Study Abroad and Travel Opportunities

The study of architecture spans across the world. From historical and traditional architecture, to modern and contemporary buildings, engaging with the communities and built environments of diverse places affords students a global perspective of design and urbanism. With opportunities to travel both within the United States and to other countries, students at the USF School of Architecture & Community Design expand their critical framework and enrich their learning.

At the USF School of Architecture & Community Design (SACD), we are committed to providing students a global education. Students have the chance to embark on domestic field trips as well as on international study programs. By experiencing the significant architecture and urban systems of different locales, students gain an enhanced perspective about the built environment in various contexts. They develop a deeper understanding of how past designs can inform future possibilities. Exploring urban studies across regional, national and international places broadens their creativity on how to make the best use of an environment's interactive potential.

To make study travel more affordable and accessible to SACD students, the school has implemented shorter study abroad opportunities embedded into the fall and spring semester design studios. These opportunities sometimes vary to better fulfill the needs of our students and of the school.

Apply to Study Abroad

View all Study Abroad and Exchange programs currently available at SACD, and all of the USF College of Design, Art & Performance. Also visit the USF Education Abroad website for additional programs open to all USF students, and learn about financial aid opportunities to help cover the trip expenses.

Studio-based Field Trips

SACD's Graduate Core and Advanced Design studios include a field trip incorporating the curriculum of that particular semester. All first-year students enrolled in Graduate Core 2 studios participate in a field trip and related design project in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Current Graduate Core Design trips are:

Core 1: Savannah, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina
Core 2: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Core 3: New York City

Past international destinations have included Great Britain, Thailand, Cyprus, Ecuador and Japan.

Advanced Design studios travel to various locations and occasionally even to international places for one to two weeks. Recent domestic trips comprise:

Chicago, Illinois
San Francisco, California
Seattle, Washington
Phoenix, Arizona
Denver, Colorado
Kansas City, Missouri
Washington, D.C.
Houston, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Miami, Florida
Atlanta, Georgia
The Rural Studio at Auburn University in Alabama

International trips have included:

London, United Kingdom
Tokyo, Japan
Hong Kong
Cyprus
Thailand
Quito, Ecuador
Havana, Cuba

Summer Study Abroad Studios

SACD students journey abroad for several weeks, then participate in a Tampa-based studio for the second half of the summer semester. In recent years students have conducted summer study abroad in the Netherlands, Slovenia, Japan, India, China, Spain, Portugal, and Italy.

Study Abroad Research Studio

In summer 2016, SACD and the school's research arm, the Florida Center for Community Design and Research (FCCDR), collaborated with the Planning Council of the city of Aberdeen, Scotland. Together we developed a study abroad Research Studio. Research faculty Josue Robles and FCCDR faculty Taryn Sabia jointly oversaw the program.

Photography courtesy of John Dampier