Skip to main content

Society, Behavior, and Health

Dates: 28 June–29 July 2023 (approx.)
Priority Deadline: 15 December 2022
Application Deadline: 1 February 2023

ITALY, GREECE, NETHERLANDS

The field of psychology seeks to understand the factors that influence our thoughts, behaviors, and actions. Culture influences virtually every aspect of these. This program is designed to expose students to the unique aspects of particular social/cultural environments and how they interact with the brain to influence our thoughts, behaviors, and emotions and in turn, how they influence health and well-being. Students will be immersed in local cultures and explore how different cultures approach a wide variety of topics such as stress, health behaviors, social connection, and chronic illness.

Most of the program will take place in “Blue Zones”—areas and societies where people live longer, healthier, and happier lives—including the Italian island of Sardinia and the Greek island of Ikaria. We will also visit the Netherlands, which is consistently rated one of the happiest countries in the world. In addition, we will stay in the medieval Tuscan hill town of Siena, and briefly visit larger cities within each country during our travel.

Program activities will include lectures provided by local specialists, interviewing locals, taking cooking courses, visiting sites of local and cultural significance, hiking and exploring rural and smaller towns, tending to a local garden, making cheese, living close to nature, and living in general as the locals do.

Click here to apply today!

data-content-type=""

Contact Us

Julianne Holt-Lunstad
1024 KMBL
(801) 422-1324
julianne_holt-lunstad@byu.edu

PDF

Program Flyer

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= overrideTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection= overrideCardHideByline= overrideCardHideDescription= overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText= overrideTextAlignment=

More Information

Pencil and paper BIG-01.svg

Courses

Students will enroll in 6 credit hours from the following courses:

PSYCH 356—Introduction to Health Psychology (3 credit hours)
PSYCH 430R—Senior Practicum: Research in Psychology (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.
moneystack NAVY BIGsvg-01.svg

Cost

$7,500–8,000

Includes Latter-day Saint undergraduate full tuition (increased cost for graduate and non–Latter-day Saint students), housing, breakfasts at some hotels, some other meals, group transportation (air, train, coach) between locations, group activities, and international health insurance.

Does not include airfare, most meals, public transit, museums, cell phone international data plan, or personal expenses.
Scroll NAVY BIG-01.svg

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).
Backpack NAVY-BIG-01.svg

Preparation

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 term of the winter 2023 semester. Part-time BYU students and non-BYU students will need to pay an additional tuition fee.

Students must meet all country- and program-specific COVID and health requirements for travel.
House NAVY-BIG-01.svg

Housing

The program will arrange all travel and coordinate housing in apartments, hotels, and hostels. Since students will be eating group meals prepared by local communities, the program may not be able to accommodate special dietary restrictions or preferences.
Plane NAVY-BIG-01.svg

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
Check mark NAVY BIG-01.svg

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 document.

Priority Deadline: 15 December 2022
Application Deadline: 1 February 2023
Gears NAVY-BIG-01.svg

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 NAVY-BIG-01.svg

Faculty

Julianne Holt-Lunstad, PhD, specializes in Social and Health Psychology. Her expertise is in interdisciplinary approaches to understanding the associations between social relationships and long-term health outcomes, factors that may influence the association, and the pathways (biological, behavioral, & cognitive) by which these associations occur. Her work has received international recognition and has informed public health policy internationally.

1024 KMBL
(801) 422-1324
julianne_holt-lunstad@byu.edu
Phone NAVY-BIG-23.svg

Contact Us

International Study Programs
101 HRCB
(801) 422-3686
isp@byu.edu
Book NAVY-BIG-21.svg

ISP Student Handbook

To see the student handbook, click here.
Calendar NAVY-BIG-01.svg

Payment Schedule

To see the payment schedule, click here.