May Term Travel

Jump to May Term courses

What is May Term?

May Term is a concentrated, intensive term structured for courses emphasizing at least one of the following characteristics: Experiential Learning, Collaborative Teaching and Learning, Service Learning, and Immersion Learning. These courses may make appropriate use of long expanses of time outside of class; take advantage of opportunities to extend classrooms through fieldwork, field trips, laboratory work, and travel; offer opportunities to focus on a single subject in depth; offer opportunities for faculty/student collaboration in research, creative process or teaching; be cross-disciplinary or team taught in ways precluded by longer semesters; use an extended period of time for experiential learning (for example, in service learning, internships, or cross-cultural immersion). 

Why should you take a May Term?

Faculty lead short-term, credit-earning courses that emphasize experiential learning, creativity, and exploration. May Term is encouraged because of it's:

• Unique courses: May Term offerings are often more creative, experimental, or specialized than those during the main semesters. Many are interdisciplinary in design and allow faculty to explore niche topics, hands-on projects, and innovative course content. A number of courses also fulfill Liberal Arts Inquiry requirements.
• Study away opportunities: A hallmark of May Term is its travel-based learning. Many courses are taught abroad or within the U.S., either fully off-campus or through a split model (part on-campus, followed by at least 10–14 days away). These immersive opportunities let students engage deeply with new cultures, communities, and environments.
• Flexible credit: May Term courses typically offer 3 credits (some may require prerequisites), giving students the flexibility to explore new subjects and interests without the pressure of a full semester load.
• Experiential learning: With class sizes averaging 14–15 students, May Term fosters close interaction with faculty and peers. Courses emphasize learning outside the traditional classroom, whether in another country, state, or unique field setting.

A representative sample of May Term travel courses includes the following: 

• BIOL 107 - Tropical Ecology in Costa Rica 
• BIOL 260 - Marine Conservation of the Pacific 
• AST 250 - Service in Cambodia 
• CDIS 260 - Service-Learning in Language, Culture, and Education in Guatemala 
• ENGL 265 - "Timescapes”: Exploring the Ruins of Holocaust Memory (Salzburg) 
• EVST 281- The Palau Expedition: Explorations in Sustainable Development 
• EVST 360 - Sustainable Development and Migration in Mexico 
• IDS 250 - Outdoor Adventure 
• JNST 000A - German Expressionist Film—The Austrian Connection (Salzburg) 
• JNST 000H - Consuming Rio 
• PHIL 140 - Animal Ethics and Service (Utah) 
• PHIL 160 - Global Medical Ethics in Swaziland 
• POLI 362 - Politics of Eastern Europe (Salzburg) 
• POLI 457 - Policy Making in Washington, D.C. 
• PSYC 260 - Jews, Muslims, and Basques: Their Sociocultural Contribution to Spain 
• SPAN 360 - Ecuadorian Culture, Art, and Volunteering 

Redlands encourages students to study away

May Term Travel Grants & Scholarships

Any undergraduate students participating in May Term travel courses, who have not previously studied off-campus in a U of R approved Semester-Long program or May Term travel course, and demonstrate financial need are eligible to apply for a May Term travel grant. Grant recipients will have the award amount automatically deducted from their course fee on their student account. Students are eligible for one May Term Travel grant during their time as an undergraduate student at Redlands.