LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION

English

COURSE LOAD 

1 course, 3 credits

COURSE OFFERINGS

You will select one of the following:

• Earth and Environmental Science 0842 Sustainable Environments (3 credits)
  • Fulfills GenEd Science & Technology.
• Earth and Environmental Science 4200 Topics in Geoscience (3 credits)

ACADEMIC PROGRAM

This course deepens your understanding of sustainability by exploring the Faroe Islands’ path toward its 2030 carbon-neutral goal through visits to renewable energy installations. You will investigate how the aquaculture and fishing industries recover from overfishing and adapt to climate change, while examining sustainable tourism initiatives that balance economic growth with environmental protection. Engaging with local communities through traditional Heimablídni meals will provide firsthand insight into subsistence practices, demonstrating how geography, culture, and necessity shape environmental decision-making. Ultimately, you will discover how communities navigating environmental crises chart pathways toward recovery, gaining the critical perspectives needed to tackle pressing sustainability challenges in Philadelphia and beyond.

Situated in the heart of the North Atlantic Ocean between Scotland and Iceland, the Faroe Islands are an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, consisting of 18 volcanic islands with a population of approximately 54,000 people.

Explore the Faroe Islands!

The Faroe Islands are characterized by a sub-polar oceanic climate, deep fjords, and a striking, vertical terrain: sheer sea cliffs drop sharply into the ocean, while dramatic, windswept green valleys are carved out by cascading waterfalls like the famous Múlafossur.

Despite their isolation, they boast a highly modern economy connected by an advanced system of sub-sea tunnels and ferries, and nearly 100% cellular coverage. This unique setting provides a real-world example of the tension between economic survival and environmental carrying capacity, as the nation's economy is overwhelmingly dependent on the ocean, with aquaculture and fisheries accounting for nearly 90% of exports. The Faroe Islands serve as an ideal living laboratory for studying energy sustainability because the islands function as a closed loop; unlike mainland Europe, they cannot simply import green energy when the wind
stops blowing. This forces confrontation with the realities of grid stability and storage solutions.

On this program, you will have front-row access to their push for “100 by 2030,” one of the world’s most ambitious targets for 100% renewable electricity, witnessing firsthand the wind farms, hydropower systems, and experimental tidal energy projects attempting to make this transition possible. Furthermore, situated at the intersection of the Gulf Stream and Arctic currents, the islands act as a bellwether for climate change, making global shifts in ocean temperatures and biodiversity immediately visible

View the map of the Faroe Islands.

Course Duration: January – May (with required travel to the Faroe Islands in May) 

Tentative International Travel Dates

Do not use the above dates to book your flight, as they are tentative and subject to change. Accepted students will receive confirmed program dates and flight booking guidelines from Education Abroad before making travel plans.  

Program participants are required to be present for the entire length of the program, from the official arrival date through the program end date.

Housing type: Hotel or Hostel

Basic hotel (shared, single-sex bedrooms) in the Faroe Islands for the duration of the program. If you have documented accommodation with Disability Resources & Services for a single room, please contact Education Abroad when you apply for the program. 

PROGRAM DEPOSIT

Students will pay a non-refundable program deposit of $400 within 2 weeks of acceptance to the program. This non-refundable deposit is credited to your program fees as a prepayment. 

TUITION AND FEES

Temple students pay their usual spring semester tuition and fees by school/college and residency.

All students pay:

• Global Seminars Program Fee: $2,500 (Includes airfare, housing, required program activities, and some meals abroad.)

For complete details about billable costs and estimates for non-billable expenses while abroad. 

View detailed program costs.

SCHOLARSHIPS AND FINANCIAL AID

Learn more about scholarships and financial aid.

Staying healthy and safe abroad requires good planning and strong support. Review our health and safety page for important steps to prepare to study abroad, and details about international travel medical insurance and assistance provided by Temple. 

• You are enrolled as a full-time matriculated student at the time of application until the end of the Global Seminar.
• You will have completed at least one (1) semester of college-level study by the program start.

• You meet the minimum cumulative GPA requirement from all colleges/universities attended. The GPA requirement for Temple Global Seminars is 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.
• You remain in good academic standing from the time of application until the start of the semester of the Global Seminar; students on academic warning are not eligible to participate.

A copy of your passport will be required by the October 15 commitment deadline .Your passport cannot expire for at least 6 months after you return from your trip abroad. 

You must be in good disciplinary standing at the time of application and remain so through the start of your travel abroad. Students who have been found responsible for a code of conduct violation and will not be in good disciplinary standing (including disciplinary probation) may submit a petition for review.

You are at least 18 years old at the time of application.