Language Requirement: None
Academic Standing by Program Start: Sophomore
Location: Africa, Tanzania
GPA: 2.5
Applications for Summer close on 03/15/2026

Program Overview

This immersive 5-week summer program offers University of Oregon students a transformative experience, exploring social justice, human rights, race, gender, ethnicity, and identity in Tanzania. Hosted at the Training Center for Development Cooperation (TCDC) in Arusha and the United African Alliance Community Center (UAACC), students will earn 8 credits through academic courses and hands-on fieldwork.

Students will engage with local NGOs and other organizations on critical topics in global development, legal advocacy, and ethnic diversity. The curriculum examines race, gender, ethnicity, and identity, particularly within East African and diasporic contexts, deepening students' understanding of cultural diversity and shared global challenges.

Students will participate in collaborative projects, interactive workshops with local leaders, and meaningful exchanges with Tanzanian youth. Students will also learn basic Kiswahili.  Students will be     immersed in local culture through workshops on topics such as African art, community service projects, and dialogue sessions. Students will participate in several excursions including to Tarangire National Park for a safari, a Maasai Mari village, local markets, the African Court on Human and Peoples Rights' and International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals. The program will  provide adventure and context, enriching the overall experience. 

Dates and Deadlines

Term Year Deadline Arrival Date Departure Date
Summer 2026 03/15/2026 6/20/2026 7/25/2026
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Hear from Our Students

Embracing the Local Culture and Community in Tanzania

Two people standing in the background looking at bracelets on a tree
Kate, a student from the University of Oregon in America, shares her experience studying abroad in Tanzania. She chose this program because it was in Tanzania, a country in Africa that not many… read more

Tanzania: A Transformative Experience

Person doing a yoga pose in front of a Tanzania sunset
Shaye Beardsley, a University of Oregon student in the human rights and social justice program studying to be a lawyer, shares their transformative experience in Tanzania, where they gained a more… read more

Discount for Pell Recipients

To expand access to study abroad, GEO is offering a $500 discount for this program to UO students who currently have the Pell Grant as part of their federal financial aid (FAFSA).

Academic Details

Academic Coursework

Two required courses will be offered to all program participants (8 credits total).

Development and Human Rights in East Africa(4 credits): Satisfies GLBL 445/545: Development and Social Change in sub-Saharan Africa AND Legal Studies Campus Partner Elective credits.

This four-credit course takes students beyond the classroom and into the field to explore how global concepts of development and human rights are experienced and enacted in East Africa.  Students will work directly with a local NGO, participate in community-based projects and reflect how human rights and development theories apply in real-world contexts. This course combines classroom discussions with on-hands practical experience.  

Draft syllabus: file:///C:/Users/dbeegun/Downloads/Student%20Syllabus%20Development%20and%20Human%20Rights%20in%20East%20AfrIca%20DRAFT.pdf

Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Race, Ethnicity, Gender and Identity(4 credits): Satisfies GLBL 345: Africa Today: Issues and Concerns OR GLBL 415/515: The Global Story of Race AND Legal Studies Campus Partner Elective credits 

This four-credit course offers an examination of African and diasporic identities, emphasizing Tanzanian ethnic diversity, historical legacies of colonization, and contemporary race relations. Taught by Dr. Irene Mkini, Gender and Development expert and Faculty at the TCDC.

Syllabus: https://geo.uoregon.edu/sites/default/files/2025-05/Cross-Cultural%20Perspectives%20Race%20Ethnicity%20and%20Identity%20Tanzania%20Syllabus.pdf

 

 

Course Equivalencies

UO students: please refer to the UO Course Equivalency Process and the UO Office of the Registrar Course Equivalency Database.

Non-UO students: Actual credit awarded is determined by the relevant department at your university in consultation with the study abroad office. Check with your study abroad advisor for more information.

