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Maymester and Faculty-Led Programs

Maymesters abroad are regular Vanderbilt courses (usually 3 credit hours) that are taught by Vanderbilt faculty in another country. They are typically three to four weeks in length, and offered in the month of May. A&S Maymester courses may also fulfill Liberal Arts Core requirements for Peabody and VUSE students, with approval from the appropriate Office of Academic Services.

Maymesters offered by the College of Arts and Science are generally announced in November; applications become available shortly thereafter. For more information about A&S Maymester course offerings and to apply, go to A&S Maymester Abroad page. Applications for Maymester are reviewed on a rolling basis, so you should apply early. Admissions decisions are made by the course's Vanderbilt faculty leader(s). Under-enrolled courses may be cancelled.

There may also some Maymester programs offered in the United States. For more about A&S Maymesters in the US, please see Vanderbilt Summer Sessions.

Maymester Abroad Courses for 2024

Course No.Course TitleCollege
ANTH 2114Above and Below the Surface: The Caribbean between Climate Change and Tourism
A&S
ANTH 2118Revolutionary Cities: Urban Uprisings in Paris and BarcelonaA&S
ASIA 1480Discover KoreaA&S
ASIA 1680Inside Chinese-Economy, Culture, and Society (CANCELLED)A&S
ASIA 1688Exploring Chinese Calligraphy in China (CANCELLED)
A&S
ASIA 1781Balinese Religion and CultureA&S
CLAS 3700Uncovering Greek Religion: Cults, Festivals, and Sanctuaries in the Ancient WorldA&S
CLAS 3720History and Art of Ancient RomeA&S
CMA 3893Japan: Arts, Culture and the Pursuit of OtakuA&S
EES 3865Exploring the Brazilian Biodiversity in the Amazon and Pantanal Ecosystem (CANCELLED)A&S
ENGL 3890Mapping British Romanticism (CANCELLED)A&S
ES 3890 Blue Hole Exploration: Studying Microplastics in the Bahamas (CANCELLED)VUSE
EUS 2260Fashion Forward:
The Intersection of Business, Historical Elegance, and Sustainability in
French and Italian Fashion
A&S
HIST 2151Roman Law, Common Law, and Civil Law: Origin (CANCELLED)A&S
INDS 1599Spectatorship and Performance Culture in the UK and IrelandA&S
ITA 3704Made-in-Italy: Italianness in Italy and Abroad, A Culinary JourneyA&S
SPAN 3302Spanish for Oral Communication through Cultural TopicsA&S
SPAN 3325The Way of Saint JamesA&S
SPAN 3330Cultural Studies in the Andes A&S

Costs and Scholarships

Fees vary by program and typically include Vanderbilt tuition, course-related transportation and lodging in the destination country, health insurance, and some meals. Airfare to the destination country, most meals, and costs of personal travel are generally not included in the program fee–but check individual program descriptions for specific details.

Financial aid generally does not apply to Maymester/summer programs. The Global Summer Fellows Program and other scholarships offered by GEO provide funding that can be used to offset the costs for students enrolling in Vanderbilt-approved, credit-bearing summer study and Maymester programs. You can apply for all of these scholarships with a single Common Application. See the full list of awards offered through the Global Education Office for more information and eligibility information. The Common Application is typically made available in November, around the same time that Maymester applications become available.