Study Abroad with Penn State Abington
Spring 2025: Literature and Empire: Identity, Culture, and Self in Ghana
As the first sub-Saharan African country to regain its independence from colonization by the British, Ghana is an important country to study and visit when exploring post-colonial literary traditions.
On this faculty-led program, you will see and learn about Ghanaian culture with trips to historical sites such as the UNESCO Cape Coast Castle and visits to local markets, the capital Accra, the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum, and the W.E.B. DuBois Center for Pan African Culture.
And with Ghana’s rich social and cultural traditions, you will be immersed in the complicated questions of gender, ethnicity, and nationality that arise in the imperial context and see how authors from these former British colonies set about defining personal and national senses of self in the wake of the empire.
You will also form relationships with members of a rural village as you engage in a community service learning partnership with a local school.
Ghana Flag
Travel Itinerary (subject to change)
- Day 1 Depart from Philadelphia International Airport
- Day 2 Arrive in Accra, Travel to Cape Coast, Visit Cape Coast Beach
- Day 3 Explore Kakum National Park, Tour Cape Coast Castle (UNESCO site)
- Day 4 Depart Cape Coast for village
- Day 5 Ewe language lessons, Community service learning in village
- Day 6 Community service learning in village
- Day 7 Tour local market, Kente weaving lessons, Community service learning in village
- Day 8 Community service learning in village
- Day 9 Attend closing ceremony in village, Depart to Accra, Visit University of Ghana and attend author talk
- Day 10 Tour Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum, W.E.B. DuBois Centre for Pan African Culture, and Accra Arts Centre
- Day 11 Depart for Philadelphia
Ghana people inside a restaurant
Expenses
International program costs, estimated at $3,000–$4,000 (subject to change), will be applied to your bursar account upon enrollment in the course, and are charged in addition to tuition paid. Grants and scholarship monies may be retroactively available through Penn State. Underwriting for each program is provided by Penn State Abington to maximize opportunities for our students to study abroad. Program costs include round-trip airfare, local ground transportation, all lodging, and some meals.
A valid passport is required for international travel. Non-U.S. citizens may require a visa in addition to their passport. Non-U.S. citizens should consult their embassy for information and may ask the Office of Global Programs for guidance.
Ghana town landscape
About Embedded Courses
The goal of the courses with an international travel component is to embed the students into the life and culture of the university and the country they visit. Therefore, including international faculty and students at the host institution in academic and cultural activities is a highly regarded and critical component of all of Abington’s faculty-led programs.
Ghana Structure
