This program is made possible through a partnership Washington College developed with the Minnesota Studies in International Development (MSID), which is an institute connected to the University of Minnesota. Washington College students will travel with a small group of students, about half of which will be students at the University of Minnesota, and the other half will be students from other universities across America. MSID has had four long-lasting programs all around the world, including locations such as Senegal, Kenya, Ecuador, and Thailand.
This study and intern program allows you to take four courses focused on development, language, and Senegalese society at the start of the program, and then to spend 6 weeks in an internship where you will get hands-on experience working for a grassroots agency. This program is geared towards students with an interest in arts and cultural studies; development; education and literacy; entrepreneurship and alternative economies; public health; social services; and sustainability and the environment.
All students take the same courses: MSID 4001 International Development: Critical Perspectives on Theory and Practice (4 credits)
MSID 4002 Country Analysis (4 credits)
MSID Wolof Language Class (4 credits)
MSID 4003 Community Engagement in the Global South (4 credits)
Optional: Global Identity, Connecting your International Experience to Your Future (1 credit)
Students spend 7 weeks taking courses in Dakar, followed by a 6 week internship or research project elsewhere.
The MSID Senegal program is based in Dakar, a city of approximately 3 million inhabitants, and students' internships are located in a number of more rural locations outside Dakar.
Students spend the first part of their studies in Dakar, Senegal, and then move depending on where their internship placement is located. Students will live with a homestay family in order to gain deeper cultural insight into life in Senegal. Students whose internship is outside of Dakar will have a second homestay placement during that phase of the program. The MSID Senegal Program Center staff remain in contact with students during their field experience, and work with both the students and families to ensure a suitable match.
Grades & Credits
The University of Minnesota uses the same grading scale and credit-hours as Washington college.
