Global Learning & Immersions

Every spring, BCLA offers semester-long classes that take a trip abroad during spring break. Need-based financial assistance is available to support travel costs. The Spring 2026 courses include:

• Mexican Philosophy (PHIL 3998)
  Trip to: Mexico City, Mexico, May 25-May 31, 2026

This course aims to provide an introduction to Mexican Philosophy by focusing on some of the most representative debates that have taken place throughout the history of philosophy in Mexico. While very much in dialogue with the Western tradition, we will study a different perspective on classic questions of philosophy, such as: What is it to be human? What is identity based on? What rights do we have and what is their foundation? What is the purpose of education? Can there truly be a dialogue between different cultures? The course will encourage students not only to learn about the history of these discussions in Mexico but to think philosophically about these fundamental questions.

During this trip to Mexico City, students will visit Frida’s and Trotsky’s homes in Coyoacan, the canals of Xochimilco, UNAM (the oldest University in the Americas), the Zocalo and Cathedral at the historic center of the city. We will also see the archaeological remains of the main Aztec temples, the Teotihuacan pyramids, the Anthropology Museum, and the Basilica of our Lady of Guadalupe.

Lab Fee: $2,265, Financial Assistance available to all BCLA students
Questions? Email Prof. Marcela Garcia Romero

• Pilgrimage: Psychological and Spiritual Well-Being (PSYC 3998)
  Trip to: Spain - Route of Camino de Santiago, May 17-28, 2026

  This class is open to all students and is a BCLA Immersion class, fulfills the Interdisciplinary Connections (IINC) CORE requirement and serves as a PYSCH upper division elective for majors. 

  This class uses Pilgrimage as a metaphor to explore human flourishing, wholeness, and wholehearted living through the lenses of psychological science, Ignatian spirituality, and literature.

  The class culminates in a trip to Spain, where students will walk the iconic Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage (roughly 100KM/70 miles). The trip will take place May 17-28 and is a required part of the course. 

  Lab Fee: $2,665, Financial Assistance available to all BCLA students
  Questions? Email Prof. Joe LaBrie

• Religion, Culture, and Society (SOCL 4110/CATH 4998)
  Trip to: Dublin, Ireland, Feb. 27- March 8, 2026

Ready for an unforgettable spring break? Join Professor Sager’s Religion, Culture, and Society (SOCL 4110) course at LMU for a week-long immersion in Dublin, Ireland! Explore Irish religious history and contemporary faith in action through unforgettable, hands-on experiences: kick off with dinner at The Church (a stunningly restored Catholic church-turned-restaurant), attend an African Pentecostal service to see Dublin’s vibrant multiculturalism, and connect with Irish students over class and lunch at Dublin City University. Learn how the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice fights injustice in Irish society, tour the Chester Beatty and its global sacred treasures, marvel at the 1,200-year-old Book of Kells at Trinity College, and soak up live music and dance at Johnnie Fox’s—Dublin's oldest pub. 

With guided learning, meaningful reflection, and free time to explore, this trip brings Irish religion, culture, and community to life. Don’t miss your chance to earn credit while deepening your understanding of religion and society, and experiencing Dublin like never before!

Lab Fee: $2,900, Financial Assistance available to all BCLA students
Questions? Email Prof. Rebecca Sager

• Chinese 2, Chinese 4, Chinese 6, Chinese 8 (CHIN 1102, CHIN 2104, CHIN 3106, CHIN 4108)
  Trip to: Beijing and Xi'an, P.R. China, Mar. 28 - April 5, 2026

This year courses CHIN 1102 (Chinese 2), CHIN 2104 (Chinese 4), CHIN 3106 (Chinese 6), and CHIN 4108 (Chinese 8) have a unique opportunity to immerse and apply their language skills through coursework and travel in Beijing and Xi’an with their classmates and professors. There is no better way to develop language proficiency than through direct enagement in a native speaking environment! Beyond language learning, these courses and the trip to China aim to inspire a lasting appreciation for Chinese language and culture. 

In Beijing, students will visit iconic cultural and historical sites such as the Forbidden City, Great Wall, Summer Palace, and Temple of Heaven. They will also experience the dynamic juxtaposition of old and new by walking through 800 year old alleyways in the city center. Students will then travel by bullet train to Xi’an. Xi’an is one of the cradles of ancient Chinese civilization, with a history spanning over 3,000 years, including more than 1,100 years as the capital of various dynasties. Highlights of the visit include the renowned Terracotta Warriors, the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of Qin, the Ancient City Wall, and the Xi’an History Museum. Students will be able to meet Chinese students through the Beijing Center. 

