Program Overview:

The Dornsife Faculty-Led Programs Office (FLP) offers both Maymester and Summer programs, providing exceptional opportunities for research and experiential learning off-campus in the United States and internationally. These programs are open to all USC undergraduate students. However, graduate students are ineligible to apply, and progressive students must contact the FLP office (flp@dornsife.usc.edu) to determine eligibility before applying.

Maymester programs typically run from May 15 to June 15, are considered part of the Spring semester course load, and are listed in the Schedule of Classes under each department’s course offerings. Students participating in Maymester programs will need to pay for Spring tuition, which is included in the Spring term, and FLP program fees. These fees cover various expenses such as lodging, meals, transportation, and other program-related costs. There is no additional tuition fee for Maymesters unless a student exceeds the allotted units and needs to pay extra tuition. Students can include Maymesters in their financial aid packages for the Spring semester. A normal academic load for undergraduate students is 12-16 units per semester, with the university recommending that undergraduates register for no more than 18 units. Permission to enroll in more than 20 units requires written approval from the student’s home department.

Our independent Faculty-Led Program (FLP) options provide exceptional opportunities for research and experiential learning off-campus, both in the United States and internationally.

Applications for Maymester programs will be open from Tuesday, September 9, 2024, until Monday, December 9, 2024.

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Maymester Programs

  • Applications for our 2025 programs will open on September 9, 2024, with an application deadline of December 9, 2024. Program decisions will be made by December 17, 2024.

    Access all Maymester program applications (international and domestic) here.

