A customized or faculty-led embedded program is a short-term education abroad experience that is offered as a component or supplement to an academic course taught in residence on a Penn State campus or online. The international component is typically scheduled during a semester break or early summer, and it generally lasts 7-14 days. 

An embedded program can enhance the international offerings within a particular academic department, can support internationalization strategic goals of a college, and can allow for a student to gain valuable education abroad experience within the academic structure of a Penn State course. 

The program leader assumes a great deal of responsibility for the development, proposal, implementation, and execution of the course – including the academic content, travel logistics, international site visits and activities, budgeting and payments, and health and safety of program participants. This may seem like an overwhelming list of responsibilities, but there are a number of support resources to help the program leader throughout the entire process.