Five Best Study Abroad Places - Your Academics

Hopkins-Nanjing Center for Chinese and American Studies

This program is primarily a one-year post-graduate programs for students interested in studying China -- economics, culture, whatever. The program, which is a part of the Nitze School of Advanced International Studies in D.C., combines complete immersion in one of China's great historic cities with pragmatic courses involving areas of Chinese-American relations, including business, media, and academics. Also, it remains the only program in China jointly administered by an American and Chinese university.

Oxford University

Hopkins students can attend Oxford University in England through Butler University. Students don't take classes, but go through Oxford's tutorial program, where they write and present a paper a week in a topic of the student's choosing. Students can also join all the clubs and societies of an English socialite.

JHU program at Carlos III University

The fledgling Carlos III University program has had its share of difficulty in its first year, despite offering a top-notch curriculum. However, the Carlos III program is a great program among the diverse options Hopkins offers. The program begins with an orientation and intensive language program, then relocates students to Madrid, where they are paired with a host family for the remainder of the semester. The course selection, specifically designed for international students but all taught in Spanish, is varied and flexible, though it focuses most directly on those subjects commonly associated with the humanities.

Villa Spelman

There is no better remedy for too much time spent in Baltimore than a semester at Villa Spelman, Hopkins' own study abroad program in Florence, Italy. Nestled on top of a hill with a view of Florence, Villa Spelman is the center of the program that places students with Italian host families. Classes are offered in Italian language, art history, and a rotating menu of seminars. Florence is a hotbed of American students, who can be found on most nights skipping between the nightclubs, bars and pubs.

Semester at Sea

If you don't know where you want to go, Semester at Sea will show you a variety of places around the world. The program, through Boston University, allows students to take classes on a cruise ship. What could be better?