Coursework

Fall or Spring Semester Curriculum
17 credits

The five semester courses are outlined below. All classes are with program participants and are taught by local faculty. Through the coursework and the internship, students have the opportunity to discuss and relfect on the complex and diverse nature of development as realized in their MSID country. All courses are taught in French (except the Global Identity course). French majors and minors who need to have their internship conducted in French (not Wolof) should be certain to clarify this on the Internship and Academic Information Form that is completed as part of the acceptance process.

In addition to the courses listed below, an advanced French language class (not for credit) is offered weekly during the first six weeks of the program to enable students to strenghten their grammar and communication skills.

Beginning Wolof
(MSID 3001, 4 credits)
Focus on practical skills while emphasizing conversation and vocabulary building.

International Development: Critical Perspectives on Theory and Practice
(MSID 4001, 4 credits, 3 graduate credits)
Explore a wide variety of perspectives on international development, with the host country as a case study. Liberal education requirement fulfilled: Social Science core and Citizenship and Public Ethics theme. This course begins with 10 hours of common discussion on international development. The remaining course is divided into sections, and students select from the following sections in order to prepare for their internship:

  • Education and Literacy
  • Environmental Studies/Ecology and Sustainable Agriculture
  • Arts and Cultural Studies (includes literature for all MSID sites, except Senegal)
  • Microbusiness/Alternative Economies
  • Public Health
  • Social Service (poverty, homelesness, family welfare, housing). This section is combined with one of the sections above, depending on the MSID country.
  • Literature, Film and Development (Senegal ONLY). This literature section is ideal but not required for French majors and minors.

U of M French Department Equivalent: FREN 3350 if student chooses the literature track; FREN 3650 if student chooses another humanities-related track

MSID Country Analysis
(MSID 4002, 4 credits, 3 graduate credits)
This multi-disciplinary study of the MSID country emphasizes the social sciences and history, especially as they relate to development issues. Liberal education requirement fulfilled: Social Science core and International Perspective theme.

U of M French Department Equivalent: FREN 3650

Community Internships in the Global South
(MSID 4003, 4 credits, 3 graduate credits)
An internship with a host-country development agency or project provides an unparalleled opportunity to study community characteristics, development strategies and problems, organizational structure and culture, and cross-cultural communication issues. The length of the internship depends on the enrollment option: fall or spring semester, six weeks; academic year, five months. Students typically spend approximately 25-30 hours each week at their internship site, although this may vary depending on the specific site and project. Written assignments help link experiences to theories and issues raised in the classroom. Liberal education requirement fulfilled: Social Science core and International Perspective theme.

U of M French Department Equivalent: FREN 3650 if the internship is humanities-related and in French

Past internships include:

  • Working with youth group developing income-generating projects
  • Working with a clinic on AIDS education
  • Promoting sustainable agriculture
  • Working with communities to develop eco-tourism
  • Contributing to a rural adult literacy project
  • Working in a shelter for street children
  • Assisting women with micro-business proposals
  • Working at family health care clinics
  • Working with indigenous groups on rainforest protection

Program faculty visit all students at their sites during the internship. At the end of each semester, students gather in the host city or a retreat site for a seminar, which helps integrate experiences and newly acquired knowledge.

Global Identity: Connecting Your International Experience with Your Future
This 1-credit online course will help you:

  1. process your overseas experience and apply what you learn upon your return
  2. understand intercultural lingo and relate it to your experience
  3. reflect on the multiple layers of cross-cultural experiences
  4. market your study abroad experience for future career goals.

Academic Year Curriculum
33 credits


Enroll in the five fall semester courses and continue spring semester with:

Topics: Case Studies in International Development
(MSID 4004, 4 credits, 3 graduate credits)
Explore development issues as illustrated by students’ projects and organized in sections, such as Environment and Development and Health and Development. Liberal education requirement fulfilled: Social Science core and theme (depends on focus).

International Development Internship
(MSID 4005, 4 credits, 3 graduate credits)
Please see above description.

 

Applied Field Methods
(MSID 4006, 4 credits, 3 graduate credits)
Apply selected field research methods and analyze the practical, ethical, and theoretical issues raised through small field assignments and individual research projects. Liberal education requirement fulfilled: Citizenship and Public Ethics theme and International Perspective theme.

MSID Directed Research
(MSID 4007, 4 credits, 3 graduate credits)
In consultation with a local faculty member, develop an individualized research project. The research project allows you to work in depth on a project that is of particular interest to you.

Research
Students enrolled for the academic year complement their internship with a research project, which is often the basis for a senior project or major/minor requirement. See MSID Directed Research and Applied Field Methods course descriptions.

Course Syllabi
Semester Courses and Academic Year/Second Semester Courses are designed to provide an overview of the MSID academic program. Please use these with your advisers and/or faculty members to help you determine if the MSID program is right for you. Exact assignments may vary from these sample course descriptions.

 
Last modified on August 6, 2009