Thailand: Sports, Exercise & Nutritional Sciences Program
This two-week program is based in Thailand and is intended for undergraduate college students ages 18 and up who are studying kinesiology, sports management, athletic training, biomechanics, exercise physiology, sport and exercise psychology, nutrition, physical education, and fitness and health promotion, and other related fields. This program is ideal for students looking for a short-term study abroad experience that introduces basic concepts of sports, exercise, and nutritional sciences within a global public health context.
Why: More than ever, the Sports Science field is in need of well-rounded professionals who have a thorough understanding of their respective fields and the ability to work collaboratively across cultures. Sports, Exercise, & Nutrition is designed for undergraduate students who want to gain a broad interdisciplinary perspective of sports, exercise, and nutrition through a global public health lens.
We created this program specifically to help participants not only build awareness of the various careers and workplace options, but also gain hands-on experience that’s hard to duplicate in the classroom. Focusing specifically on the body, wellness, fitness, mindfulness, sports management, rehabilitation and traditional healing –students will learn from public health, fitness experts and sports managers in formal and informal settings, and will gain a behind-the-scenes look into why Thailand is leading the way in global public health and how sports and exercise science contributes to this body of knowledge.
How: If it is to bring continued health benefits, physical activity needs to be embedded in the daily lives of many more people. Sports, exercise, and nutritional science is one of the most undervalued interventions to improve public health. Its benefits are great. Physical activity is closely associated with better health and reduced mortality, including reduced mortality from coronary heart disease, stroke, colon cancer, and reduced fatality after a heart attack. It is within this context that sports and exercise science + nutrition provides opportunities for working with people—to make them stronger, faster, more efficient, better able to deal with stress, and less susceptible to injury.
Participants will also have the opportunity to explore northern Thailand; participating in fun evening and weekend activities such as visiting an elephant sanctuary, hiking and rock climbing through the jungle, and learning about indigenous communities in the North of Thailand.
Participants will also have the opportunity to explore northern Thailand; participating in fun evening and weekend activities such as visiting an elephant sanctuary, muay Thai kickboxing, hiking and rock climbing through the jungle, traditional Thai massage and learning about indigenous communities in the North of Thailand. Time will also be set aside to learn new concepts, practice communication skills and learn about Thai culture and history.
IMPORTANT NOTE: There are no prerequisites for this program, and students from any relevant department or major may apply. Spaces for this program are limited and fill up quickly. All applications will be individually evaluated on a rolling basis.
Program Details
Starting at Chiang Mai University Department of Sports and Rehabilitation Sciences and public health, students will participate in an exchange-based workshop focused around a topic of mutual interest. Topics might include: Sports Management, Rehabilitation Sciences in Practice, Thai Traditional Healing Methods, or Wellness and Exercise Science in a Cultural-Comparative Perspective.
Participants can expect plenty of practical exchanges in a variety of settings, develop a broad range of skills as well as gain insight into applying to graduate schools and career opportunities from our staff. Many aspects of the program will be inherently spontaneous or “fluid” and based on the individual skills, background and interests of participants, creating what we believe to be the best type of deep learning experience.
Observation and Volunteer Hours
Get ahead: We design all of our programs with our participants in mind. If you are interested in becoming a Sports & Exercise Science or Nutrition professional, plenty of observation is essential, but a first-hand experience and inside look into these fields with an understanding of public health will set you apart from your peers. Understanding how public health and sports and exercise science are related will help you to not only become a better-rounded student but also a more empathetic and compassionate person
- November 30 - November 30
Sorry, but we are not offering this program this year. The closest program would be our Pre-Physical Therapy program. We have a rolling admission process, which simply means that the window for applications closes when all of the spaces are filled. If these dates do not work with your schedule, please email admissions@therapyabroad.org for details on custom program dates for your University or club. All of our programs offer the same hands-on experience and our award winning curriculum for Sports, Exercise, & Nutritional Sciences students!
Itinerary
Most Therapy Abroad participants choose to fly on one of our organized group flights which depart from Los Angeles or San Francisco, California, joined by at least one Therapy Abroad staff member who will help you through international check-in and departure process. On arrival day, all participants will be greeted by Therapy Abroad staff at Chiang Mai International Airport in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and from there you will be driven by private vans to your accommodation. The program is divided into several different parts that are designed to help you get to know a variety of locations throughout Northern Thailand including local universities, public clinics, fitness centers, sports management institutions and private practices. Scattered through the program are several, fun cultural activities that we think you will really enjoy.
