Global Activities Scholars Program
The Global Activities Scholars Program (GASP) is a unique opportunity for students interested in working with individuals, communities, and organizations in a global context as part of their On-Campus MSW program. Up to ten incoming students will be selected each year to complete a global field placement during the spring/summer term (May - August). The purpose of the program is to provide students committed to global social work practice an opportunity to live in a foreign country while completing a part of their field placement requirement.
Applicants must select the Global Social Work pathway. Please note that placements that focus on the following topics are very limited abroad: interpersonal practice, mental health, substance abuse, older adults, policy, and political social work. In addition, dual degree Master of Social Work/Master of Public Health students are not eligible for this program.
Awards are based primarily on previous academic work, recommendations, human services employment experience, previous global experience, engagement in global issues, the applicant's written supplementary statement, and scholarship application materials.
Global Activities Scholars Program funding
- 12-month scholars: $3,000 per term (3 terms) + $6,000 (one-time spring-summer award)**
- 16-month scholars: $3,500 per term (4 terms) + $6,000 (one-time spring-summer award)**
**A one-time award of $6,000 is given for costs associated with the global field placement
Currently Approved Field Placement Locations
- Chennai, India through Madras Christian College
- Chicago, Illinois through agencies that work with Chinese American immigrants ***
- Haifa, Israel through the University of Haifa *
- Hong Kong through the University of Hong Kong
- Lusaka, Zambia through the University of Zambia
- Melbourne, Australia through the University of Melbourne
- Mumbai, India through VIDYA
- Oslo, Norway through OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University
- Santiago, Chile through Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile **
- Singapore through National University of Singapore
* = Arabic or Hebrew fluency will greatly increase field placement options
** = Requires Spanish fluency
*** = Cantonese or Mandarin language skills are highly preferred
Note: Field placement locations are subject to change. Applicants may indicate site preferences on their application, but ultimately the Office of Global Activities and the Office of Field Education will make the final decision about placement sites based upon fit and availability.
Program Requirements
The Global Activities Scholars Program includes all MSW requirements and an intensive global summer field placement.
Each Global Activities Scholar must:
- Enroll in the full-time On-Campus MSW 16-month or 12-month (Advanced Standing, MicroMasters or MasterTrack MSW, UM-Dearborn Human Services & SW, or UM Sociology & SW) curriculum schedule.
- Select the Global Social Work pathway and complete all program requirements.
- Begin field in the first fall term. 16-month students begin field 'out of sequence' in the first fall term.
- Enroll in and successfully complete Field Instruction coursework during the fall and winter terms of the admittance year, which is met by receiving grades of satisfactory during both terms.
- Be accepted by one of the approved global field placement location sites and complete a spring/summer field placement.
- Possess, or be eligible for, a passport.
- Be committed to global social work practice.
- Attend mandatory meetings both prior to leaving for their global field placement and once they return from abroad.
Completing a global field placement is contingent on maintaining good academic standing before departure. Failure to remain in good academic standing may result in a student completing their final term of Field Instruction locally instead of abroad.
Due to course and field requirements for the Global Activities Scholarship Program, MSW/MPH students are not eligible to participate in this program.
Application
- All potential MSW students who are interested in working with individuals, communities, and organizations in a global context are invited to apply.
- Application deadlines: December 1 of the prior year (early application), February 1 (priority), or March 1. Selection of applicants will be made from all dates with priority given to those applicants that meet the December and February deadlines.
- Deferred admits planning to enroll in fall 2021 must submit their special program application by November 2, 2020.
- Financial need will be considered in the review of special program applications.
- Your MSW application must be complete by the scholarship application deadline.
- If you would like to apply for the Global Activities Scholars Program, then please answer "yes" to the question, "Do you plan to apply to an SSW Special Program?" found on the Financial Assistance page of the MSW online application and then select the Global Activities Scholars Program checkbox. The Global Activities Scholars Program application pages will be added to the end of your online MSW application.
- Applicants must select the Global Social Work pathway.
If you have questions please contact the Office of Global Activities at (734) 936-1964 or ssw.oga@umich.edu.