A Global Course Extension involves a 2-3 week trip to an international location that will allow students to further engage and explore the themes and topics introduced in the classroom-based course.Each 2-credit Global Course Extension (SW785) builds off a 1-credit classroom based Advanced Global Topics in Social Work course (SW789). Each pair of courses focuses on a specific global social work-related topic, such as migration, displacement, poverty, climate change, indigeneity, etc.
Participation in a Global Course Extension requires that students satisfactorily complete the associated 1-credit Advanced Global Topics in Social Work course (SW789) during the same term. Additionally, students must apply and be accepted to participate in a Global Course Extension course through an M-Compass application process.
2026 Application Deadline
Applications for the 2026 Global Course Extension in Ghana are due on Sunday, January 18, 2026, at 11:59 PM EST.
Eligibility
Global Course Extensions are open to online and residential MSW students from all pathways and curriculum tracks, including pre-MSW students in the Ph.D. program.
Students who have already participated in or committed to an SSW-funded international experience (e.g., the Global Activities Scholars Program, Global Independent Study Grant) are not eligible to apply.
Students who have limited or no previous international travel experience are encouraged to apply. The Office of Global Activities offers a Passport Grant of $165 per person to MSW students who have never held a passport before. Students are automatically considered for the Passport Grant once they complete the Global Course Extension application.
Funding
A $250 non-refundable program fee is required of all participants upon committing to a Global Course Extension. The cost of the Global Course Extension trip is subsidized by the Office of Global Activities to cover in-country transportation, lodging, travel health insurance, activities, and most meals. Students will be responsible for the cost of their round-trip plane tickets, visa fees, immunization costs, and any discretionary spending.
A need-based financial aid scholarship is available to reduce student costs. Students have the opportunity to apply for the scholarship through a separate application process after they have been accepted to the program.
Application Requirements
All applications must be submitted through M-Compass. Only complete applications will be reviewed. The application process includes:
- CV or resume upload
- One (1) recommendation letter
- Statement of interest
- Brief responses detailing:
- Previous travel experience
- Personal preparation and potential challenges
Students being considered for acceptance to the program will be invited to an interview with the course leads and Office of Global Activities staff.
2026 Global Course Extension in Accra, Ghana
The course aims to develop a contextual understanding of social justice and identity in Ghana by engaging with Ghanaian history, culture, and local community organizations. Students will visit both rural and urban areas of the country and interact with communities, to gain an understanding of the nation and the richness of its cultural identity expressed through music and other traditions.
Through visits to historical sites and immersive cultural experiences, participants will reflect on the global impact of the country’s history, particularly through the lens of the diaspora and its influence on identity both inside and outside Ghanaian borders. Local engagements with Ghanaian social work organizations will offer students the opportunity to learn about key social challenges in Ghanaian communities and the African-based solutions developed to address them.
Travel for this course will take place for approximately two weeks between August 4-20, 2026. Dr. Candace Ziglor will be the instructor for both SW785 and SW789. Prof. Feyisetan Adunbi will co-lead the Global Course Extension in Ghana with Dr. Ziglor.
Apply
All applications must be submitted through M-Compass. Applications for the Global Course Extension are due on Sunday, January 18, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST. The application portal will open on December 2, 2025.
If you have questions, please contact OGA at (734) 615-0012 or [email protected].