    1. Dornsife FLP: Death and Gender in Urban Environments: Los Angeles (SWMS 227gp)
      1. Location: Los Angeles, CA
      2. Led By: Diana Blaine, Ph.D., dblaine@usc.edu
      3. Approved GE Course:
        1. GE-B, Humanistic Inquiry
        2. Also satisfies GE-H and the Dornsife Core Literacy requirement
      4. Brochure Application Link
    2. Dornsife FLP: Contemporary Art in New York (AHIS 470)
      1. Location: New York City, NY
      2. Led By: Suzanne Hudson, Ph.D., sphudson@usc.edu
      3. Brochure Application Link
    3. Dornsife FLP: Advanced techniques in field mammalogy (BISC 364L)
      1. Locations: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Catalina Island, and four UC Natural Reserve Sites
      2. Led By: Matt Dean, Ph.D., matthew.dean@usc.edu
      3. Brochure Application Link
    4. Dornsife FLP: Bookpacking New Orleans (ENGL 352g)
      1. Location: New Orleans, LA
      2. Led By: Andrew Chater, chater@usc.edu
      3. Approved GE Course:
        1.  Dornsife Core Literacy (DCL)
        2. Also satisfies GE-B
      4. Brochure Application Link
    5. Dornsife FLP: Studying Narrative: Fairy Tales (ENGL 270g)
      1. Locations: Paris, France; Hanau, Germany; Copenhagen, Denmark
      2. Led By: Sara Sligar, Ph.D., ssligar@usc.edu
      3. Approved GE Course:
        1.  GE-B, Humanistic Inquiry
        2. Also satisfies the Dornsife Core Literacy requirement
      4. Brochure Application Link
    6. Dornsife FLP: Writing Sustainable Futures in Spain & Sicily (WRIT 380)
      1. Locations: Spain & Sicily
      2. Led By: Amanda Bloom. Ph.D., abloom@usc.edu
      3. Brochure Application Link
    7. Dornsife FLP: Global East Asia: Japan – Tokyo (EASC 360)
      1. Location: Los Angeles & Tokyo, Japan
      2. Led By: Miya Desjardins, Ph.D., miyae@usc.edu
      3. Brochure Application Link
    8. Dornsife FLP: Sustainable Development in the Philippines (ENST 432)
      1. Locations: Philippines (Manila, Palawan, Cebu, Boracay)
      2. Led By: Shannon Gibson, Ph.D., smgibson@usc.edu
      3. Brochure Application Link
    9. Dornsife FLP: Urban Crossroads: Budapest (COLT 395w)
      1. Location: Budapest, Hungary
      2. Led By: Antonia Szabari, Ph.D., szabari@usc.edu and Aniko Imre, Ph.D., imre@usc.edu
      3. Approved GE Course:
        1. GE-G, Equity in a Diverse World
        2. This course does not satisfy an additional GE requirement.
      4. Brochure Application Link
    10. Dornsife FLP: Encountering Zen in Japan (REL 332)
      1. Locations: Tokyo, Kyoto, Fukui, and Saitama, Japan
      2. Led By: Lon Kurashige, Ph.D., kurashig@usc.edu
      3. Brochure Application Link
    11. Dornsife FLP: Mathmester in Rome (MATH 407)
      1. Location: Rome, Italy
      2. Led By: Larry Goldstein, Ph.D., larry@usc.edu
      3. Brochure Application Link
    12. Dornsife FLP: International Geodesign (SSCI 350)
      1. Locations: Accra & Winneba, Ghana
      2. Led By: Guoping Huang, Ph.D., guopingh@usc.edu
      3. Brochure Application Link
    13. Dornsife FLP: Human Rights in the Caucasus: Georgia and Armenia (POIR 422)
      1. Location: Georgia, Armenia
      2. Led By: Steve Swerdlow, Ph.D., steve.swerdlow@usc.edu
      3. Brochure Application Link
    14. Dornsife FLP: Environmental Change on the Front Lines of a Warming World: The Alaskan Arctic (GEOL 465L)
      1. Location: Alaska
      2. Led By: Josh West, Ph.D., joshwest@usc.edu
      3. Brochure Application Link
    15. Dornsife FLP: USC French Program, Maymester in Dijon (FREN 150, 220, 250, 300, 310, 330)
      1. Location: Dijon, France
      2. Led By: Mina Soroosh, Ph.D., soroosh@usc.edu
      3. Brochure Application Link
    16. Dornsife FLP: 2025 USC Taiwan Chinese Maymester Program (EALC 204,206,304)
      1. Location: Kaohsiung, Taiwan
      2. Led By: Hsiao-Yun Liao, Ph.D., hsiaolia@usc.edu
      3. Brochure Application Link
    17. Dornsife FLP: Maymester in Martinique, French in the Caribbean (FREN 220)
      1. Location: Martinique, France
      2. Led By: Jennifer Misran, Ph.D., misran@usc.edu
      3. Brochure Application Link
    18. Dornsife FLP: Public Memory & the Ghosts of History (FREN 307g)
      1. Location: Paris, France
      2. Led By: Guilan Siassi, Ph.D., gsiassi@usc.edu
      3. Approved GE Course:
        1. GE-B, Humanistic Inquiry
        2. Also satisfies the Dornsife Core Literacy requirement
      4. Brochure Application Link
      5. ** All interested students must have either attended or watched the recording of the information session held on October 24th, 2024 before submitting their applications. **
        • Click here to watch the recording of the info session.
        • Click here to view the slide deck from the presentation.
    19. Dornsife FLP: The Italian Language and Culture Program in Rome (ITAL 220)
      1. Locations: Rome, Italy (with weekend excursions to Florence, and Venice)
      2. Led By: James Fortney, Ph.D., fortney@usc.edu
      3. Brochure Application Link
    20. Dornsife FLP: Italian Language and Culture Program ITAL in Venice 2025 (ITAL 250X and ITAL 260X)
      1. Location: Venice, Italy
      2. Led By: Francesca Ricciardelli, Ph.D., fricciar@usc.edu 
      3. Brochure Application Link
    21. Dornsife FLP: The EcoCulture of Costa Rica: An Approach to its History, Arts, People and Its Culture of EcoTourism, Conservation and Sustainable Practices (SPAN 499)
      1. Location: Costa Rica
      2. Led By: Karen Pérez, Ph.D., perezk@usc.edu
      3. Brochure Application Link
    22. Dornsife FLP: Spanish Three Immersion Experience in Santander, Spain (SPAN 220)
      1. Location: Santander, Spain
      2. Led By: Martin Ocon-Gamarra, Ph.D., ocongama@usc.edu
      3. Brochure Application Link
    23. Dornsife FLP: Oaxaca and Oaxacalifornia: Culture, Cuisine, and Biodiversity (SPAN 396)
      1. Location: Oaxaca, Mexico
      2. Led By: Sarah Portnoy, Ph.D., portnoy@usc.edu
      3. Brochure Application Link

    Catalina Island Maymesters:

    To apply to our Catalina Island programs, please visit the Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability’s (WIES) Catalina Residential College website.

    Please direct any questions to WIES Experiential Learning Coordinator Hannah Maryanski Kiszla at maryansk@usc.edu

