International Programs
Scotland
The UNCG Department of Social Work has a 20+ year exchange program with The Glasgow School of Social Work. Every other year, a UNCG faculty member and a group of UNCG social work students go to Glasgow to study with social work students and faculty. In alternate years, Scottish professors and students come to UNCG for four weeks of study. These courses are open to rising social work seniors, JMSW students, and others with the permission of the instructor.
During Summer 2012, UNCG students will have the opportunity to study in Glasgow for a month. For more information about that program, contact Prof. Dan Beerman (Daniel.beerman@gmail.com) or Dr. Betsy Lindsey (ewlindse@uncg.edu).Application to the program is online through the International Program Center . Read one student’s reflections about her 2008 Study Abroad experience in Scotland.
Costa Rica
The Departments of Social Work and Human Development and Family Studies offer a summer language and culture immersion in Costa Rica every other summer. This program offers students an opportunity to increase their knowledge of Latino culture and improve their Spanish language skills. Participants have four hours a day of language instruction (4 students to 1 instructor) and stay with selected Costa Rican families.
The course cost includes trips to :- the Monteverde cloud forest,
- the Poas and Arenal volcanoes
- and a trip to the Caribbean side of Costa Rica.
- participation in community building,
- visits to refugee communities,
- and interaction with indigenous tribe members.
Global Work with Immigrant Children (GWIC)
Social work seniors at UNCG have the opportunity to study abroad in Denmark, Belgium, or Spain through The Global Work with Immigrant Kids (GWIK) Project (see Cancellor's Report). The GWIK Project is designed to educate new social work practitioners for work with immigrant and refugee children and families. Social work students participate in semester-long exchanges, which involves intensive language instruction, a 15-week field internship, and additional courses, including one web-based course.
Social work students apply fall semester of the junior year for study abroad fall semester of their senior year. The study abroad opportunities with the GWIK Project are available at
- Plantjin (Antwerp, Belgium),
- Peter Sabroe (Asrhus, Denmark),
- or Ramom Llull (Barcelona, Spain).
There is financial support for some of the students who are accepted into this program for Fall 2012. This four-year project is the only grant in the United States funded by the EU—U.S. Atlantis Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) through the U.S. Department of Education. In addition to providing UNCG students with a study abroad opportunity, the project also brings students from the partner universities to study at UNCG for a semester and provides for faculty exchanges among the partner universities. For more information about the program and how to apply, contact Dr. Cathryne Schmitz (clschmit@uncg.edu).
Other Study Abroad Opportunities for Social Work Students
Through the UNCG International Programs Center (IPC) a UNCG student can study abroad for a semester or year. Financial aid can be applied to Study Abroad, and IPC is also able to provide travel grants to all UNCG students through its Endowment for International Programs.
It is usually best for social work or pre-social work students to plan on studying abroad during their sophomore year to complete their program of study in four years. Talk with your social work academic advisor about your interest in studying abroad, and visit the study abroad website. See list of universities that may be most appropriate for social work students.
