Department Recommendations
You are encouraged to incorporate study abroad into your academic career while still graduating in four years. In order to take courses in your major you need to plan ahead. Here are some guidelines that will be helpful.
There are many valuable courses and internships available for study abroad in English and other languages. If you are interested in an experience in a country where courses are offered in another language be sure to plan to do an intensive language study abroad program or take the appropriate language classes. It will open up more opportunities and make the experience richer.
Best time to go abroad
- Any time with careful planning.
Non-Family Social Science course requirements
- You may take any and all liberal education requirements through study abroad.
Internships
- All internships must be approved by the student’s academic adviser in order to use them to fulfill requirements. This should be done during the academic planning process prior to the study abroad experience.
Major Requirements
- FSoS program requirements may be completed abroad. If you believe the coursework abroad you will be taking is equivalent to your Core Courses, Concentration Area, or Family Electives, this can be determined in consultation with your FSoS academic adviser.
- Your FSoS academic adviser will be able to approve the courses prior to departure by working with you to fill out the Academic Planning Study Abroad (APSA) Form.
- Most accepted courses transfer as FSOS electives. However, some internship hours may count towards FSOS 4296 requirements.
College/Department Scholarships for UofM Students
- CEHD students can apply for CEHD Study Abroad Scholarships in addition to other Learning Abroad Center scholarships.
Upon return from study abroad
- Be sure to meet with your academic adviser to complete the process for using your credit from abroad for major/minor requirements
Language/Research
- It is always valuable to learn a language (see Language Intensive Programs) or complete a research project abroad.
Nonaffiliated Programs
CEHD strongly encourages students to participate in UofM-sponsored or affiliated programs, which have been vetted and approved by the Learning Abroad Center or another unit on campus. The UofM has close working relationships with hundreds of affiliated programs that are high quality in terms of academic standards, housing, cultural immersion, health and safety and administrative support services. CEHD encourages you to choose program options found on the Learning Abroad Center website. Occasionally CEHD students inquire about nonaffiliated programs, approval and support for nonaffiliated programs is highly unlikely.
Programs
Africa and the Middle East
Ghana
University of Ghana (available through ISEP Ghana)
- Comprehensive university on the outskirts of the capital, Accra, one of the fastest-growing cities in Africa.
- A variety of course offerings are available focusing on the family through the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences and the Department of Sociology. These courses may meet Family Elective credits in the major.
- Students completing the Family Financial Studies concentration may be able to transfer credits from the financial course management offerings into this concentration.
- English is the official language of Ghana and instruction is in English.
- Fall semester, spring semester, or academic year.
Senegal
MSID—International Development in Senegal
- Term: Fall and spring semester
- 4 semesters of French required
- Take classes focused on international development in the context of Senegal in the first half of the semester and participate in an internship or research project in the second half
- Choose the Health or Human Rights theme to focus your studies and your internship or research placement
- Past placements include social work agencies, youth projects, women’s groups, health clinics, community centers, and many more.
South Africa
Youth Protest & Promise in South Africa
- Term: Winter Break 2023-2024 in Cape Town, South Africa
- Explore South Africa’s past and present dynamics of power, privilege, and social justice while analyzing how youth are reshaping their future.
- Prioritize learning from and working with South African youth, thereby supporting them to empower themselves and working with them toward a common goal.
- This program is led by Nate Whittaker, Instructor in the School of Social Work, and is approved for the Civic Life & Ethics and Global Perspectives liberal education requirements
Americas
Argentina
Study & Intern in Buenos Aires
- Study in Buenos Aires, the "Paris of the Americas"
- Learn or improve your Spanish with intensive language courses
- A semester-based community engagement opportunity is available through non-governmental organizations and other community service organizations devoted to helping children and adults who do not have access to basic rights such as education, health, or a home
- Take a variety of courses in English
Colombia
CET Colombia: Study Race, Identity, & Ethnicity in Cali
- Program type: Study Abroad Center
- Examine socio-political, economic and historical conceptions of race in Afro-Colombia
- Local roommates
- Backed by Howard University
- No previous Spanish required
Ecuador
MSID—International Development in Ecuador
- Term: Fall and spring semester
- 4 semesters of Spanish required
- Take classes focused on international development in the context of Ecuador in the first half of the semester and participate in an internship or research project in the second half
- Choose the Health or Human Rights theme to focus your studies and your internship or research placement
- Past placements include social work agencies, youth projects, women’s groups, health clinics, community centers, and many more.
Asia and Oceania
Australia
James Cook University (available through IFSA Australia)
- Unique School of Social Work and Community Welfare offers a diversity of courses as well as the departments of Sociology, Psychology, and Anthropology
- Well known for its program in Indigenous Australian Studies whose courses offer an opportunity for a comparative perspective with the indigenous populations in the U.S
- Offers a 6 credit professional internship placement along with coursework in the humanities, social sciences, and business
- Students can get experience working with a variety of types of families, such as aboriginal families or economically poor families.
University of Queensland, Brisbane (available through IFSA Australia)
- School of Social Sciences provides a variety of courses that are of interest to Family Social Science students
- Courses listed under Arts such as Anthropology and regional specializations such as Asian Studies or Australian Studies may also be relevant
Thailand
MSID—International Development in Thailand
- Term: Fall and spring semester
- Based in Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Explore complex issues such as environment, globalization, human rights, public health, and social justice
- Participate in an internship or research project with a nonprofit organization
- Instruction is in English; no prior Thai required
Europe
Austria
- Take psychology courses while studying German language and area studies
- Instruction mostly in English. Two years of German required for courses taught in German.
Denmark
Study Abroad in Denmark—Child Diversity & Development
- Learn how the recent rise in immigrants has affected the Danish idea of family and social services for families; Instruction is in English
- Complete a practicum in a preschool to learn Danish early childhood education practices
United Kingdom
- Offers a 6 credit professional internship placement along with coursework in the humanities, social sciences, and business
- Past placements include a youth jobs center, a women’s center, an alternative medicine clinic, and many other opportunities to work directly with families.
Additional Options to Consider
- 3-week, 3-credit programs at the 3000-level led by University of Minnesota faculty and staff over winter break or May session.
- Explore an exciting location and topic, Fulfill Liberal Education requirements, or earn major/minor credit.
- Combine on-campus instruction during the spring semester with a study abroad component during spring break, on a 3 credits, 1xxx level Seminar.
- Freshman Seminars Abroad are designed specifically for first-year students as an introduction to study abroad, an opportunity to explore an exciting location and topic, and likely fulfill a liberal education requirement.
- Check out additional LAC Instructor-led Seminars that might run over winter break, spring break, May, and summer sessions. They vary in length, dates, and content so students can find one that best fits their academic and professional goals.
- Begin your language study or work toward completing requirements for a language minor.
- Complete a semester of language on a short-term program or explore options to complete two or more semesters of language on semester-long program.