Imagine if your college experience spanned across continents.
Studying conservation after experiencing the beauty of Sri Lanka’s Horton Plains National Park. Living in the international business hub of Sydney, Australia, as you study global supply chain management. Practicing your Spanish over a home-cooked meal with your host family in Merida, Mexico.
Butler didn’t just imagine a global degree—it made it a reality.
In August 2025, the University announced Butler Overseas: an undergraduate degree program that combines rigorous academics with immersive cultural experiences. Students live and learn in six continents in three years, engaging in place-based learning alongside classmates from around the world.
“Butler Overseas provides a transformative opportunity for students seeking a global college experience that opens doors to the world,” says Butler University President James Danko. “As global challenges continue to grow, we need well-educated, culturally fluent leaders who can collaborate across borders to create meaningful solutions. Butler Overseas is designed for highly motivated students who want to make a lasting impact.”
Its first two majors, Environmental Studies and International Business, were chosen for their global relevance and demand. Students select one major and minor in the other.
Using a unique hybrid approach, the degree integrates online courses taught by Butler faculty while students are abroad with in-person instruction by local faculty from the Institute for Study Abroad (IFSA).
Like any other Bulldog, Butler Overseas students will find that the program offers all the same resources, such as advising and career mentorship, hands-on internships, service learning opportunities, and more. Thanks to the University’s long history of nationally recognized study abroad programs and a 30-year partnership with IFSA, students can also expect a robust infrastructure of support in the areas of health, safety, and well-being while abroad.
“This partnership creates an exciting new opportunity to expand our commitment to helping each student advance toward their academic, professional, and personal goals with impactful global experiences,” says Heather Barclay Hamir, Ph.D., IFSA President and CEO.
Through Butler Overseas, students go beyond a “tourist” experience, prioritizing immersion, intercultural competence, and a curriculum that’s rooted in local significance. The entire program was also designed around the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), empowering students to become informed and engaged leaders in environmental stewardship.
“Butler Overseas gives our students an extraordinary chance to integrate Butler’s small-class, relationship-rich education while using the world as the classroom,” Jill McKinney, Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs and Director of Global Engagement, says. “These one-of-a-kind global degrees allow students to explore the world through immersive experiences while maintaining the academic quality and close mentorship that define a Butler education.”
The inaugural cohort will embark on its journey across Butler Overseas’ eight locations in 2027, starting on Butler’s campus for an intentional time of preparation and bonding as they begin their coursework. Students will return to Butler’s campus each summer of the three-year program, with a short-term African experience in the second summer.
Adventurous, resilient, globally minded students are invited to apply beginning on August 1, 2026.
Learn more about Butler Overseas.