Why Study Abroad?
As an aspiring media professional, it will be important for you to appreciate the relationship between your own culturally informed communication methods and those of your increasingly global (and globally aware) audience. There are many ways of presenting the news and many ways of consuming it, and study abroad provides a great opportunity to experience that diversity firsthand.
Study abroad offers courses related to journalism and mass communication, as well as media-focused internships and faculty-led programs. We think the most important things for you to do abroad are to observe how media is created and consumed in different environments and gain cultural awareness.
SCRIPT Requirement
All study abroad programs will satisfy the SCRIPT experiential learning requirement for journalism and mass communication majors; including global internships, virtual programs, short-term faculty-led programs, and summer, semester, or year-long coursework abroad. Study abroad courses typically have a prefix of ABRD or INTL.
200+
Programs offered
49
Countries
University of Iowa students who participate in study abroad programs are 22% more likely to graduate within four years.
Where in the world?
Students in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication have studied abroad all over the world, and we encourage you to explore your options through the University of Iowa International Programs office. Additionally, Major Advising Pages (MAPs) outline the academic requirements and recommended programs for each major. The following programs are tailored to students pursuing a career in journalism:
Iowa Regents in Wales: Swansea University
Live and study alongside Welsh peers, fully immersed in the local culture. Swansea’s Media and Communication department offers courses such as Introduction to Media History; Social Media Cultures; Adaptation: Storytelling Across Media; and Theorizing the Media.
CIEE Paris Open Campus
Enroll in block-schedule courses (two courses per six-week block) in the Communications, Journalism, and New Media track. Course offerings include Photojournalism; International Journalism; and Media, Gender, and Identity.
Wells in Florence: Lorenzo de Medici
Study with other international students and explore over 250 diverse course offerings at Instituto Lorenzo de Medici. Relevant courses include Visual Culture in Italy since 1945, War and Media, Food Marketing and Communication, Global Brand Management, and Media Ethics in the Techno Age.
CEA Prague: Full Curriculum
CEA facilitates enrollment at Anglo-American University, where you attend classes with local Czech and international students. Courses include Cultural Journalism, Reporting in Conflict Zones, Reporting I and II, Media in a Democracy, Photojournalism, and Video Storytelling.
TEAN South Korea: Korea University
The School of Media and Communication at Korea University offers courses such as Media and Popular Culture in Korea, Understanding Journalism, Media Technologies and Culture, and Writing in Journalism.
TEAN Australia: Bond University
Take courses in Bond’s Communication and Creative Media program. Course offerings include Mass and Popular Media, Digital Media and Society, Mobile and Digital Journalism, and Reporting the World.
CIEE Seville Communications, New Media & Journalism
Participate in core workshops (Magazine Reporting and Writing and/ or Digital Video Reporting in Context) and enroll in related electives. Since all courses are taught in Spanish, you must have completed Intermediate Spanish II prior to the start of the program.
Coming Summer 2026!
The Salzburg Academy on Media & Global Change is a two-week, faculty-led study abroad program held each year in Salzburg, Austria. Students and faculty attend from five continents to study a dynamic, online Global Media Literacy curriculum.
How do I get started?
Step 1
Read our student spotlight stories for a glimpse of life abroad and begin researching programs to narrow down your interests.
| Academic Coursework Abroad | Global Internships | Faculty-led Courses |
Duration: Semester
| Duration: 8 weeks
| Duration: 2-4 weeks
|
Step 2
Meet with your academic advisor to determine the best way to fit a study abroad program into your academic plan. While there is no wrong time to study abroad, it is easiest to fit an experience into your academic plan during junior year (either during an academic semester or during the summer before or after junior year). To ensure timely completion of the JMC major, we recommend that students complete JMC:2010 Reporting and Writing and JMC:2020 Multimedia Storytelling prior to going abroad.
Step 3
Complete the Discover Study Abroad asynchronous ICON course and schedule a meeting with a study abroad coordinator to help you with the logistics of applying to a program and getting ready for international travel.
Anna Newnum
Academic Advisor
anna-newnum@uiowa.edu
E350D Adler Journalism Building (AJB)
319-335-3845
Monica Ernberger
Assistant Director, Global Internships
monica-ernberger@uiowa.edu
1111 University Capitol Centre
319-335-0353
Emily A. Brown
Study Abroad Program Coordinator
emily-a-brown@uiowa.edu
1111 University Capitol Centre
319-335-0353
Financial Support
The University of Iowa and the School of Journalism and Mass Communication are committed to increasing the number of students who study abroad by offering financial support to help offset the costs of travel and enrollment. All students are strongly encouraged to consult with a study abroad advisor about financing their international experience.
UI International Programs
Awards more than $500,000 in scholarships and grants every year. More information on funding opportunities can be found on the International Programs Scholarship website.
School of Journalism and Mass Communication
Awards more than $20,000 every year to JMC students pursuing study abroad programs. More information can be found on the SJMC Scholarships and Awards website.
Financial Aid
Most federal financial aid packages can be used to help fund a study abroad experience.