Panama City, Panama: Energy and the Environment
Explore the amazing biodiversity of Panama in the Take the World by the Horns program through visits to wildlife preserves, marine exhibition centers, and field work excursions to sites such as a 300-island archipelago. Panama is ranked No. 1 in the world by the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity due to its location between three distinct bodies of water: the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Chiriqui, and the Gulf of Panama.
You will make an immediate impact and gain invaluable experience by participating in internships with environmentally focused non-profit organizations. Enroll in four academic courses with our partner, SIT, focusing on environmental study, fieldwork ethics, and research design, including an internship to jumpstart your academic and professional career.
There is no language requirement for participation. Spanish language lessons will be incorporated throughout the semester, but will not appear on your transcript. Upon your return, you may take a placement test or seek an evaluation to assess your UT Austin language course level.
Academics
The courses listed below are offered for Fall 2024. Fall 2025 courses will be updated in October.
| Course Title | UT Course Number | Core/Flag Credit |
|---|---|---|
| Internships 101 & First Year Foundations for Success: Career Pathways | LA 321 | Potential Bridging Disciplines Connecting Experience |
| Introduction to Environmental Studies | GRG 306C | Social Behavioral Sciences Core |
| Introduction to Cultural Anthropology | ANT 302 | Global Cultures Flag Social Behavioral Sciences Core |
| Fieldwork Principles and Ethics | LA 319S | Ethics Flag |
The academic design for this program combines an introduction to the theoretical frameworks of environmental studies with the practical experience of an internship focusing on environmental issues.
- “Introduction to Environmental Studies” provides an academic foundation to explore the Earth’s physical environments, while “Introduction to Cultural Anthropology” examines civil and social structures that impact the environment.
- “Internships 101” credit-bearing placements for internship work at environmental nonprofits.
- “First Year Foundations for Success: Career Pathways” course will help students explore how their internship experience will create further professional and academic opportunities.
Signature Course Offered
After completing their fall semester abroad, students can enroll in a signature course to continue to explore the academic themes with their cohort.
Professor Lito Porto’s signature course, “Process Ecology Across Lifeforms, Disciplines, and Dimensions,” uses a multidisciplinary lens to examine how ecological systems inform human interactions within an environment. The approach challenges the traditional divides between hard sciences and humanities, and will provide students with context and vocabulary to connect their experiences in Panama with a variety of disciplines as they transition to life on campus in Austin.
Program Dates
2025 Program Dates
| Arrival | August 21, 2025 |
| Classes Start | August 25, 2025 |
| Classes End and Departure | December 8, 2025 |
Costs and Financial Aid
The total cost of the program for 2025 is $20,168 and includes all registration fees and tuition, overseas insurance, flights, passport, visa, pre-departure costs, housing, excursions, meals, and estimated personal expenses during the semester abroad.
You will be able to apply for federal and institutional financial aid to cover a portion or all costs of this program.
Application
The application for Fall 2025 opens is now open. The deadline to apply is December 1.