January Term offers a distinctive learning experience, different from what might be offered during the fall and spring semesters. Students take one full-time course for approximately three weeks. The courses are designed as immersive experiences: they intensify the student's focus, reach beyond the classroom to incorporate experiential learning, and are often site-specific, connecting students to the place where they study.
Global education is an essential component of NYUAD's educational mission and curriculum. It is realized through a careful sequence of interrelated academic and intercultural experiences that provide students with intellectually rigorous, research-focused learning environments that complement and extend their coursework. They include semester-long study-abroad programs, January Term programs, and course-related study trips in the UAE and the broader Middle East that are typically combined with January Term or semester courses.
An important part of NYU Abu Dhabi is discovery of the historic, culturally varied region where it is located. Study trips are a feature of the NYUAD curriculum and enable students to connect their academic studies with on-the-ground exploration of the region. Our global crossroads location connects Africa, the Mediterranean, the Arab world, Central Asia, and the Indian Ocean, and creates exceptional opportunities for students to combine experiential study, research, and intercultural exploration.