On a daily basis, participants will learn in small group discussion-style settings, practice new skills and try new techniques, observe and learn how to shadow professionals and learn from public health professionals.
Evenings and weekends will be set aside to explore all that northern Thailand has to offer. Enjoy the city of Chiang Mai and the countryside of Northern Thailand, visit local markets, try new foods and ride in Thailand’s infamous Tuk Tuks through the windy streets of Chiang Mai’s Old City. You’ll enjoy a variety of weekend activities like hiking, rock climbing, Thai cooking classes, Thai Boxing Class, and a visit to an elephant sanctuary.
Program Life
Our Baan is your Baan: this program will be based in Northern Thailand – an amazing place filled with rich history, excellent food and the friendliest people on the planet. Laid out in a “hub-and-spoke” model, participants will set-up home in boutique accommodations with communal areas to relax and hang out, meeting rooms for group discussions or presentations, and comfortable rooms for getting shut-eye. Most accommodations have western style amenities.
Every day, participants will have access to Wi-Fi, fresh drinking water, western style toilets and showers, and laundry services (laundry will be on site or nearby). Meals will be a combination of Thai and Western cuisine consisting of rice, curries, noodles, spicy salads, some fried foods along with fresh vegetables and exotic fruits. We have a 100% guarantee that participants will have plenty of amazing food!
We can cater to specific dietary needs as long as you let us know ahead of time. In addition to Thailand’s many scenic charms, the warmth and hospitality of the people and culture will make you feel at home (or at baan) in no time!
Free Time
Make it yours: participants on Therapy Abroad programs will find out that we pack a lot of activities into a two-week program, but we will also make sure everyone has downtime to relax, write in a journal, use the internet, talk to our staff or just explore on your own. Our Staff are a great source of advice and are here to help everyone make the most of their time abroad. If you have any questions about any opportunities not listed in our program, want to try some new food a friend has told you about or just explore something different, then let us know any time before or during your program and we will do our best to make it happen.
Benefits for Students Who Participate in this Program:
- Learn about the integration of public health and sports & exercise science
- Build resume for graduate school admissions
- Learn about global public health, fitness, sports, exercise, and traditional medicine
- Learn skills in Thai massage therapy, mindfulness, kickboxing, and more
- Hone your cultural responsiveness
- Learn to merge practices in “developing countries” with those in the United States.
- Improve intercultural communication skills.
- Gain experience working with diverse cultues
- Broaden understanding socio-cultural stigmas and enigmas
- Market your international experience to universities and employers alike
- Develop critical thinking and analytical skills
- Learn Thai cooking skills
- Learn about public health, sports, rehabilitation services in other countries
Tuition
15- Day Program $3,850 USD not including international airfare.
Airfare from Los Angeles (LAX) is estimated at $1,800. Therapy Abroad will organize group flights from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) as soon as airfares have been published. In some cases group flights are not available and students will be given arrival and departure information and asked to book their own flights.
What’s Included
We got you covered: Travel and study abroad is a big investment and our commitment to you is that we will work hard every day to make sure you are going to have the most amazing experience: professional staff, tasty meals and comfortable accommodations, and overall, a well-crafted itinerary full of diverse activities and good people. With the exception of international airfare, our trips are all-inclusive. We won’t try to upsell you on any “additional activities” or “additional optional activities” that aren’t advertised as part of the program. Your tuition covers: All activities. All materials. All meals. All housing. Everything. We want you to arrive and participate fully in the program and take advantage of each learning experience without ever thinking about how much money you are going to spend. More specifically, your program includes:
- Pre-departure support
- Group flight booking (When available)
- Flights team support staff
- Professional and licensed staff (practitioners and academics)
- 24-hour emergency support staff
- Airport pick-up in Thailand
- Private transport
- Experienced facilitators
- Shared, comfortable accommodations
- All meals
- Snacks and drinking water
- Orientation and curriculum
- All necessary equipment, materials and supplies
- 24-hour in-country support
- All activities listed in the program itinerary
- All domestic transport
- Materials, tests and diagnostic tools
- Therapy Abroad tee-shirts
