We strongly encourage our undergraduate geography majors to take advantage of UW’s hundreds of great study abroad opportunities. Although we offer only very few study abroad programs directly through our department, we are eager to work with our students who complete geography courses while abroad.
Study Abroad Opportunities
Visit the UW Study Abroad website for more information and opportunities to study abroad. There are many opportunities to study abroad through the Department of Comparative History of Ideas (CHID).
Geography Faculty-Led Programs
SUM 2025
Smart Cities South Korea: Communities, Technologies, and Climate Resiliency
This program, led by Professors Gunwha Oh and Jin-Kyu Jung, centers on critical reflection on the possibilities and challenges of smart urbanism in the context of modern cities in Korea, including Busan, Seoul, and Sejong.
Course Credits for Study Abroad
Students can receive credits that count for the geography major in the two following ways:
1) Direct equivalency courses
If you take a course while abroad that directly mirrors a course offered in our department (e.g., Introduction to Globalization), the advising office will work with you to get those credits transferred back into UW as the equivalent course (e.g., GEOG 123: Introduction to Globalization).
2) Geography courses that have no UW Geography equivalent
To encourage our students to enhance their geographic perspectives and education while studying abroad, our department has created a sequence of study abroad courses—GEOG 198, 298, 398, and 498—that can be assigned to your geography coursework abroad following your return to UW. Such courses are handled on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the Undergraduate Program Committee. You are encouraged to make an appointment with the advising office to discuss possible geography coursework abroad and how it might contribute to your major requirements.