    1. Dornsife FLP: Coastal Zone Sustainability (ENST 483L)
      1. Location: Santa Catalina Island, California, United States
      2. Led by David Ginsburg, dginsbur@usc.edu
    2. Dornsife FLP: Waves of Change: Unearthing Coastal Environmental Histories (ENST 499)
      1. Location: Santa Catalina Island, California, United States
      2. Led by Sean Fraga, sfraga@usc.edu
    3. Dornsife FLP: Aquatic Microbiology (BISC 431L)
      1. Location: Santa Catalina Island, California, United States
      2. Led by Eric Webb, eawebb@usc.edu and John Heidelberg, jheidelb@usc.edu
    4. Dornsife FLP: Methods in Marine Biology and Biographical Oceanography (BISC 457L)
      1. Location: Santa Catalina Island, California, United States
      2. Led by Karla Heidelberg, kheidelb@usc.edu and Noelle Held, nheld@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Field Geology: Tectonics of the Aegean (GEOL 465L)
      • Location: Greece (2 weeks)
      • Led By: John Platt, Ph.D., jplatt@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Contemporary Art in New York (AHIS 470)
      • Location: Los Angeles (1 week) & New York City, NY (3 weeks)
      • Led By: Suzanne Hudson, Ph.D., sphudson@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Advanced techniques in field mammalogy (BISC 499L)
      • Locations: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Catalina Island, and four UC Natural Reserve Sites (4 weeks)
      • Led By: Matt Dean, Ph.D., matthew.dean@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Bookpacking New Orleans (ENGL 352g)
      • Location: New Orleans, LA (4 weeks)
      • Led By: Andrew Chater, Ph.D., chater@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Mathmester in Rome (MATH 407)
      • Location: Rome, Italy (4 weeks)
      • Led By: Larry Goldstein, Ph.D., larry@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Global East Asia: Japan – Kyoto: Heritage, Culture and Identity in Japan’s Ancient Capital (EASC 360)
      • Location: Los Angeles (2 weeks) & Kyoto, Japan (2 weeks)
      • Led By: Jason Webb, Ph.D., jasonweb@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Global East Asia: Japan – Tokyo (EASC 360)
      • Location: Los Angeles (2 weeks) & Tokyo, Japan
      • Led By: Miya Desjardins, Ph.D., miyae@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: 2024 USC Taiwan Chinese Maymester Program (EALC 204,206,304)
    • Dornsife FLP: USC French Program, Maymester in Dijon (FREN 150, 220, 250, 300, 310, 330)
      • Location: Dijon, France (4 weeks)
      • Led By: Natalie Burle, Ph.D., burle@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Maymester in Martinique, French in the Carribbean (FREN 220)
      • Location: Martinique, France (4 weeks)
      • Led By: Jennifer Misran, Ph.D., misran@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Public Memory & the Ghosts of History (FREN 307g)
      • Location: Paris, France (4 weeks)
      • Led By: Guilan Siassi, Ph.D., gsiassi@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: The Italian Language and Culture Program in Rome (ITAL 220)
      • Locations: Rome, Italy (with weekend excursions to Florence, Venice) (4 weeks)
      • Led By: James Fortney, Ph.D., fortney@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Death and Gender in Urban Environments (SWMS 227gp)
      • Location: Los Angeles (1 week) & New York City, NY (3 weeks)
      • Led By: Diana Blaine, Ph.D., dblaine@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Argentina Maymester (SPAN 499)
      • Locations: Los Angeles (1 weeks) & Buenos Aires and San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina (3 weeks)
      • Led By: Martin Ocon-Gamarra, Ph.D., ocongama@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Peru Maymester (SPAN 397)
      • Locations: Los Angeles (1 weeks) & Mina and Cusco, Peru (3 weeks)
      • Led By: Karen Pérez, Ph.D., perezk@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: International Geodesign (SSCI 350)
      • Location: Los Angeles (1 weeks) & Amsterdam, Netherlands (3 weeks)
      • Led By: Laura Loyola, Ph.D., lloyola@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Ecological Security and Global Politics (IR 422)
    • Dornsife FLP: The Universe (ASTR 100Lxg)
      • Location: Los Angeles (2 weeks) & Paris, France & London, England (2 weeks)
      • Led By: Vahe Peroomian, Ph.D., peroomia@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Renaissance Materiality (AHIS 488)
      • Location: Boston, MA
      • Led By: Lisa Pon
    • Dornsife FLP: Contemporary Art in New York (AHIS 470)
      • Location: New York City, NY
      • Led By: Suzanne Hudson
    • Dornsife FLP: The Yukon River Basin: hydrology, watershed biogeochemistry, and environmental change in the Arctic (GEOL 465L)
      • Locations: Alaska and Canada
      • Led By: Josh West
    • Dornsife FLP: Bookpacking New Orleans (ENGL 352g)
      • Location: New Orleans, LA
      • Led By: Andrew Chater
    • Dornsife FLP: Global East Asia: Japan – Kyoto: Heritage, Culture and Identity in Japan’s Ancient Capital (EASC 360)
      • Location: Kyoto, Japan
      • Led By: Jason Webb
    • Dornsife FLP: Global East Asia: Japan – Tokyo (EASC 360) 
      • Location: Tokyo, Japan
      • Led By: Miya Desjardins
    • Dornsife FLP: Budapest Crossroads (COLT 395g)
      • Location: Budapest, Hungary
      • Led By: Antonia Szabari and Aniko Imre
    • Dornsife FLP: Economics of European Integration (ECON 369)
      • Locations: Leuven, Belgium, Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Frankurt Germany
      • Led By: Lodovico Pizzati
    • Dornsife FLP: Maymester in Martinique, French in the Carribbean (FREN 220)
      • Location: Martinique, France
      • Led By: Jennifer Misran
    • Dornsife FLP: Public Memory & the Ghosts of History (FREN 307g)
      • Location: Paris, France
      • Led By: Guilan Siassi
    • Dornsife FLP: The Italian Language and Culture Program in Rome (ITAL 150)
      • Locations: Florence and Venice, Italy
      • Led By: James Fortney
    • Dornsife FLP: Italian III (ITAL 220)
      • Location: Rome, Italy
      • Led By: Antonio Idini
    • Dornsife FLP: Constructing Today’s Italy Through the Lens of the Media (ITAL 224)
      • Location: Rome, Italy
      • Led By: Francessca Ricciardelli
    • Dornsife FLP: Teaching English as a Foreign Language in Rome (MDA 444)
      • Location: Rome, Italy
      • Led By: Jenifer Crawford
    • Dornsife FLP: Teaching English as a Foreign Language in Paris (MDA 444)
      • Location: Paris, France
      • Led By: Emmy Jungwon Min
    • Dornsife FLP: Death, Spitiruality, and Society in India (SWMS 227)
      • Location: Delhi, India
      • Led By: Diana Blaine
    • Dornsife FLP: Hatha and Kundalini Yoga in India (PHED 299)
      • Locations: Delhi, Rishikesh, Amritsar and Dharamsala, India
      • Led By: Isabelle Pilliere Mazumdar
    • Dornsife FLP: Argentina Maymester (SPAN 499)
      • Locations: Buenos Aires and San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
      • Led By: Karen Perez and Martin Ocon-Gamarra
    • Dornsife FLP: Oaxaca and Oaxacalifornia: Food, Culture, Art and Migration (SPAN 396)
      • Location: Oaxaca, Mexico
      • Led By: Sarah Portnoy
    • Dornsife FLP: International Geodesign (SSCI 350)
      • Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
      • Led By: Guoping Huang
    • Dornsife FLP: Writing in Global Contexts – Travel Writing (WRIT 380)
      • Location: Paris, France
      • Led By: Ben Pack

