Fall – 12 weeks (September 7 - November 27, 2009)
Spring – 12 weeks (early January to late March)

Spring semester 2010 closed

Sponsored by James Madison College, the College of Social Science, and the College of Arts & Letters

Arranged through the Office of Study Abroad (OSA)

What's this program about?

This program is hosted by BRAC, and offers five-day/week, full-time internships.  The objective of the internships is two-fold:

1. Expose MSU students to the poverty alleviation, rural development, women's empowerment, and education activities of non-governmental agencies in a developing society, and;
2. Engage in field research on, and evaluation of BRAC programs.

Originally named the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee, BRAC was founded in 1972 in the immediate aftermath of the Bangladesh war of liberation as a refugee resettlement and humanitarian relief organization. Today it is the largest national Non-Governmental Organization in the world, and is active in (among other areas) micro-finance, social development, education, public health, and training and capacity-building.  It sees women as principal agents of social and economic change in Bangladesh, and thus works primarily with women at the grassroots level.  It has programs in every region of Bangladesh, in 99% of the sub-regions, and in 60,000 of the 86,000 villages in the country.  It has a full-time staff of 25,000, and additionally employs 34,000 part-time teachers in its primary education program.  It is mostly self-financing, through activities like textile manufacturing and marketing, handicraft sales, horticultural greenhouses and retail nurseries, health products manufacturing and marketing, dairy production, and silk processing.  While BRAC is headquartered in Dhaka, all BRAC projects are in the rural regions.  The BRAC Training Division operates 12 Training and Resource Centers (TARCs) across the country. The TARCs run year-round training courses for BRAC staff, program participants, and other development organizations and agencies.

BRAC has become a well-recognized global model of a comprehensive, self-sufficient, and highly-successful development organization. It has recently opened affiliates in Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Tanzania and southern Sudan. While all internships with BRAC are in Bangladesh, the opportunity will be of interest to students with backgrounds and interests in other regions.

Check out the video made by a former MSU intern!

Where does it take place?

The program involves work at BRAC headquarters in Dhaka, and field work related to the projects assigned by BRAC.  BRAC University faculty provide academic resources to MSU interns, and cultural interaction with BRAC University students will be organized.

BRAC UNIVERSITY
Located in Dhaka, BRAC University was founded in 2001 as a private university accredited by the University Grants Commission of the Government of Bangladesh.  BRAC University's mission is to foster national development through higher education that is responsive to social needs.  Currently, the University offers undergraduate programs in Business Administration, Economics, English, Computer Science and Engineering, and Architecture.  It currently offers two graduate programs: Masters in Business Administration and Masters in Development Studies; and is developing a Masters in Public Health program.  Once fully developed, it will offer programs in all branches of Arts, Social Sciences, and Sciences at the undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate levels.

TRAINING AND RESOURCE CENTERS (TARCS)

BRAC operates TARCs in every region of Bangladesh.  Each Training and Resource Center is equipped with a trainees’ hostel, a cafeteria, classrooms, computer facilities (including Internet access), audiovisual equipment, a library, auditorium, and staff dormitories.

What can I do?

Interns will work with members of the BRAC Training Division, and the Research and Evaluation Division to develop individual research projects.  Specific topics will depend on the interests and skills of the intern.  These placements will allow interns opportunities not only to observe BRAC projects, but also to engage in significant research on the impacts and effectiveness of those programs at the grassroots level.  Opportunities to visit grassroots project sites will be maximized, but language difficulties will prevent BRAC from assigning interns directly to those project sites.  Visits will normally be made in the company of RED and/or BRAC field staff, who can help to translate.  The BRAC Training Division will oversee the placement, and will ensure that internship logistics and daily living requirements of the interns are met.  BRAC University faculty will be available to give advice and guidance on research projects within their spheres of expertise. Interns will also have access to BRAC University workshops and seminars on areas of relevant academic interest, as well as to library and computing facilities.  MSU will normally send interns during the Fall and Spring semesters of each year (September-December, and January-April), for 12 weeks.

