Ten days inside the world’s most gender-equal democracy
Copenhagen and Malmö · May 11–20, 2027
Denmark’s parliament is 48% women. There is no gender quota anywhere in Danish law.
Spend ten days in Copenhagen finding out how that happened, who it still leaves out, and what any of it would take here. You will tour the Folketing, meet with the UN Women Nordics Office, sit down with Danish researchers and advocates, and cross the Øresund for a day in Malmö, Sweden.
This is a Youngstown State course, open to every major, that counts toward Political Science, Sociology, or Women’s and Gender Studies.
What you’ll do
- Tour the Folketing, the Danish parliament, with a guide
- Meet the UN Women Nordics Office — you write your questions before you go
- Two more sessions with Danish researchers and advocates working on gender and politics
- A day in Malmö, Sweden, to see how two gender-equity leaders differ at street level
- Rosenborg and Christiansborg castles, a canal tour, and a guided food tour
- Free afternoons most days. The city is yours. Visit the LEGO House and the Little Mermaid statue.
What the course asks of you
The semester runs online and asynchronous from January 4 to June 4, 2027, with only two live sessions the entire term. You can keep your job and your schedule.
There is no research paper. You keep a field journal while you’re in Copenhagen — one entry a day, moving from what you saw to what it means — and then talk it through with your instructor for fifteen minutes after you return. Your group gives a short presentation on campus in June.
You’ll earn three credits toward your major or minor, and leave with a comparative argument about women’s political representation that you built yourself, out of things you actually saw.
Who can go
- Prerequisite: SOC 1500 or POL 1560
- Standing: Sophomore or above
- GPA: 2.75
- Major: Any. No Danish required — Denmark has among the highest English fluency in the world.
What it costs
$4,896 per student.
That covers international airfare, lodging for nine nights, breakfast daily, all in-country transport, guides, and site visits. It does not cover meals beyond breakfast, passport fees, or incidentals.
Financial aid may apply, and YSU and national scholarships are available for study abroad — including the Glen C. El-Hayek Memorial Study Abroad Scholarship and the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. Email us early if cost is the thing standing in your way; it is the most common reason students rule themselves out, and often the most solvable.
How to sign up
- Talk to us. Email either instructor with questions, or come to an info session. We’ll walk you through whether this fits your degree plan and your budget.
- Register for the course: either POL 5860 or SOC 4810. This is a Spring 2027 course with seats for 15 students.
- Reserve your spot. A $565 deposit is due January 11, 2027, and the roster closes February 10, 2027.
If you do one thing today, start your passport. Processing takes months, and it is the single most common reason students miss a program they wanted.
Questions
Check out the Frequently Asked Questions page
Contact
Dr. Amanda Fehlbaum afehlbaum@ysu.edu · DEBH 507 · 330-941-2716
Dr. Cryshanna Jackson Leftwich cajackson@ysu.edu · DEBH 428 · 330-941-2855
Info session dates will be posted here. Email either of us to be added to the list.
Program operated by WorldStrides. Itinerary subject to change; academic visits depend on host availability. Price varies with final enrollment and is confirmed at registration.
Study Abroad Brochure
Study Abroad Flyer
Tentative Syllabus Draft