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Academics
- Learn about international development.
- Gain hands-on experience by participating in a community internship.
- Take Wolof language classes.
This program appeals to students who are interested in gaining a deeper understanding of Senegal's culture through field experience.
Academic Structure
Program type: MSID Senegal is an experiential program. Learn about Senegal through classes, field trips, internships, and research.
Level: 3000-4000 level courses.
Term: Fall semester plus optional pre-session, spring semester, academic year plus optional pre-session.
Prerequisites: 2.5 GPA; juniors and above; experience in your MSID country; relevant course work or volunteer experience preferred; 4 semesters college level French required.
Courseload: 16 credits for fall or spring semester; 32 for the academic year. Add 4 credits for optional pre-session for fall and academic year.
Coursework
Semester Program
The semester program consists of four courses. All classes are
with program participants and are taught by local faculty. Through
the coursework and the internship, you have the opportunity
to discuss and reflect 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 is offered weekly as part of the Country Analysis course to enable you to strenghten grammar and communication skills. Download the Semester Program course syllabi.
A packet of required pre-departure readings on such topics as development, globalization, experiential learning, cross-cultural communication and adaptation, and your host country is included with your orientation materials to help you arrive on site with some common background.
Academic Year Program
Enroll in the four fall semester courses and continue
spring semester with more experiential learning. Click here to download Academic Year course syllabi.
Language Pre-Session
An optional August intensive French language course is offered for fall semester and academic year students. One language course is taught over a 4-week period and awards 4 undergraduate credits. The Senegal program offers 5th semester French language instruction. The syllabus focuses on language skill development and daily oral practice. Housing is with host families, and local excursions are included.
Global Identity: Connecting Your International Experience with Your Future
This 1-credit online course will help you:
- process your overseas experience and apply what you learn upon your return
- understand intercultural lingo and relate it to your experience
- reflect on the multiple layers of cross-cultural experiences
- market your study abroad experience for future career goals.
A wide range of placement possibilities are available through the MSID program. Development is an extremely broad term that has many different meanings and connotations. MSID does not wish to define for the student what development is or is not. Instead, the program provides background in development theory, cross-cultural communication, area studies, and organizational analysis and language. It facilitates a placement in direct contact with the people of the host society—both those who are managing social change through development efforts, and those for whom these efforts are designed. Ideally, the internship placement and living experience help you better understand the complexity of social change and development in the global context.
MSID internships have the following common elements:
- Are related to development
- Are grassroots—immersing you directly and personally in the social realities of the poorer strata of the population
- Demand meaningful, challenging work while serving agency goals
- Are guided by objectives agreed to by the supervisor, academic coordinator, and you
- Involve a minimum of 25 hours per week of work
- Participants earn 4 credits or 3 graduate credits.
Learn more about the Internship Selection and Monitoring Process.
Setting Realistic Internship Expectations
The semester students complete a 6-week internship and academic year students complete in total a 15-week internship. Both enrollment options provide students with the opportunity to develop a meaningful project or work assignment that can be of real assistance to their host agency. It is reasonable to hope to make a significant contribution to the agency or project, but it is important also not to judge the success or failure of the MSID experience exclusively by how much you are able to accomplish. MSID is first and foremost an educational program, and all internships can be powerful learning experiences.
Typical placement categories include:
- Public health
- Women's groups
- Small business development
- Environmental protection
- Education
- Sustainable agriculture
- Social services
- Community organizing
Past Internship Placements
See a description of past internship placements for this MSID country.
Academic Fit with a University of Minnesota Degree Plan
MSID fits into your degree program in many ways. Interdisciplinary coursework may count as elective credit toward your major. Research done on MSID may be used toward a senior paper or project. Speak with your academic adviser about how MSID can provide a capstone experience to your degree.
Many courses have already been reviewed to meet Liberal Education requirements. Go to the Liberal Education Database to search for courses or submit ones for approval.
Study Abroad in Your Major advising resources tell you why University of Minnesota faculty think study abroad is important for a particular major, what the department wants students to think about when selecting a program, and gives helpful academic planning hints. There may also be profiles of students who studied abroad in your major.
This program appears as a special recommendation on the following Study Abroad in Your Major advising resources:
*Please note that these concentrations are for all MSID programs and are not country-specific.
Last modified on October 1, 2009 |