Faculty and Staff

Resident Director

Your resident director in Tanzania will be Ryan Lorenz. Ryan brings extensive experience and a deep connection to the region. A former Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya during the 1980s, Ryan has been working with communities in northern Tanzania since 1992. For over 30 years, Ryan has worked in study abroad program development delivering exceptional, student-focused experiences in multiple countries.

Ryan will be the on-site point person for the duration of the program, providing support including pick-up and drop-off of students at the local airport in Arusha, accompanying the group on excursions, as well as helping students with cultural adjustment and guiding them through the program experience. Ryan’s mission is to elevate your learning and cultural exchange through meaningful experiences. 

Housing Description

Students will spend three weeks on the TCDC campus and two-weeks on the UAACC campus.  Hostel accommodations include:

TCDC & UAACC

  • Shared bedrooms
  • Access to shared living area and bathrooms
  • Access to laundry facilities
  • Bed linens and towels
  • Cleaning service
  • Access to Wi-Fi
  • Daily meals provided [@ UAACC full board, @ TCDC morning tea, lunch, dinner]
  • Drinking water
  • Hot running water

UAACC

  • Village setting in an agricultural setting
  • Peaceful walks
  • Indoor and outdoor meeting spaces and classrooms
  • Social space "Red Onion" to meet, socialize and share ideas with the resident community and visitors
  • Spiritual retreat "Heshima Land" within walking distance
  • Recording studio for the musically-inclined
  • Basketball court
  • Soccer field nearby
  • Dance and music workshops
  • Mural painting available

TCDC

  • Campus setting
  • Restaurant, café and bar
  • Social spaces
  • Lush gardens and peaceful walks
  • Multiple visitor groups at times promoting knowledge sharing and friendships
  • Computer lab
  • Indoor and outdoor meeting spaces and classrooms
  • Library resources
  • Sports and leisure facilities


 

 

Budget and Price

Social Justice and Human Rights in Tanzania

2026 Summer

GEO Program Fees
UO Study Abroad Fee $500
Program Tuition $5,332
Housing & Included Meals $1,042
Local Transportation $375
Insurance $126
Estimated Additional Expenses
Estimated Airfare from Eugene $2,800
Estimated Additional Meals $350
Estimated Cell Phone Expenses $100
Estimated Travel Clinic & Pre-departure physical** $50
Estimated Cost of Immunizations $750
Estimated Cost of acquiring passport $150
Estimated Additional Living Expenses $200
Total
Sub-Total: GEO Program Fes (Billed to UO Student Account) $7,375
Sub-Total: Estimated Additional Expenses $4,400
Total Estimated Cost of Participation $11,775

Included in Program Costs: Program tuition, medical insurance, pre-departure orientation, on-site support, excursions, housing, local transportation, some meals, course materials.

**Non-UO Students: Travel clinic & health center fees vary by campus.

* Non-UO Students: study abroad fees and application fees vary by campus; check with your home campus study abroad office.

Please visit GEO Billing Information for information about how you will be billed and when payments are due.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellation Date Cancellation Penalty
Upon acceptance to program

Student agrees to $500 non-refundable program deposit
11 weeks before program start date

Student is responsible for 20% of total GEO program fees
Cancelling within 8 weeks of the program start date

Student is responsible for 55% of total GEO program fees
Cancelling on or after the program start date

Student is responsible for 100% of total GEO program fees
Note that scholarship funds are not able to be applied to program deposit.

IMPORTANT: The GEO Cancellation Policy is effective from the time a student agrees to pay their non-refundable program deposit or electronically signs the program commitment form, regardless of application or acceptance status. It is essential to read this policy before a potential cancellation takes place, to fully understand the withdrawal and cancellation penalties, and to understand what it means financially to commit to a study abroad program.

Students who cancel their participation must notify GEO in writing. Email is acceptable (geoinfo@uoregon.edu). Verbal notification to GEO or notification given to a non-UO campus study abroad office is not sufficient.

For full details, see the complete GEO Cancellation Policy.

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