In May 2027, Western Carolina University is offering a faculty-led course trip to visit Botswana for the first time! Botswana, and Africa as a whole, is a rare destination, and a faculty-led trip there for students to travel with a familiar group and interact with local students, faculty and professionals is a precious opportunity that is generally not available even if they visit there as tourists.
Two summer courses — ENGR 365 Global Engineering and Technology and HIST 308 Explorations in Regional History — are open to both WCU students and students from other institutions, and are taught by experienced WCU faculty (Dr. Yanjun Yan and Dr. Gael Graham have led students together to visit Japan and Bulgaria multiple times, and had their site visit in Botswana in 2026). Learn more about courses offered, itinerary, costs, how to enroll, and related link.
These courses are perfect for students who want to accelerate their degree progress, earn affordable transfer credit, and enjoy travelling—without giving up summer flexibility (after the trip concludes, the post-trip assignments are submitted online, and students can still take other summer courses, do internships, or extend this trip with their personal travel). ENGR 365 is part of WCU’s Electrical Engineering program, an ABET-accredited degree program. ENGR 365 and HIST 308 are also both part of WCU’s Liberal Studies program.
At a Glance
✅ Travel to Botswana from May 8 to May 28, 2027
✅ Open to WCU and visiting students
✅ Affordable costs (only pay for travel costs and fees, no tuitions)
✅ Ideal for degree acceleration
✅ Transfer‑friendly (verify with your home institution)
COURSES OFFERED
ENGR 365 – Global Engineering and Technology (3 credits)
The students will gain fundamental skills and cultural responsiveness in engineering and technology on a multidisciplinary team in a global context. Focus is given to effective communication (across different cultures and either synchronous or asynchronous), clear understanding of engineering standards, knowledge of project development process, commitment to ethics, professionalism, interdisciplinary team-work and equality, and appreciation for global interconnectedness of various practices.
HIST 308 – Explorations in Regional History (3 credits)
The course introduces students to a distinctive body of knowledge and to the tools of historical inquiry that shape and define it. History locates people and events in space and time, explaining change and continuity, and the diversity of forces shaping events, institutions, and value systems. This course will introduce students to the history and culture of Botswana, a southern African nation whose history is generally not encountered by American students at any level. Students will gain knowledge of the broad sweep of Botswana history, with greater emphasis on the recent past (last 100) years.
AFFORDABLE COURSE COSTS
For travel courses, the students, no matter in-state or out-of-state, pay for a flat rate for travel costs and fees, without tuitions. The deposit of $500 should be paid soon to secure your spot and is refundable by Feb 1, 2027 if plan changes, and then the remaining costs of the trip will be paid by mid-Apr, 2027. The travel costs are firmed up using the actual bookings between Feb and Apr, 2027, as well as the estimated remaining costs during the trip, to keep the costs minimum. The more students join, the lower the per-person costs. The estimated costs are reflected at costs, with the actual costs not exceeding this estimate.
HOW TO ENROLL
To ensure proper planning, especially for transient students, interested students are strongly encouraged to enroll and apply by Dec 1, 2026. WCU students enroll through wcuglobal.via-trm.com/program_brochure/18200 after logging in using the WCU Portal. Visiting/non-WCU students apply to be a non-degree student and then enroll at wcuglobal.via-trm.com/program_brochure/18200. All students should also respond to this Qualtrics survey that will provide the information needed for the instructors.
→ If you are a WCU Student:
Apply directly through wcuglobal.via-trm.com/program_brochure/18200 using your WCU credentials. Two courses are offered on one trip with one application, and the WCU Global Office will follow up to enroll students into the class in late spring 2027, and students do NOT need to enroll into the course by themselves.
– Apply for the program, ENGR 365 + HIST 308: Botswana, officially.
– Respond to this this Qualtrics survey to inform the instructors.
→If you are a Non‑WCU Student/Visiting Student:
– Respond to this this Qualtrics survey to inform the instructors.
– Apply as a Non‑Degree (Transient/Visiting) Student at WCU (Requires application fee.)
– Receive WCU credentials (allow up to 2 weeks).
– Apply for the program, ENGR 365 + HIST 308: Botswana, officially.
ENGR 365, as a liberal studies course, is in the P6 World Culture category and an Upper Level Perspective (ULP) course for non-Engineering students. ENGR 365 may be also approved as a technical elective on a case by case basis. HIST 308 is in the P6 History category and it is an ULP for non-History students. Transient students are responsible for verifying the courses will transfer to their institutions.
RELATED LINKS
QUESTIONS
Email Dr. Yanjun Yan at yyan@wcu.edu.
ENGR 365 + HIST 308: Botswana Official Application
Qualtrics Survey to Instructors
Apply to be Visiting/Non-Degree Student