Human Development in Diverse Contexts in Central and Southern Europe

This stunning experience will include stays in Zagreb, Croatia; Split, Croatia; Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina; and Vienna, Austria. You will stay long enough in each location to immerse yourself in the local culture and interact with local people and organizations. You’ll engage with critical contexts of lifespan human development including religion, history, immigration, war, leisure, and education. Highlights of the program include (tentatively): refugee camp for families, call to prayer at the Emperor’s Mosque, site of Srebrenica genocide, and a boat tour of the world famous Croatian coast.

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Courses

Students will enroll in two classes (six credits):

Required:
SFL 395R—Lifespan Development in Context (3 credit hours)

One of the following:
SFL 460—Advanced Family Processes (3 credit hours)
SFL 490—Advanced Issues in Human Development (3 credit hours)

Students may not take any other courses on this program, including BYU Online courses, without approval by the program director and ISP.

Cost

$7,000–7,500

Includes Latter-day Saint undergraduate full tuition (increased cost for graduate and non–Latter-day Saint students), housing, group transportation on field trips, some meals, and international health insurance.

Does not include airfare, most meals, or personal expenses.

Funding Sources

Regular BYU tuition scholarships, Pell Grants, and Federal Insured Student Loans may be applied to study abroad programs.

Students who submit the financial aid section of the ISP application and who have a current FAFSA form on file at the Financial Aid Office (A-41 ASB) will be considered for a Study Abroad scholarship.

Academic departments and colleges may assist with scholarships and grants.

Private grants and scholarships outside of BYU may also assist (see kennedy.byu.edu/scholarships).

Preparation

Students are strongly encouraged to have taken at least one of the following courses prior to departure:

SFL 160—Intro to Family Processes (3 credit hours)
SFL 210—Human Development (3 credit hours)

Accepted students are required to participate in an international, cross-cultural preparation course (IAS 201R, 1 credit hour). This class will be held during the second block of the winter 2026 semester.

Part-time BYU students and non-BYU students will need to pay an additional tuition fee. Accompanying spouses need to be credit-bearing participants on the program. Spouses will also need to apply online and take the preparation course.

International study programs are physically, emotionally, and mentally taxing and you must be in good health to participate. These programs often take place in international locations that do not have the same level of safety and services in terms of transportation, living conditions, residential accommodations, food, public behavior, and policing that you may be used to on campus. If you have further questions or concerns on this, please see our travel policy.

Students must meet all country- and program-specific COVID and health requirements for travel.

Housing

Students stay in apartments, hotels, or hostels. All housing and travel will be arranged by the program.

Travel

Students are responsible for purchasing their own airfare to and from the program sites. Airline reservations must be made through BYU Travel. Students should contact a BYU Travel agent.

BYU Travel
280 HRCB
(801) 422-6293
travel@byu.edu

Application Process

Students must be 18 years of age or older to participate.

Complete the online application here. A nonrefundable $35 application fee is required; applicants will be interviewed once the application is complete.

Students will be notified via e-mail of their acceptance into the program. The first payment is due upon acceptance; please refer to the Payment Information page.

Priority Deadline: 1 November 2025
Application Deadline: 1 December 2025

Program Adjustments

International Study Programs (ISP) reserves the right to cancel this program, revise its offerings, or make any adjustments to the preliminary cost.

If it becomes necessary for ISP to cancel a program, all program payments made to BYU ISP will be refunded to the student’s BYU Financial account.

ISP is the only office authorized to cancel any of its programs.

Faculty

Larry Nelson (co-director), professor of human development in the School of Family Life, studies the transition to adulthood and the effects of culture on development. He speaks German. Dr. Nelson enjoys running and spending time outdoors.

2102D JFSB
801-422-6711
larry_nelson@byu.edu

Mallory Millett (co-director), Assistant Professor of Human Development in the School of Family Life, studies peer relations in emerging adulthood with a focus on shyness and social withdrawal. Dr. Millett lived in the Netherlands for almost five years and enjoys travelling whenever possible. She also enjoys running and reading fiction.

2077 JFSB
(801) 422-8594
mallory.millett@byu.edu

Contact Us

International Study Programs
101 HRCB
(801) 422-3686
isp@byu.edu

ISP Student Handbook

To see the student handbook, click here.

Payment Schedule

To see the payment schedule, click here.

Human Development in Diverse Contexts in Central and Southern Europe

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FAQ

More Information

Courses

Cost

Funding Sources

Preparation

Housing

Travel

Application Process

Program Adjustments

Faculty

Contact Us

ISP Student Handbook

Payment Schedule