Copenhagen, Denmark: Energy and the Environment, Health and Well-being

Program Dates

Costs and Financial Aid

The total cost of the program for Fall 2025 is $30,627 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 is now open.  You must indicate your interest in this program on your UT Austin application. You will then receive a supplementary application in your MyStatus portal. The deadline to apply to UT Austin is December 1, 2024 and the supplemental application for Take the World by the Horns must be received by December 11, 2024.

Health and Well-being

Experience the unique cultural concept of “hygge” in the city that ranks No. 2 in the world for quality of life. In Copenhagen, immerse yourself in Danish culture while navigating modern urban design in a city that dates back to the 11th century. Take the World by the Horns takes you outside the classroom and into research centers, clinics and public spaces to experience the systems that foster wellness firsthand.

You will enroll in four courses offered by our partner, DIS Copenhagen, that focus on broader aspects of Danish life, including Danish language and culture. DIS courses combine traditional classroom instruction with engaging visits to local sites. You will also travel outside of Denmark to experience and compare U.S. and Danish healthcare to other international systems.

There is no language requirement for participation. A Scandinavian language and culture course will be incorporated throughout the semester and will 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 Take the World by the Horns Copenhagen courses are integrated into the degree plans for students in the College of Liberal Arts, Moody College of Communication, College of Education, School of Information, Cockrell School of Engineering, College of Fine Arts (Arts, Entertainment, and Technologies only), School of Nursing, Steve Hicks School of Social Work, and College of Natural Sciences (not including Computer Science and Statistics and Data Science).  

The courses offered will vary depending on your major.  

Liberal Arts, Education, Communication, Information, Social Work, Fine Arts (AET)

Engineering, Natural Sciences, Nursing

The learning experience in this program will introduce students to Danish culture in order to understand how Danes view wellness and how it influences their healthcare system. Students will then compare this approach to the healthcare system of neighboring Scandinavian countries Sweden and Norway.

• “Healthcare Systems: A Comparative Approach” examines how various healthcare systems are organized and financed in Denmark and Northern Europe. The course includes visits to healthcare sites in Sweden and Norway.
• “Environmental Impacts of Humans” focuses on the effects of the environment on human health within the paradigms of civilization and ideologies.
• “The Good Life” explores European philosophical perspectives of what it means to live the fullest and richest life, delivering insights that students can use to inform their understanding of healthcare and well-being.
• “Danish Language and Culture” will emphasize the cultural components of life in Denmark to give students tools to better understand and communicate with the Danish peers and colleagues they meet.
• “Principles of Chemistry I” will provide a foundational understanding of chemistry concepts, including gases, electronic structure and periodic trends, classical bonding, VSEPR, Lewis Dot structures, quantum, VB and MO theories, polarity, intermolecular forces, liquids, solids and thermodynamics. Intended for engineering and CNS majors.
• “Differential and Integral Calculus” covers elementary topics in the theory of real-valued functions of a real variable: limits, continuity, derivatives, maxima and minima, integration, area under a curve, volumes of revolution, trigonometric, logarithmic and exponential functions, and techniques of integration. Intended for engineering and CNS majors.
• “Foundations of Data Analysis” provides an introduction to data analysis and statistical methods. Topics may include: random sampling; principles of observational study and experimental design; data summaries and graphics; and statistical models and inference, including the simple linear regression model and one-way analysis of variance. Intended for nursing majors. 

Energy and the Environment

Beginning in Fall 2025, students can also explore how Copenhagen serves as a global center of sustainability, examining the impact of humans on the environment and how Denmark has invested in renewable energy sources like wind power. Students will also learn more about how the Danish integrate sustainable practices into their everyday lifestyle. The courses offered will vary depending on students’ majors.

You will enroll in four courses offered by our partner, DIS Copenhagen, that focus on broader aspects of Danish life, including Danish language and culture. DIS courses combine traditional classroom instruction with engaging visits to local sites. You will also travel outside of Denmark to visit renewable energy and conservation sites.

There is no language requirement for participation. A Scandinavian language and culture course will be incorporated throughout the semester and will 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.