In the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences (CBSHS), academic excellence is achieved through classroom learning and hands-on experience. Across its seven academic departments, CBSHS offers students unique experiential learning opportunities, including immersive study abroad programs worldwide.

According to Leslie Hossfeld, CBSHS dean, the experience of learning in a new environment provides students with critical skills to succeed in today’s competitive job market – one where employers seek candidates who can navigate culturally complex environments and think globally.

As such, CBSHS has prioritized global engagement initiatives across the College and developed rigorous study abroad programs to deepen students’ classroom knowledge, enhance critical thinking, problem-solving and analytical skills, and elevate their exposure to real-world opportunities and challenges related to their field of study.

“Between our faculty-led programs and network of partner institutions, CBSHS students have incredible opportunities to develop cultural competency and apply what they have learned in class to real-world situations,” said Hossfeld. “Our programs are designed to complement students’ majors and career goals through international experience and education – and we work diligently to make these opportunities accessible to all students, adding value to their Clemson Experience in alignment with the goals of Clemson Elevate.”

Study abroad opportunities range from week-long service learning trips to summer and semester-long programs, and College advisors work with students to ensure all courses align with degree program requirements.

Katy Weisensee, professor and chair of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice, leads a summer program at the University of Szeged in Hungary to examine a collection of skeletal remains recovered from archaeological excavations dating from the Neolithic period – or New Stone Age – to the 1800s. During the program, students collect and analyze data to examine demographic and health trends within a selected sample of skeletal remains.

“Study abroad programs challenge students to see the world through a new lens. As students examine skeletal remains in an international context, they are learning forensic techniques and gaining insight into – and appreciation for – the cultural and historical narratives that shape human life,” said Weisensee. “These experiences are not just educational, they prepare students to approach their future professions with empathy, curiosity and a broader world view.”

Students in Perugia, Italy, Summer 2024

Over the course of the academic year, CBSHS will feature testimonials from former study abroad participants – like undergraduate anthropology student Francesca Turner – to showcase the academic, professional and personal benefits of global engagement.

Turner, who participated in the CBSHS study abroad program at the Umbra Institute in Perugia, Italy, said her time there provided opportunities to connect classroom theory to real-world experiences.

“Study abroad provided me with the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to engage with local communities in an academic setting,” said Turner. “The courses, instructors and cultural immersion expanded the way I see the world, and I am grateful for how the experience shaped the way I think about myself, others and my future career.”

For more information about CBSHS study abroad programs and global engagement opportunities, visit https://www.clemson.edu/cbshs/engagement/global-engagement.html.

The College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences (CBSHS) was established in July 2016. CBSHS is a 21st-century, land-grant college that combines work in nine disciplines – communication; nursing; parks, recreation and tourism management; political science; psychology; public health sciences; sociology, anthropology and criminal justice – to further its mission of “building people and communities” in South Carolina and beyond.