How to Apply

Application Due Dates:

Applications Open: September 9th, 2024

Applications Deadline: December 9th, 2024

Program Decision Date: December 17th, 2024

Deadline to Commit to Program: January 23rd, 2025

Dornsife Faculty-Led Programs (FLPs) are open to undergraduate students only. Graduate students are not eligible to apply. Progressive degree students may participate only if they are classified as undergraduates with remaining coursework at the time of program enrollment. However, progressive students who have completed their undergraduate studies and are classified as master’s students are ineligible. If you have any questions about your eligibility or the program in general, please contact our Faculty-Led Programs Office at flp@dornsife.usc.edu.

  1. Explore Program Options: Access the Student Travel Abroad Portal to browse upcoming Dornsife FLP programs. Each program brochure details program type, location, duration, course prerequisites, program costs, and contact information for program staff.
  2. Check Eligibility: Our Dornsife Faculty-Led Programs are open to all undergraduate students studying at USC, regardless of their major or school. Graduate and doctoral students are not eligible to apply. Progressive degree students may apply only if they are classified as undergraduates with remaining undergraduate coursework at the time of program enrollment. Progressive students who have completed their undergraduate coursework and are classified as master’s students are not eligible to apply.
  3. Consult Academic Advisor: Compile a list of programs that interest you and consult your department’s academic advisor to ensure alignment with your academic goals and plan.
  4. Submit Application: Submit your application for the desired program before the application deadline specified in the program brochure. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered. Each student may apply to a maximum of two programs.
  5. Acceptance and Commitment: After you are accepted, you will receive an email with instructions on how to confirm your participation. To confirm, you need to access your application and click the “Commitment to Participate” button within the specified timeframe. If you fail to complete this process, you may be withdrawn from the program. It’s important to note that your commitment is final and should be thought through carefully. Please review the Dornsife Faculty-Led Programs (FLP) Withdrawal Policy and consider the financial costs before confirming your participation.
  6. Document Submission: Sign and submit all necessary post-decision documents via your Student Travel Abroad portal upon program acceptance.
  7. Course Registration: Following acceptance and document submission, request D-clearance from your course department and register for the corresponding course via USC’s Web Registration. Adhere to the Spring or Summer term add/drop deadlines.
  8. Orientations: Participants must attend two mandatory orientation sessions:
    1. Dornsife FLP Office orientation
    2. Faculty-Director’s orientation

    Dates and times for these sessions will be provided upon confirmation of your participation.

Please remember that in order to be fully enrolled, you must meet both the application deadline by submitting an application through the Student Travel Abroad Portal and registering for the corresponding course via USC’s Web Registration.

 

 

Previous Maymester Programs

Other Programs at USC Dornsife