Global Course Extension
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. 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.
Participation in the 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.
2025 Application Deadline
Applications for the 2025 Global Course Extensions in Accra, Ghana and Chennai, India are due on Sunday, January 19, 2025, at 11:59 PM EST.
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, 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
2025 Global Course Extension in Accra, Ghana
This course focuses on a comparative exploration of Ghana, the United States, and the African diaspora. Grounded in the principles of cross-cultural understanding and social justice, this project aims to cultivate a deeper awareness of the African diaspora while equipping students with the tools to become culturally responsive therapists and community organizers.
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 5-22, 2025. Dr. Trina Shanks will be the instructor for both SW785 and SW789. Cerise Carrington will co-lead the Global Course Extension in Ghana with Dr. Shanks.
2025 Global Course Extension in Chennai, India
Based at the Madras Christian College in Chennai, India, this course draws on the Social Work Grand Challenges. Themes for the course will encompass a broad range of issues, including family violence, closing the health gap, eliminating racism and caste, and reducing extreme economic inequality.
The course is intended to be locally grounded and explicitly comparative, and combines practical fieldwork experiences with coursework and structured, critical reflection at the Madras Christian College. This course will provide students with an intensive introduction to the ways in which the social work profession is organized in India, key issues confronting vulnerable populations, and how key issues in India compare with the United States.
Travel for this course will take place for approximately two weeks between August 5-22, 2025. Prof. Ayesha Ghazi Edwin will be the instructor for both SW785 and SW789. Greta Kaempf will co-lead the Global Course Extension in India with Prof. Ghazi Edwin.
Apply
All applications must be submitted through M-Compass. Applications for both Global Course Extensions are due on Sunday, January 19, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST.
If you have questions, please contact OGA at (734) 615-0012 or [email protected].
Apply for the 2025 Global Course Extension in Accra, Ghana »
Apply for the 2025 Global Course Extension in Chennai, India »