Proposal Process

Penn Abroad accepts new proposals for Penn Global Seminars each year. Proposers must have a faculty appointment within an academic department and be able to roster the course within a department or program. Seminars are offered at the undergraduate level only and cannot enroll graduate students. Before proposing a Penn Global Seminar, faculty must schedule a meeting with the PGS team. Meetings can be scheduled by emailing [email protected].

The deadline to submit a proposal is September 30.

A complete proposal includes the following:

Proposal Review

Penn Global Seminars proposals are reviewed during the fall term by a committee made up of Penn Global staff and representatives from each of Penn’s four undergraduate Schools. The committee looks to approve courses that fulfill the following criteria:

• The faculty leader has significant experience and expertise in the program location 
• The course aligns with strategic curricular or global goals of the department and School 
• The course will provide value to students’ overall academic experience and will enrich and diversify their Penn education 
• The topic of the course is interesting and accessible to a broad range of student backgrounds 
• The proposed travel itinerary takes advantage of the specific location, including local people, sites, and cultures 
• The proposed travel itinerary will add significant pedagogical value to the course 
• The travel location is unique, well-suited to the topic of study, and offers the opportunity for significant cultural exchange and immersion 
• The course has the potential to run more than once

Previous Penn Global Seminars

Looking for inspiration as you develop your proposal? Review past Course Offerings by Term, or explore Penn Global Seminar features in Penn Today:

Penn Today: The science of winemaking

Penn Today: Turning bicycles into an engineering study tool

Penn Today: Recording oral histories in rural Uganda

Penn Today: In ‘Sacred Stuff,’ students explore religion through material culture

Penn Today: Penn Global Seminar offers a look at Italy’s Palermo in Empires, Migrations, and Mafia

Penn Today: China, UAE, and the race to stop climate change

Contact Us

Do you have an idea for PGS that you would like to discuss with Penn Global Seminars staff? Do you have a question about eligibility requirements or the role of a faculty leader? Let’s talk! Please reach out to [email protected] to start the conversation. 

Faculty interested in leading a Penn Global Seminar are encouraged to sign up for our newsletter and indicate your interest in PGS. Joining our mailing list is also a great way to stay connected with updates from Penn Abroad.