Study Away

It isn’t necessary to go abroad to learn about different cultures, discover potential opportunities, and explore unique environments. The Office for Experiential Learning's Study Away programs offer courses and internships at locations within the United States. These programs allow students to apply classroom knowledge in professional settings.

• Detroit - InnovateGov
  

  Interested in being a part of Detroit's comeback story? Then the College of Social Science's InnovateGov Internship program is for you. Students work with local government agencies, nonprofits, and community organizations throughout Detroit to address some of the city's most critical challenges, while balancing weekly class sessions, all to strengthen you as a public servant and civic leader.
  
  

  Semester: Summer 2025
  
  Application Deadline: February 12, 2025
  
  Program Fee: ~$350
  
  Courses : ISS 335, PLS 422, PLS 494, SSC 493
  
  Housing: Housing will be provided at Wayne State University. 
  
  APPLY
• Flint Study Away Internship Program

  Whether you are a student from the Flint area or someone from outside Michigan who wants to make a difference, MSU's Flint Internship Program is for you! Benefit from hands-on learning in fields of interest while contributing to the mission of a community organization and revitalization of the Flint area.
  
  

  Semester: Summer 2025 (June 1 - August 1)

  Application Deadline: Contact Cathy White ( gamperca@msu.edu) December 13th, 2024

  Courses: SSC 493  (3 credit minimum) 

  Housing: River Front Center Residence Hall - University of Michigan Flint

  Program Fee:  No Program Fee 
  Program participation includes 8-week housing and orientation. Students are responsible to pay for tuition, most meals, transportation, and personal spending money.

  Application Link: 

  https://msueducationabroad.via-trm.com/program_brochure/17179

  PROGRAM GUIDE (PDF)

• Flint Community Initiative

  Our internship program pairs students and leaders of nonprofit community and civic organizations to engage in collaborative, community-driven projects that help expand community assets and contribute to a thriving future for Flint residents.
  Program dates for 2025:  May 14- August 15

  Semester: Summer 2025 (May 30 - August 9)

  Application Deadline: January 17, 2025

  Enrollment: on-going by permission of Program Coordinator, contact villar42@msu.edu

  To learn more about the program, visit the  Flint Community Initiative website  or contact:  Monica Villarreal,   villar42@msu.edu

  Application link:

  APPLY

  FCI BROCHURE (PDF)

• Hawaii (PROGRAM UNDER REVIEW)

  PROGRAM UNDER REVIEW

  Experience life in a culturally rich setting which provides students with an opportunity to expand their worldview without leaving the U.S. THe Hawaii Summer Program offers an academic focus on Hawaiian culture, tourism, and other social issues and includes class meetings with University of Hawaii professors and students, field experiences and community service work. 

  Semester: Summer 2025 (July)

  Courses:  IAH and ISS credits available; Independent study credits available

  Housing: University of Hawaii 

  Application Deadline: TBD

  Program Fee: ~$2700 (based on last years program)

   

• Washington D.C.

  The Washington, D.C. Study Away Program is a full semester ISS class that meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the spring semester. T he course has a study away component , during which students will travel to Washington, D.C. during Spring Break ( February 28 th – March 8 th , 2025 ).  

  Students who are interested in participating in the Study Away Washington D.C. program for Spring Break 2025 are asked to submit a video application addressing the following prompt in a 3-5 minute video (it is best if you submit your video as a MSU media space or YouTube url link).  We ask that you articulate in your short video (1) why you are interested in this particular topic, (2) how this study away program will potentially enrich your educational experience in both personal and professional ways, and (3) how the process of completing undergraduate research in the form of a visual story (via the genre of a documentary film) aligns with your experiences or interests as a citizen of our interconnected global world. 
  
  (Note: If you have questions or need assistance with the application video process, please contact Dr. Eddie Boucher directly at bouche50@msu.edu).

  Semester: Spring Semester 2025. Actual travel to Washington D.C. occurs during the week of Spring Break 2025 (February 28th-March 8th, 2025). Please note this is a full semester program that meets once per week pre-and-post travel to Washington D.C. 
  
  Application Deadline: Friday, December 15th, 2024
  
  Application Link: 

  https://msueducationabroad.via-trm.com/program_brochure/19915

  Courses: Earn 4 credit hours (ISS 315). Students can substitute SSC 490 if ISS 300-level course is not needed.
  
  Housing: Homewood Suites by Hilton. Housing cost included in the program fee.
  
  Program Fee: $1,500.00 (estimated)
• New York City

  New York City is a global economic and cultural powerhouse that is home to opportunity seekers from around the world. It is also a world-class center of culture and entertainment, from Carnegie Hall and Broadway to the Guggenheim Museum and Yankee Stadium. The program is in partnership with Global Experiences - an organization that facilitates all on-site aspects of the program including identifying customized internship placements for each student in industries.   

  Semester: Summer 2025
  
  Application Deadline: Contact Oumatie Marajh ( marajhou@msu.edu) 
  Courses: SSC 493 (6 credits) 
  
  Housing: Furnished apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The apartment is walking distance to public transportation, shops and restaurants. Single housing is available for an additional $1,500. 
  
  Program Fee: $8990 program fee includes accommodations, some meals, and field research trips. Excluded from the program fee are tuition, airfare, course books, some meals, and personal spending money. 
• Washington, DC - Freshman Seminar

  The Politics of Poverty: There is an unprecedented amount of wealth around the globe, with nearly 3,000 billionaires worldwide. But there is also vast scarcity and inequality. One percent of the world's population controls more than half of the total wealth. Meanwhile, more than ten percent of American residents live in poverty, not able to make ends meet. Another 700 million people abroad live in extreme poverty, surviving on less than $2 per day. Individuals living in poverty grapple with violence, food scarcity, fewer educational opportunities, natural disasters and environmental degradation, housing insecurity, a lack of health care, stigma, underrepresentation, and so much more. This Freshman Seminar asks students to consider the politics of poverty. We will study indicators of poverty, how poverty is measured, the differences between rural and urban poverty, and the reality of those living in poverty in the U.S. and abroad. We will consider how past and present systems contribute to the perpetuation of poverty, especially for historically excluded and marginalized groups. We will also discuss domestic and global policies attempting to mitigate inequality, as well as the shifting political attitudes towards the poor. Moreover, we will consider how scarcity can rewire our brains and poverty's pernicious effects on decision-making. And we will examine the difference in political representation between the "haves" and the "have-nots." Beyond dynamic lectures, coursework, and assignments, the Seminar will also include visits with MSU alumni and to Congress, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of State, USAID, a soup kitchen, and other nonprofit and community organizations working to address domestic and global poverty.  

  The seminar is held during the summer before fall classes, carries 3 academic credits towards graduation, and fulfills the Experiential Learning Requirement for College of Social Science students.

  

  Semester:  Summer/Fall 2025

  Program Dates: July 21st - July 30th

  Housing: TBA

  Courses: ISS 215 (4 credits)

  Early Application Deadline: April 15th, 2025

  Final Application Deadline: May 31st, 2025

  Application link: 

  https://msueducationabroad.via-trm.com/program_brochure/17181

  Program Fee: $1,500
  Program fee includes lodging for 10 days while in Washington, DC, orientation, breakfasts and some meals, books/academic resources, metro card, transportation to and from field trips and cultural activities. Students are responsible for tuition, transportation to and from Washington, DC, additional meals/snacks, and personal spending money. Tuition and program fee will be billed to your MSU student account as part of your fall semester.