By: Tom O’Donnell, Lions Eye Staff Editor, two5047@psu.edu (updated by the Lion’s Eye Web Staff)

Penn State Brandywine offers students a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to expand their education internationally with the study abroad trips.

In the fall of 2015, Penn State Brandywine offered the trip to Paris. In the spring of 2016, Penn State Brandywine will be offering a trip to Ireland for interested students. Students are able to travel to international locations and receive credits and a grade for taking classes.

Penn State Brandywine offers students two opportunities to take advantage of these trips: one trip in the fall and another in the spring, each for a week as part of an existing class. Previous locations have included London, Greece and Italy.

“Taking the trip to Italy was one of the best experiences of my life.” PSU Brandywine alumni Jimmy Bevan said. “I learned many things in the classes while experiencing another country’s culture,”

Typically trips cost approximately $2,000 or less. There are also additional excursions available at an extra cost. Traveling during the off season allows Brandywine to keep the cost of the trips low. Students are also able to bring down the cost even more with the assistance of a scholarship offered by Brandywine.

The classes abroad are all taught in English so students needn’t worry if they do not speak another language. There are also several teachers on the trip able to interpret the native language for students.

Students from other Penn State campuses enrolled in the same classes will also be on the trip.

Penn State Brandywine began offering the week-long trips in 1996 in order to broaden student’s view of the world and other cultures.

Students must enroll in up to two general education classes to participate in. Some of the classes offered include: ARTH 100/INART 001; HDFS 431; KINES 081; LING 100, MGMT 445/499, PHIL 001 and PHIL 006.

To register for the Penn State Brandywine Global Programs, students must first complete a Drop/Add form showing approval of both instructor and adviser. Students who wish to enroll in two classes must have permission from the Director of Academic Affairs. All details are available at http://brandywine.psu.edu/global-programs.

For more information regarding the trips, feel free to contact Lisa Yanonis at lay10@psu.edu or Dr. Paul Greene at pdg4@psu.edu.