ORIENTATION AND LANGUAGE TRANING

The first week of the program will be devoted to orientation trips and seminars, at BRAC headquarters, and exposure tours to BRAC project sites in the rural areas.  Throughout the internship, instruction in the Bangla language (arranged by BRAC University, either in Dhaka or at the TARC) will be available. The objective is to equip MSU interns with rudimentary language skills, such that they have some basis for communication in Bangla, and a base on which to improve their Bangla fluency through their own initiatives.  The work of the internships will be conducted entirely in English, and the level of English-language fluency of staff at BRAC headquarters is very high. As the language of instruction at BRAC University is English, all BRAC University faculty are fluent in the language.

COURSE ENROLLMENT

James Madison College students will enroll in MC 400 and MC 401, for a total of 12 credits. This will satisfy the JMC Field Experience requirement.

Social Science students will enroll in SSC 493 for a total of 12credits.

Arts & Letters students will enroll in AL 493B for a total of 12 credits.

Course prerequisites may apply; see Course Descriptions (on the MSU Website) or program leader for details.

What are the requirements?

Students must have at least junior status (preference given to those with senior standing), and must be enrolled for MSU internship or field study credit.  Please speak with your college or department internship coordinator to discuss credit arrangements and academic requirements.  If you’re uncertain who that is, please speak with your academic advisor.

To take full advantage of the opportunities offered by BRAC, students need to have significant academic preparation and intellectual maturity.  Applicants will be screened for:

• international experience and cultural adaptability
• at least a basic understanding of issues of poverty, socio-economic inequality, and development challenges in South Asia
• intellectual seriousness and relevant academic preparation

All applicants will be interviewed prior to acceptance in the program, and reference letters from academic instructors will be requested.  Applicants must also demonstrate their eligibility to earn academic credit for the experience.

Additionally, students must submit an essay with their application stating why they wish to participate in this program.

Applicants’ participation may be denied or their participation approval may be revoked if their conduct before departure raises doubts as to their suitability for program participation.

Where will I live?

MSU students will have continuing accommodation in Dhaka, either in home-stays, or in BRAC-arranged apartments.  When in the field, students will stay at local TARCs, or in other BRAC facilities.  All meals are included, both in Dhaka, and at the TARCs. Each TARC has comfortable, well-furnished rooms (with shared bath), and excellent dining facilities.  They also have computer labs with good internet connections.  BRAC will provide transportation (in BRAC vehicles with BRAC-employed drivers) to BRAC offices in Dhaka, and to rural project sites as the need arises. 

Who can tell me more about this program?

Grant Littke
James Madison College
329 Case Hall
Phone: (517) 353-6757

Oumatie Marajh
College of Social Science
201C Berkey Hall
Phone: (517) 353-9202

Bethany Judge
College of Arts & Letters
200 Linton Hall
Phone: (517) 355-6519

Do I need a passport or visa?

U.S. and non-U.S. citizens need a valid passport both to enter other countries and return to the United States.  If you already have a passport, make sure it is valid until at least six months after your return date.  If you must apply for or renew a passport, APPLY EARLY, since a minimum of eight to ten weeks is usually required for processing.  During peak travel seasons, more processing time is required.  Passport forms are available at many federal and state courts, probate courts, some county/municipal offices and some post offices.  They can also be downloaded from the Web.

For more information about passports visit the web page.

A visa is official permission granted by the authorities of a country where you will study or travel that allows you to enter and remain in that country for a specific purpose.  The visa itself is frequently a stamp in your passport, not a separate document. You will need a passport before applying for a visa and the passport plus visa process may take several months, so start early.   It is your responsibility to inquire about visa requirements for all countries you plan to visit while abroad; this includes countries that you plan to visit before or after your study abroad program.  If you are not a U.S. citizen, consult the embassy or consulate of the countries you will visit to learn their document requirements.

For more information about visas visit the web page.

If you will be staying in Europe for longer than 90 days, you will need to contact the consulate(s) of your host country(ies) for advice on visas.

As part of your acceptance you will complete a Student Health/Emergency Treatment Authorization. It is your responsibility to ensure that your routine immunizations are up-to-date; inquire whether there are recommended and/or required immunizations or medications for the country/countries you will visit (including any countries you will visit that are not part of the study abroad program’s itinerary); and review educational issues relevant to your personal health and safety.