Lab Fee: $3,375, Financial Assistance available to all BCLA students
Questions? Email Prof. Xiaojing Sun

• Modern Greek Theater: Influences and Performance (MDGK 3348)
  Trip to: Athens, Greece, May 16-24, 2026

This course is a multi-disciplinary exploration of Modern Greek theater from its ancient origins to its contemporary reincarnations. Through a series of lectures, theater visits, and workshops with artists, students will engage with topics like the evolution of Greek theater as well as the creative process of writing, staging, and performing theater today. 

During a week-long immersion workshop in Athens, Greece, the birthplace of drama, students will get acquainted with theatrical Athens and trace its rich history from past to present. Through a series of theater visits, lectures, backstage tours and meetings with actors, directors and writers, students will discuss topics like creating theatre then and now, popular forms of theatre and everyday life as a source of inspiration.

Lab Fee: $3,750, Financial Assistance available to all BCLA students
Questions? Email Prof. Christina Bogdanou

See more information about BCLA Global Immersion Courses.

BCLA Domestic Immersion Courses are on-campus classes, which each include a multi-day domestic travel experience. With a Domestic Immersion Course, students can get out of the classroom to study a topic in-depth at the source with faculty experts. Classes can be open to all students or targeted towards majors. Need-based financial assistance is available.

There are over 50 study abroad programs all over the globe, and many are faculty-led and fit into liberal arts major curricula.

LMU Faculty-led programs:

• LMU Semester in Croatia
• LMU Semester in Germany
• LMU Semester in London, England: Leadership London
• LMU Semester in London, England: Study and Internship

Additional program locations:

• Argentina: SIT Study Abroad Argentina
• Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand
• Augsburg University in Cuernavaca, Mexico
• Augsburg University in Costa Rica, Cuba, Guatemala
• Australia: Southern Cross University
• Cardiff University, Wales
• Champlain Montréal, Canada
• China: The Beijing Center
• Costa Rica, Cuba, Guatemala: Augsburg University
• Ecuador: SIT Study Abroad
• France: IAU Aix-en-Provence
• Ghana: NYU Accra
• The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
• IAU Aix-en-Provence, France
• India: SIT Study Abroad
• Ireland: University College Cork
• Israel: The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
• Italy: Spring Hill Italy Center in Bologna
• Japan: Sophia University
• Mexico: Augsburg University in Cuernavaca
• Morocco:  SIT Study Abroad
• New Zealand: Auckland University of Technology
• NYU Accra, Ghana
• Peru: SIT Study Abroad
• Québec, Canada: Champlain Montréal
• SIT Study Abroad Argentina, Ecuador, India, Morocco, Peru
• Sophia University, Japan
• South Africa: Service Learning Program
• South Korea: Sogang University
• Southern Cross University, Australia
• Spain: Universidad de Deusto in San Sebastian
• Vietnam: The Vietnam Center
• Wales: Cardiff University
• Washington, D.C.: The Washington Center internship program

Visit the Study Abroad Office to learn more about semester study abroad programs that work with BCLA majors.

Can’t fit an entire semester into your schedule? Summer programs provide shorter abroad experiences for credit, like:

• LMU Summer in Croatia
• LMU Summer in Oxford, England
• LMU Summer in New Zealand
• LMU Summer in Paris, France
• LMU Summer in Rome, Italy
• LMU Summer in Spetses, Greece Odyssey Program

For details and more summer program options, visit the Study Abroad Office.

LMU and BCLA offer financial support for students who wish to study abroad.

• Semester Abroad
  Institutional aid via Financial Aid is available for some semester study abroad programs. Study Abroad Financial Assistance Grants support students who study abroad. The award is based on financial need and a project proposal.
• Semester Abroad in London
  Each semester, the Institute for Leadership Studies chooses one political science student to join the prestigious Hansard Fellowship Program in London, which includes a semester of study at the London School of Economics and Political Science, coupled with an internship in the British House of Commons. This competitive program covers the cost of studying abroad, is only open to political science and international relations majors.
• Summer Abroad in Asia
  The Ferdinand Verbiest, S.J. Award funds summer study abroad in Asia for history majors/minors, Asian and Pacific Studies majors/minors, and liberal studies majors with a history focus. Learn more via Study Abroad or ask the History Department for application details.
• Summer Abroad in Catholic Studies or Jewish Studies
  Student Enrichment Funds in Catholic Studies and Jewish Studies can provide funding to Catholic Studies or Jewish Studies minors who participate in a thematically relevant abroad experience. Ask the program directors for Jewish Studies or Catholic Studies for details on qualifying programs.
• Global Immersion Courses
  Need-based aid is available to fund travel costs each semester. Questions regarding financial aid can be directed to Lauren.Sinclair@lmu.edu.
• Boren Incentive Grant
  BCLA, in partnership with ONIF, is offering a $500 Boren Incentive Grant to support students applying for the prestigious Boren Award, which funds study of critical languages abroad and aligns with BCLA’s commitment to global awareness and cross-cultural learning.