16 credits

The four semester courses are outlined below. International Development: Critical Perspectives on Theory and Practice is the focus of the semester and is complemented by the other three courses.

Advanced Spanish
(Span 3xxx, 4 credits)
Focus on practical skills while emphasizing conversation and vocabulary building.

International Development: Critical Perspectives on Theory and Practice
(GloS 4801, 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.

MSID Country Analysis
(GloS 4803, 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.

International Development Internship
(GloS 4805, 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. Written assignments help link experiences to theories and issues raised in the classroom. Liberal education requirement fulfilled: Social Science core and International Perspective theme.

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.