At the Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture, we believe in a future where every community can thrive. Our travel study programs give you the chance to engage with real-world challenges, both locally and globally. You’ll build confidence, expand your perspective, and strengthen your commitment to making a difference. Working with diverse communities helps our students become better listeners, stronger collaborators, and more thoughtful designers.
OU Education Abroad lets you experience new cultures firsthand, expand your worldview, and build skills that stand out in today’s global job market. Nearly one in four OU students take part in international programs during their time here. It’s a chance to grow personally and professionally while making memories that last a lifetime.
For more information about upcoming travel study programs available to undergraduates, contact your academic advisor. Graduate students should contact their program’s graduate liaison.
Spain | Portugal: Design Stories offers an immersive journey through the Iberian Peninsula’s rich and dynamic architectural landscape, where centuries of cultural exchange, innovation, and craftsmanship converge. In Spain, explore iconic cities like Barcelona, Granada, and Madrid, uncovering a powerful dialogue between Moorish heritage, Baroque traditions, cutting-edge contemporary design, and exceptional approaches to adaptive reuse. Experience firsthand how historical and post-industrial structures have been carefully transformed for new uses, and how bold contemporary interventions are inserted into historic urban fabrics, offering new perspectives on preservation, urban regeneration, and the evolving life of cities.
In Portugal, discover the refined balance of tradition and modernity by examining the work of Pritzker Architecture Prize recipients Álvaro Siza and Eduardo Souto de Moura, alongside emerging voices shaping Lisbon’s future architecture.
Together, Spain and Portugal offer a vibrant living laboratory and a compelling framework for understanding how architecture can preserve cultural memory while embracing contemporary transformation and refining the concept of cities.
View the program offering in the brochure here: Spain & Portugal Design Stories
Puerto Rico: Identify, Arts, and Culture offers an immersive journey into one of the most vibrant cultural landscapes within the United States. As a U.S. territory with a distinct heritage, language, and traditions, Puerto Rico offers a powerful lens for exploring the intersections of history, architecture, art, music, and cultural resilience.
Through visits to San Juan, Ponce, Yauco, San Germán, and Mayagüez, experience firsthand the island's unique urban and rural development patterns, and uncover how architecture responds to cultural, climatic, and economic constraints. Across hiking through El Yunque rain forest, walking among the raised paths of the Las Cabezas de San Juan Natural Reserve, or an evening kayaking at the Palomino Cay Wildlife Reserve and bioluminescent bay to witness the ocean lit at every paddle’s stroke, absorb the island’s extraordinary ecological diversity. By engaging with local professionals, touring manufacturers, savoring Puerto Rican cuisine, and dancing to the bit of salsa, merengue, or plena, discover the everyday rhythms of the island.
Together, these experiences offer a real-world understanding of how history, heritage, and cultural resilience shape society and the built environment, positioning Puerto Rico as a dynamic and inspiring environment for design inquiry.
View the program offering in the brochure here: Puerto Rico Identity, Arts, & Culture
| Study Abroad Program | Application Deadline | |
|---|---|---|
| Winter Session | November 1st | |
| Spring Break | December 1st | |
| Summer Program | March 1st (Priority Deadline: December 1st) | |
| Fall Semester & Academic Year | April 1st | |
| Spring Semester | October 1st |
| Study Abroad Program | CASH Scholarship Deadline | Presidential International Travel Fellowship (PITF) Scholarship Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Winter Session | September 30 | TBA |
| Spring Break | December 1 | TBA |
| Summer Program 2027 | February 1 | March 1, 2027 |
| Fall Semester & Academic Year 2027 | February 1 | April 1, 2027 |
| Spring Semester 2027 | September 30 | October 1, 2026 |
No, you are not expected to speak a foreign language. What sets Gibbs' study abroad programs apart from others is that the courses offered in these programs are taught entirely in English.
While abroad, you can earn up to 9 credits in coursework! For information about a specific program course offering, visit the Education Abroad Program Brochure here or contact the faculty member in charge of the program.
Absolutely! In addition to coursework, students will have the opportunity to tour local companies, take trips to other cities and areas of the country, visit museums and other attractions, and be introduced to local foods and cultural traditions. Each program organizes these trips and the cost is already included in the price of the program. You will also have the ability to organize your own personal travel during a preset "free weekend" or "free day".
By participating in study abroad programs, you will enroll in the Gibbs College and/or University of Oklahoma courses and receive letter grades just as you would here in Norman. In other words, unlike some study abroad programs, you will not have to be concerned about transferring credits and or if your study abroad classes will count towards your degree.
Yes, you can used banked hours towards your study abroad courses. For more information about banked hours, view the Bursar's Office tuition guide.
No, course tuition and fees are not included in the program cost. For an accurate calculation of tuition cost, students should meet with an Education Abroad advisor or a representative from the OU Bursar's office.
The first step to study abroad is to attend a Study Abroad 101 session. After completing the session, you will then meet with your Education Abroad advisor to go over program requirements, pre-travel, and start your application (if you haven't already).
You can use the online registration form to sign up for a Study Abroad 101 session.
Drop-in hours for Education Abroad advising are Mondays & Fridays, 10:00am - 12:00pm, and Tuesdays & Thursdays, 1:00pm - 3:00pm, located in Farzenah Hall, Room 144.
