Go beyond visiting. Become part of a place.
K Signature Study Abroad Programs build on Kalamazoo College’s longstanding approach to immersive, academically meaningful global learning.
What makes a program a K Signature Program?
K Signature Study Abroad Programs are a select group of programs that reflect Kalamazoo College’s commitment to sustained cultural engagement, academic learning and meaningful connection with the host community.
Strong K relationships
These programs build on established relationships among Kalamazoo College, host institutions, local organizations and on-site staff.
Cultural immersion
Students engage with the language, culture and community beyond what they encounter through travel or classroom study alone.
Experiential learning
Depending on the program, students may participate in a HIP, internship, civic engagement, field research or another locally grounded experience.
Explore K Signature Programs
Compare destinations, academic themes, program lengths and experiential opportunities. Select a linked term or track to open its Hornet Passport brochure.
Feature labels apply only to the program option beside which they appear.
Germany — Erlangen
Build German-language proficiency and experience university and community life through options ranging from one quarter to a full academic year.
- SpringHIP
- Fall–WinterHIP
- Fall–Winter–Spring HIP
Spain — Cáceres
Develop advanced Spanish proficiency while building sustained relationships with the university, local community and life in Extremadura.
Ecuador — Quito
Study in Quito through either an interdisciplinary liberal arts curriculum with community engagement or a focused, field-based biology experience.
- Fall-Winter: Liberal ArtsHIP
- Fall-Winter: Ecology and Evolution FIELD RESEARCH
Kenya — Nairobi
Connect academic study with locally grounded experiential learning through both a HIP and an internship in Nairobi.
- FallHIP INTERNSHIP
Costa Rica — San José
Choose between two focused one-quarter programs that examine significant contemporary issues in Costa Rica and Latin America.
- Fall: Sustainable Development and Social JusticeCIVIC ENGAGEMENT
- Winter: Health Care in Latin America CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
Mexico — Oaxaca
Study Spanish language and culture through university coursework, community engagement and opportunities connected to Oaxaca’s community museums.
- Fall: Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca
- Winter: Community MuseumsCIVIC ENGAGEMENT
- Fall–Winter: UABJO and Community Museums CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
France — Strasbourg
Strengthen French proficiency while studying in a multilingual European city through either a one- or two-quarter experience.
- SpringHIP
- Fall–Winter HIP
France — Clermont-Ferrand
Immerse yourself in French language, university life and the local community in central France through an extended two-quarter program.
- Fall–WinterHIP
Sénégal — Dakar
Combine academic study with professional experience and sustained engagement in Dakar through a two-quarter program with an internship.
- Fall–WinterINTERNSHIP
Spain — Madrid
Develop Spanish proficiency and engage with life in Spain’s capital through an extended program combining academic study with a locally grounded HIP.
- Fall–WinterHIP
What is a HIP?
The Hornet Intercultural Project, or HIP, is a locally grounded experiential-learning project offered through particular K Signature Program options.
Students work with on-site staff to develop an experience connected to their academic, professional, extracurricular or personal interests. Depending on the location and available community resources, a HIP may involve volunteering, an apprenticeship, creative work, research, community participation or another form of sustained local engagement.
Students complete the project and its accompanying academic requirements for one K unit of credit. The structure, placement options and expectations differ by program location.
A HIP is more than an isolated volunteer activity. It is a structured opportunity to build relationships, participate in the host community and reflect on what you are learning through direct experience.
Find your Signature Program
K Signature Programs offer some of Kalamazoo College’s most distinctive opportunities for sustained cultural immersion, experiential learning and connection with a host community. Explore the options above to compare locations, academic themes, term lengths and experiential components.
Not sure which Signature Program best fits your academic interests and goals? A Peer Advisor can help you compare your options and prepare for a conversation with your academic advisor or CIP program coordinator.
Looking for a different location, term or academic focus? Explore all approved programs.