Dates
May 11 - May 26, 2026Subjects
Business, Marketing, Photography & New Media, International Affairs, Political Science, HonorsDeadlines
Dec. 1: Apply Early & Save $100Feb. 5: Regular Deadline
Program Overview
The Türkiye program aims to immerse students in the rich cultural, historical, and social fabric of Türkiye while enhancing their understanding of the country’s geopolitical significance, economic practices, and cultural heritage. The 2-week program will begin in İzmir, where students will have the opportunity to explore Ephesus, the beaches of Çeşme, and work alongside Turkish students on course projects in cooperation with a local university, İzmir University of Economics. From İzmir, the program will travel to Cappadocia, famous for fairy chimneys, underground cities, and Göreme, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The program will end in İstanbul, with excursions to sites like the Hagia Sophia, the Grand Bazaar, and Galata Tower. This program is designed to provide an interdisciplinary educational experience, catering to various academic majors with a focus on international marketing and regional studies.
Note: Studying abroad likely is more physically strenuous than you are used to at home. KIIS study abroad programs typically involve approx. 5-10 miles of walking (approx. 10,000-20,000 steps) or the like in a day, including the possibility of walking, hiking, and climbing stairs in heat and humidity, over elevations at higher altitudes, and over rocky terrain. See Health & Wellness for more information.
Program Directors
I am a Turkish citizen living in the U.S. since 2013 and have visited Türkiye every year since. I’ve taught with KIIS in Mexico and the Netherlands, and in a university program in China. Having studied abroad in Europe myself, I’m excited to co-direct the KIIS study abroad program in Türkiye.Dr. Ismail Karabas
I've been traveling to and from Turkey for over 15 years, working and studying in Izmir for 3 of those years. I studied International Relations—with a focus on Turkish politics—at Dokuz Eylül University, and I speak fluent Turkish. Since 2010, I've returned to Turkey every summer, and it feels like a second home to me. I'm truly excited to help KIIS students experience the richness of Turkish culture and history firsthand!Dr. Brittany Wood
Photo Gallery
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Courses
In this course students will have the opportunity to learn international marketing with a focus on Turkey. Social and cultural environments, branding and product decisions, global marketing communication, and segmentation, targeting, and positioning are among the topics students will study. This unique learning and traveling opportunity can also contribute toward satisfying students’ degree requirements as International Marketing tends to find an equivalence in most business curriculum.
This course offers an examination of Middle Eastern history and politics, with a focus on the Ottoman Empire, the rise of the Turkish Republic, and the region’s evolving dynamics in the 21st century. The course examines Turkey’s complex relations with its neighbors, including Greece, Syria, Iraq, and Iran, as well as its role in broader Middle Eastern affairs. Attention will be given to the Arab Spring’s impact on the region and Turkey’s strategic responses to geopolitical challenges.
This course offers an examination of Middle Eastern history and politics, with a focus on the Ottoman Empire, the rise of the Turkish Republic, and the region’s evolving dynamics in the 21st century. The course examines Turkey’s complex relations with its neighbors, including Greece, Syria, Iraq, and Iran, as well as its role in broader Middle Eastern affairs. Attention will be given to the Arab Spring’s impact on the region and Turkey’s strategic responses to geopolitical challenges.
Set primarily in Izmir, Istanbul and Cappadocia, this immersive course invites students to explore Turkey through digital photography, collaborative storytelling, and personal reflection. Guided by Seth Gitner’s Multimedia Storytelling and inspired by Sophie Calle’s Venetian Suite, students will engage with the city as a visual text—full of quiet drama, pattern, and poetry.
All KIIS course credit is awarded by Western Kentucky University. Prior to your KIIS program, please speak with your home campus academic advisor and/or study abroad office to determine course equivalencies. Grades will be transferred to your home institution in mid-August after the completion of the program. Course offerings are subject to change according to enrollment. For more information, visit Transcripts & Grades.
Program Excursions
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Ephesus
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Galata Tower
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Hagia Sophia
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Şirince
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Cappadocia
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Cesme/Alaçatı
Group Flight
ESTIMATED COST $1,750 - $1,850
The Türkiye program offers a group flight option where you can travel U.S. to Izmir / from Istanbul to U.S. with other students and faculty. If you choose this option, KIIS will purchase a roundtrip (multi-city) flight ticket for you. The flight cost will be added to your final program fee on April 1. The group flight will depart from Cincinnati or Louisville.
If not selecting the group flight, you are responsible to purchase your own roundtrip airfare.
The flight to Turkey is overnight arriving the following morning. On the return, the flight from Turkey to the USA departs and arrives on the same day. Visit Flights and Passports & Visas for more information.