Colorado State University Global Challenge Semester

A Pan-American exploration of identity, expression and our sustainable future.

Empower yourself to author the story you want told and enact the change you want made during an intercontinental journey through Colorado, Costa Rica, Panama, and Mexico. You’ll explore prominent issues alongside professors from Colorado State University (CSU) and the United Nation’s University for Peace while learning from local communities, nonprofits, and businesses. Out in the world, you’ll find that self-discovery creates purpose with staying power and new perspectives fuel life-long proficiencies.

After the program, continue to Colorado State with the opportunity to join CSU Honors Program or take your transferable college credit with you to the next step of your academic journey.

Credits: 12 | Length: 16 weeks

Upcoming travel dates:
August 18, 2024 – December 6, 2024

Application deadline: May 1, 2024

Start planning  

A Pan-American exploration of identity, expression and our sustainable future.

Empower yourself to author the story you want told and enact the change you want made during an intercontinental journey through Colorado, Costa Rica, Panama, and Mexico. You’ll explore prominent issues alongside professors from Colorado State University (CSU) and the United Nation’s University for Peace while learning from local communities, nonprofits, and businesses. Out in the world, you’ll find that self-discovery creates purpose with staying power and new perspectives fuel life-long proficiencies.

After the program, continue to Colorado State with the opportunity to join CSU Honors Program or take your transferable college credit with you to the next step of your academic journey.

Credits: 12 | Length: 16 weeks

Upcoming travel dates:
August 18, 2024 – December 6, 2024

Application deadline: May 1, 2024

Start planning  

Program components

  • Self-Discovery

    Push yourself out of your comfort zone as you discover your strengths and learn about what truly matters to you through course experiences and educational adventures in the field.

  • Global Perspectives

    Whether at the University for Peace or with indigenous communities in Panama, you'll encounter diverse perspectives that enhance your understanding of the world and your place within it.

  • Challenge Projects

    You'll solve global challenges through independent research and creative projects, returning home with a deeper understanding of how we can shape the future and a portfolio of accomplishments.

Coursework


Global Studies
3 Credits
Global Studies examines how people's experiences are interconnected across countries and cultures, drawing from various fields to understand the world's major forces. The course aims to contribute to a better world by focusing on discovering different countries, understanding global citizenship, and delving into science, history, economics, current events, and cultural understanding, with a central theme of sustainable development. Our journey encompasses the CSU Mountain Campus in Colorado, Costa Rica, Panama, and the CSU Mexico Campus, where we'll explore diverse cultures, their unique challenges, and collaborative solutions for a better future.
Thinking Towards a Thriving Planet: Creative Nature
3 Credits
This course acknowledges our role as co-creators in a holistic planetary ecosystem and our desire to collaborate with the natural world for a sustainable future. By examining art, literature, and language from Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, and the United States, we'll seek insights into the interaction of environments and cultures to reimagine our planetary future.
Latin America: Create Your Story
3 Credits
This course delves into personal narratives to help you reflect on the origin and evolution of your values, goals, and identities during your studies abroad, and their influence on your academic and personal decisions. We'll examine personal narratives from diverse cultures, creative nonfiction, memoirs, visual, and oral forms to help you understand how your story aligns with university programs and more.
Sustainable Development and the Circular Economy
3 Credits
This course introduces case examples, a robust framework, and implementation principles around the circular economy concept, emphasizing optimizing processes and systems as a whole rather than individual components. The shift to a circular economy is a significant challenge for a more sustainable society. One that demands an interdisciplinary approach that combines social, technical, managerial, and environmental perspectives.