LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION

English

COURSE LOAD 

1 course, 3 credits

COURSE OFFERINGS

You will take the following course:

• Engineering 3033 Entrepreneurial Engineering (3 credits)

ACADEMIC PROGRAM

This course is specifically designed to introduce  you to the ideas and concepts of entrepreneurship, helping you recognize the entrepreneurial potential within yourself and others in your environment while linking the entrepreneur's spirit with the engineer's mind and discipline. Throughout this experience, you will gain a deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing any entrepreneur from the initial start-up phase through running and growing a business, creating a clear picture of how technology unlocks diverse opportunity paths in today's economic and global environment.

As you progress, you will develop an active awareness of how to detect, understand, and develop product and service opportunities while mastering the different business, legal, regulatory, and human challenges that confront a company every day. By learning to decipher case studies and command the basic accounting, marketing, sales, negotiating, communication, and intellectual property tools of business, you will ultimately learn the critical importance of a business plan and how to create one to raise money and secure vital support for your venture.

Located on the Pacific coast of Central America, Panama City is the capital and largest city in Panama, with a population of approximately 1.5 million people. 

Explore Panama City!

Panama City is one of the region's great historic and modern hubs, and the possibilities are endless for you to make the most of your experience. Whether you are interested in visiting Casco Antiguo, the historic colonial quarter and a UNESCO World Heritage site, the engineering marvel of the Panama Canal, modern high-rise districts, coastal rainforest parks, or vibrant local markets, Panama City has it all. There are, of course, the well-known sights, some of which you will be seeing on class excursions, but others left to you to explore. Its multicultural identity is a blend of Indigenous, Spanish, Afro-Panamanian, Caribbean, and Asian influences, reflected in local festivals, food, architecture, music, and traditions.

The unique geographic and institutional makeup of Panama City provides a real-world living laboratory for exploring engineering entrepreneurship and scaling up sustainable water solutions across diverse communities. Panama offers a robust and dynamic ecosystem connected to water governance, climate resilience, and technological innovation. Centered around the innovative hub of the City of Knowledge (Ciudad del Saber), the city sits at the intersection of public, private, and multilateral action. You will engage with major practitioners ranging from government institutions to global bodies and United Nations agencies, as well as pioneering research organizations. 

By linking the entrepreneur's spirit with the engineer's discipline, this program goes beyond isolated community models. Through site visits, expert talks, and problem-driven interactions, you will study how engineering firms, tech providers, social enterprises, and NGOs design, fund, and deploy scalable water treatment and rural access systems in a changing world.

View the map of Panama City. 

Course Duration: January – March (with required Spring Break travel to Panama) 

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 or hostel (shared, single-sex bedrooms) in Panama City 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 spring tuition bill 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: TBD (Includes airfare, housing, required program activities, and some meals abroad.)
  • The program fee is heavily supported by departmental funds to keep student costs low.
• Additional Expenses Not Included:
  • Additional Meals
  • Personal Expenses
  • Passport
  • Smart Phone

FINANCIAL AID

Learn more about 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.