Rwanda Study Abroad 2025

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Program Contacts

Valerie Thomas
ISyE, Anderson-Interface Chair of Natural Systems and Professor
Tony Giarrusso
CRP, Senior Research Scientist and Associate Director, Center for Spatial Planning Analytics and Visualization
Chris Ippolito
African Studies Minor Advisor and Professor, School of Modern Languages

Program Link

Program Application

Description

The Rwanda Study Abroad: Sustainable Development program engages students in a semester-long sustainable development learning experience. Students will begin working on sustainable development projects at the beginning of the semester and will travel to Rwanda during spring break to meet with Rwandan students, entrepreneurs, and government officials to learn about development challenges first hand and to develop context for their project learning. After the visit, students will continue their projects and complete them by the end of the semester.

In addition to project work, students will visit national universities, private companies, renewable energy sites, and a national park while in Rwanda to learn about challenges in energy development, agriculture, and wildlife conservation. They will also study the history, culture, and conservation efforts under way during visits to museums, memorials, and discussions with Rwandan students, faculty, business professionals, and government officials.

2023 Rwanda Study Abroad Participants

Dates: March 15 – March 22, 2025
Location: Kigali and Musanze, Rwanda.
Accommodations: Students will stay in double-occupancy hotel rooms during the international component of the program.

Rwanda Agricultural Board’s Kinigi Station, Musanze, Rwanda. View of Volcanoes National Park in the background.

A typical market in Rwanda.

Corn is growing in the valley and up the hill; bananas are growing on the hillside. Agricultural workers can be seen in the valley.

A visit to the GigaWatt Solar power plant in Rwanda. Valerie Thomas, Paul Rugambwa, GigaWatt Solar engineer, and Jonathan Colton.

Courses

Each of these courses has a Rwanda Study Abroad Section:

ISYE 6701 – Energy Technology and Policy
ISYE 4501 – Energy, Efficiency and Sustainability
CP 4510 – Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems
FREN 4103 Francophone Africa (Modern Languages)
FREN 6103 Francophone Africa (Modern Languages)
FREN 4699 Undergraduate Research
VIP Africa Serve Learn Sustain

Note: This is an embedded course program. An Embedded Program is an Atlanta-based course that includes a travel component. The majority of the class takes place in Atlanta. Students must register for the Study Abroad section of one of the courses for the spring semester.

Prerequisites: ISYE 6701 and FREN 6103 are graduate courses. ISYE 4501, CP 4510, FREN 4103, FREN 4699 and VIP Africa SLS are undergraduate courses.

Cost

The deposit is $500, which goes toward the program fee.
The program fee is approximately $3,250. Fee include: round trip airfare, hotel (double occupancy), all meals, visa, cultural and business site visits, and in-country transportation. Out of pocket costs include transportation to and from the Atlanta airport, transit costs, and spending money while in Rwanda. Former participants spent anywhere from 50$ – 250$ dollars while in Rwanda, primarily on souvenirs.
3 hours tuition at Georgia Tech, and other Tech fees.

Requirements

a grade of B or above in the study abroad class before plane tickets will be purchased
a valid passport (U.S. passport cards are not valid)

Meetings

Informational meeting will be held in early January. Check out the 2023 Study Abroad StoryMap created by the six study abroad participants.

Please contact one of the program directors to learn more.