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Study Abroad Spotlight:

Emily Wible, Class of 2010

I spent a semester in Zurich, a city in Switzerland, with two other women engineering students from Penn. While there, I took master’s classes in drug delivery, biosensors, and tissue engineering, which gave me a great perspective on some of the specialties within bioengineering and complemented Penn education.

On the weekends, I traveled: to Munich, Berlin, Prague, Venice, Paris, the French Riviera, Oslo. In Switzerland, I explored the French Alps near Lausanne, went white water rafting, spent a week walking in the Swiss Alps. All in all, my study abroad was the best experience I ever had—a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Dan Irwin, Class of 2010

I am from Cleveland, Ohio, and had never been outside of North America before I decided to study abroad. I spent part of the summer and the fall semester of my junior year, from July until December 1, in Australia. For me, the best part of the experience was traveling: to Sydney, the entire East Coast, to the outback and the Great Barrier Reef. I went white water rafting over a 20-foot waterfall, surfing, black water rafting, and spelunking outside of Sydney. Studying abroad was an amazing experience.

Studying Abroad

All Bioengineering students are encouraged to study abroad for a summer, a semester, or even a full year. The courses that students choose to enroll in can be used towards their BE degree requirements, if pre-approved. Therefore, students do not have to worry about falling behind in their studies. Approximately 13 percent of the class of 2009 participated in some sort of study abroad experience. Our departmental goal is to have 25 percent of all BE students studying abroad before they graduate.

Studying Abroad

Students pursuing a BSE, BAS, dual degree and/or fulfilling premed requirements are all encouraged to explore the Penn Abroad Programs. It helps to start planning early. Note: premeds cannot fulfill premed requirements abroad.

Commonly asked questions about studying abroad:

When: Junior year is most common (one semester or a full year).
Where: Anywhere you want. Places students have studied recently include Australia, England, France, Spain, Hong Kong, and Switzerland.

How: You can take BE courses abroad to satisfy BE requirements after meeting with the BE study abroad advisor.

Study Abroad Advising

Dr. Daniel Bogen advises all bioengineering undergraduates interested in studying abroad. Students must meet with him in order to approve courses to be sure that they satisfy degree requirements. For logistics and any other approval, you must go to Penn's Office of International Programs.