ISDSI offers immersive semester programs in Thailand that combine rigorous academics with hands-on, field-based learning. Along with our Culture, Ecology, and Community (CEC) and Society and Culture of Thailand (SCT) programs, we also host other programs, supporting customized semesters that immerse students in Thailand’s diverse cultural, social, and ecological landscapes. Whether through our own programs or those we host, students gain a deeper understanding of global issues through experiential, place-based learning.

Orphaned and Vulnerable Children in The Global South

The Orphaned and Vulnerable Children in the Global South semester at ISDSI combines academic study with hands-on experience in child welfare. Students explore Thai language, history, and policies alongside critical issues like human trafficking and foster care. A field placement with local organizations provides practical application, while discussions on faith and self-care support ethical engagement in sustainable development.

MSID: Minnesota Studies in International Development

ISDSI is the Thailand partner for the University of Minnesota‘s MSID: International Development in Thailand. This is a great program focused on teaching students about community development through a semester at ISDSI combining coursework with a community development internship.

Kalamazoo College Thailand

ISDSI also runs the Kalamazoo College: Thailand Program focusing on a deep dive into the cultures and environment of Thailand. The K Thailand program integrates our Culture, Ecology, and Community semester with a final six week internship following the fall semester.

Lewis and Clark College: Thailand

The Lewis and Clark semester in Thailand is 16 weeks long, based in the 700 year old city of Chiang Mai. The semester also includes weekly excursions in and around Chiang Mai, as well as three multi-day excursions, including to a lowland Thai village, an upland indigenous community, and to a community in Southern Thai coasts and islands.