For further health information and recommendations visit the "Health Issues" section of the Student Handbook.

How much does it cost?

The program fee in Fall 2009 is $3,694 and includes the following:

• application fee ($100)
• deposit ($200)
• pre-departure orientation
• accommodations
• most meals
• daily on-site transportation
• accident and sickness insurance

Amounts not included in the program fee for which participants will need to budget include:

• MSU tuition and fees*
• airfare
• additional meals
• books and supplies
• passport application fee
• visa application fees (if applicable)
• pre-departure doctor visits
• pre-departure immunizations (if applicable)
• personal spending money

Excluding tuition and fees*, these additional costs are estimated at $3,830 for Fall 2009.  Students may request a cost sheet which lists both the program fee and an estimate of additional expenses by contacting the Office of Study Abroad at (517) 353-8920.

*Check Student Accounts for current tuition, fees and taxes. MSU students pay the same amount they would pay to study at MSU; non-MSU students pay the Lifelong Education rate.

Approximately two months before the program’s departure date, students will receive an e-bill from the MSU Student Accounts Office for the study abroad program fee.  Students will also be e-billed for tuition and fees, based on the number of credits taken, once they have enrolled in courses.  (Both amounts may be billed at the same time.)

How can I get help to pay for it?

Financial assistance is available to students who make appropriate arrangements with the Office of Study Abroad (OSA) and MSU’s Office of Financial Aid. 

If you are an MSU student and indicate on your application that you plan to use financial aid to pay for your study abroad experience, OSA will forward an estimated cost sheet to the MSU Office of Financial Aid for processing.  This form will include all anticipated costs associated with the program, including airfare.

If you are a non-MSU student, please request financial aid from your home university.  If your university is unable to award you financial aid, contact the MSU Office of Study Abroad to apply for loans only and you will be provided with instructions on how to proceed.

For further information about financial aid, visit the Web page.

Additionally, MSU students applying to any credit-bearing study abroad program are eligible for OSA Scholarships.   Some scholarships are based exclusively on academic performance; others are based on a combination of academic performance and financial need.  Requirements are listed in the scholarship application.  The deadline to apply for these scholarships is October 15th for spring semester programs.  

A generous endowment from the MSU Federal Credit Union, as well as additional resources provided through the Forest Akers Endowment, MSU Alumni Association, the Australia-Pacific Council, Charles and Marjorie Gliozzo, Eleanor and Charles Greenleaf Sr., Brigitte and Thomas Huff, the Georges Jules Joyaux Memorial Fund, the Kellogg Foundation, and contributors to the Overseas Study Endowment provide funding for these OSA scholarships.

For even more MSU scholarship opportunities through individual colleges or external scholarship possibilities (including funding for Multicultural students) visit the web page.

How do I apply?

You can apply online or download an application form.

Applications must be received in the Office of Study Abroad by October 15th for spring semester participation.  We strongly recommend that you apply early as this program may fill to capacity prior to this deadline.

Selection of applicants is done on a rolling admission basis - that is, applications are accepted and students are evaluated and considered for admission throughout the academic year.  Please remember that applying early and meeting the minimum eligibility requirements does not guarantee admission.

A $100 application fee is required.  Students will receive an e-bill for the application fee that is applied to the cost of the program and is non-refundable once a student has accepted admission into the program.  Students who have accepted admission may also be billed for a non-refundable and non-transferable $200 deposit, also applied to the cost of the program.

Students who wish to withdraw their application are required to notify the Office of Study Abroad, in writing, that they no longer intend to participate.

Acceptance to all programs is based, minimally, on a faculty review of your transcript and a review of the Judicial Affairs Office records (MSU students) or Dean of Students Reference (non-MSU students).

Details about the admissions process, pre-departure information, what to know while you’re abroad, and information about returning home can be found in the Study Abroad Student Handbook that will be sent to you with your acceptance letter.

Program fees, dates, and arrangements may be subject to change due to unexpected circumstances.