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.

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Maymester Programs

  • Our 2025 program applications will open in early September 2024. Below is a preview of the upcoming programs.

    • Dornsife FLP: Death and Gender in Urban Environments: Los Angeles (SWMS 227gp)
    • Dornsife FLP: Contemporary Art in New York (AHIS 470)
    • 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
      • Led By: Matt Dean, Ph.D., matthew.dean@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Bookpacking New Orleans (ENGL 352g)
      • Location: New Orleans, LA
      • Led By: Andrew Chater, Ph.D., chater@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Studying Narrative: Fairy Tales (ENGL 270)
      • Locations: Paris, France; Hanau, Germany; Copenhagen, Denmark
      • Led By: Sara Sligar, Ph.D., ssligar@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Poet in Paris Maymester (ENGL 406)
    • Dornsife FLP: Writing Sustainable Futures in Spain & Sicily (WRIT 380)
      • Locations: Spain & Sicily
      • Led By: Amanda Bloom. Ph.D., abloom@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Global East Asia Japan – Tokyo: Japanese Society and Design Thinking (EASC 360)
      • Locations: Los Angeles, CA and Tokyo, Japan
      • Led By: Miya Desjardins, Ph.D., miyae@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Sustainable Development in the Philippines (ENST 432)
      • Locations: Philippines (Manila, Palawan, Cebu, Boracay)
      • Led By: Shannon Gibson, Ph.D., smgibson@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Budapest Crossroads (COLT 395g)
    • Dornsife FLP: Encountering Zen in Japan (REL 332)
      • Locations: Locations: Tokyo, Kyoto, Fukui, and Saitama, Japan
      • Led By: Lon Kurashige, Ph.D., kurashig@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Mathmester in Rome (MATH 407)
      • Location: Rome, Italy
      • Led By: Larry Goldstein, Ph.D., larry@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: International Geodesign (SSCI 350)
      • Locations: Accra & Winneba, Ghana
      • Led By: Guoping Huang, Ph.D., guopingh@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Human Rights in the Caucasus: Georgia and Armenia (POIR 422)
    • Dornsife FLP: Environmental Change on the Front Lines of a Warming World: The Alaskan Arctic (GEOL 465L)
    • Dornsife FLP: USC French Program, Maymester in Dijon (FREN 150, 220, 250, 300, 310, 330)
    • Dornsife FLP: Maymester in Martinique, French in the Carribbean (FREN 220)
      • Location: Martinique, France
      • Led By: Jennifer Misran, Ph.D., misran@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Public Memory & the Ghosts of History (FREN 307g)
    • Dornsife FLP: The Italian Language and Culture Program in Rome (ITAL 220)
      • Locations: Rome, Italy (with weekend excursions to Florence, Venice)
      • Led By: James Fortney, Ph.D., fortney@usc.edu
    • 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)
    • Dornsife FLP: Spanish III UCAN-SANTANDER (SPAN 220)
      • Location: Santander, Spain
      • Led By: Maria Mercedes Fages Agudo, Ph.D., fagesagu@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Oaxaca and Oaxacalifornia: Culture, Cuisine, and Biodiversity (SPAN 396)
    • Dornsife FLP: Field Geology: Tectonics of the Aegean (GEOL 465L)
    • Dornsife FLP: Contemporary Art in New York (AHIS 470)
    • 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
      • Led By: Matt Dean, Ph.D., matthew.dean@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Bookpacking New Orleans (ENGL 352g)
      • Location: New Orleans, LA
      • Led By: Andrew Chater, Ph.D., chater@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Mathmester in Rome (MATH 407)
      • Location: Rome, Italy
      • 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)
    • Dornsife FLP: Global East Asia: Japan – Tokyo (EASC 360)
      • Location: Tokyo, Japan
      • Led By: Miya Desjardins, Ph.D., miyae@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: USC French Program, Maymester in Dijon (FREN 150, 220, 250, 300, 310, 330)
      • Location: Dijon, France
      • Led By: Natalie Burle, Ph.D., burle@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Maymester in Martinique, French in the Carribbean (FREN 220)
      • Location: Martinique, France
      • Led By: Jennifer Misran, Ph.D., misran@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Public Memory & the Ghosts of History (FREN 307g)
    • Dornsife FLP: The Italian Language and Culture Program in Rome (ITAL 220)
      • Locations: Florence, Rome, and Venice, Italy
      • Led By: James Fortney, Ph.D., fortney@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Death and Gender in Urban Environments (SWMS 227gp)
    • Dornsife FLP: Argentina Maymester (SPAN 499)
      • Locations: Buenos Aires and San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
      • Led By: Martin Ocon-Gamarra, Ph.D., ocongama@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Peru Maymester (SPAN 397)
      • Locations: Mina and Cusco, Peru
      • Led By: Karen Pérez, Ph.D., perezk@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: International Geodesign (SSCI 350)
      • Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
      • Led By: Laura Loyola, Ph.D., lloyola@usc.edu
    • Dornsife FLP: Ecological Security and Global Politics (IR 422)
    • 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 (Kyoto, Japan)
      • 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

Dornsife FLPs is for undergraduate students only. Graduate students are ineligible to apply. Progressive students must contact the FLP office for eligibility prior to applying (flp@dornsife.usc.edu).

    1. Online Application:
      • Access the Student Travel Abroad Portal to review upcoming programs or visit our Dornsife FLP Website for a list of programs. Each program brochure provides essential details such as program type, location, duration, course prerequisites, program cost breakdown, contact information for program staff, and more.
      • Start your application by clicking the “Apply Now” button within the brochure page.
      • On your applicant homepage, you will find a checklist outlining all necessary steps.
      • Applications must be submitted by the specified deadline; late submissions will not be accepted.
      • You will receive an email confirming receipt of your application.
    1. Acceptance:
      • If selected for the program, you will receive an acceptance email with instructions on how to confirm your participation.
      • Students placed on the waitlist will be reviewed until February 1st. If space becomes available, you will be notified via email and your status will change from Waitlisted to Accepted. You will then have one week to accept your spot.
    1. Commitment:
      • Consider financial aid and scholarships before confirming your commitment—refer to Travel Study Financial Aid.
      • After acceptance, you will have 7 business days to confirm your participation through the program and register for the course.
      • Failure to do so will result in your spot being reverted to the Waitlist.
      • Commitment is final and should be carefully considered; review the Dornsife Faculty-Led Programs (FLP) Withdrawal Policy.
    1. Post Acceptance:
      • Continuously monitor your study abroad portal and email for crucial updates and instructions.
      • Attend the mandatory Virtual Pre-Departure Orientation scheduled for Spring 2024. Details will be communicated via email by Dornsife Faculty-Led Programs (FLP).
      • Do not finalize flight bookings until you receive confirmation from the faculty director.

Application Due Dates:

  • The application period for Maymester, PWP, and Summer programs is now closed. Applications for the 2025 programs will open the first week of September.

Applications Open: TBA for 2025

Application Deadline:TBA for 2025

Program Decision Date:TBA for 2025

Deadline to Commit to Program:TBA for 2025

 

Maymester Highlights

Other Programs at USC Dornsife