, 2026
This course provides a cross-cultural analysis of Danish physical activity and sport to reflect on and better understand physical activity and sport in the U.S. We take an interdomain approach that integrates psychological, sociological, and historical insights to ask what we can learn about a society, its values, and its identity through the ways its citizens move and the governmental support for movement. More specifically, we will analyze elements of the built environment that facilitate or discourage physical activity, aspects of individual and social psychology, issues of identity and inclusion, the connections between sport and nationalism, and the relations between Danish sport and globalization. Throughout the course, students explore these connections to not only learn about Danish culture in an immersive experience, but to think about how that experience influences our understanding of the U.S. approach to sport and physical activity.
Led by John Bartholomew, Professor and Head of Kinesiology
Jaime Schultz, Professor of Kinesiology

KINES 499: West Grenada, West Indies: Pre-Med at St. George's University (Summer)
June 2027
This two-week program on the Caribbean island of Grenada, located northeast of Venezuela and northwest of Trinidad and Tobago, is based at the world-class St. George’s University School of Medicine. Designed for students
in the College of Health and Human Development and Eberly College of Science, the program focuses on applied allied health professions such as medical school, veterinary school, physician’s assistant programs, and public
health. Students can choose a track depending on academic interests. The curriculum track format will include lectures, laboratory, small group projects, and field trips. Scheduled events included in the program will include trips to local markets, a nutmeg plantation tour, snorkeling, a rainforest hike, beach activities, a waterfall visit, an aquarium visit, and a dinner cruise. All students will complete a service learning requirement at a variety of settings including (but not limited to) fitness centers, rehabilitation facilities, senior centers, community health and wellness programs, hospitals, youth sports venues, rural parishes, and local government that have a need for public health initiatives.
Led by Lori Gravish Hurtack, Assistant Teaching Professor

The Center for Global Studies (CGS)

The CGS's core mission is to create a cross-disciplinary center for the creative, impactful, and innovative study of the many complex facets of a globalized world. The center's awards are intended to encourage Penn State faculty and students to engage in cross-disciplinary outreach, research and teaching that will allow for engaged and sustained dialogues on studies of vital importance to understanding key global issues facing all regions across the world. Visit the CGS page for additional information on funding opportunities.