International Practicum/Internship/Service Learning Opportunities

What Are My Options for Study Abroad

Practicum

BASW SOWK 402

Social Work majors are able to complete their senior placement abroad during their last semester at Millersville. Social Workers fulfill the Department of Social Work's requirements for their senior undergrad placement and take MU courses while conducting their placement in an international location. Students are able to gain professional hands-on experience by working with grassroots and/or support organizations. Students are able to maintain contact with their Practicum Liason through email, D2L, and Skype throughout this 12-week experience. For more information, click here.

Site Locations Include:

• Dublin, Ireland
• London, England
• Cape Town, South Africa

Traditional Study Abroad

A study that allows you to deepen your understanding of social work by taking classes at institutions abroad during a semester prior to practicum.

Laura Golden's Study Abroad

Junior BASW student, Laura Golden, spent time aboard the MV Explorer as part of the Semester at Sea study abroad program. Traveling to over fourteen countries, Golden gained a better understanding of the social and economic conditions of the less fortunate in other regions of the world.

 

 

MAPS: Millersville Abroad Programs

The School of Social Work has long standing partnerships with communities in South Africa. In January of even years, students can travel to Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa for two weeks to explore ways in which various communities have responded to addressing the Global Goals. Students will understand the specific challenges within these communities and work with members of our host country to assist them with responding to their identified needs.

Internship

6-8 weeks work-based internship opportunities that can be completed during the summer. Available across all levels of study. This opportunity has the potential to be taken for credit, but does not count toward practicum hours.

Site Locations Include:

• Dublin, Ireland
• London, England
• Cape Town, South Africa

 Anjuli's Internship

 

 

For six weeks during the summer of 2016, MSW student Anjuli Ponce-de Garcia interned with the national Child and Family Agency in Dublin, Ireland. Not only did this experience offer her insight into the child welfare system in another country, Ms. Ponce-de Garcia came to realize the many similarities that exist between Ireland and the US as social work has a core set of values that parallel one another. This experience was rewarding both personally and professionally and offered new insights that could not have been gleaned within the classroom. "Spending my summer working in child welfare in Ireland gave me an invaluable global perspective on social welfare and helped me understand that social workers work hard to combat most of the same social injustices in many countries. It also opened my eyes to the possibilities of working abroad!"

 

 

How Will Working Abroad Benefit Me as a Social Work Major

An international internship provides you with much more than just work experience. Unlike having an internship at home, you will gain global skills and have experiences that will truly set you apart from other graduates. Your internship experience will go beyond the workplace as you explore the local culture and immerse yourself in the day-to-day patterns of another country. More than any time in the past, employers are seeking candidates with a global viewpoint, the ability to work with diverse groups, ability to problem solve, and the willingness to step outside their comfort zone to take on new challenges. Interning abroad gives you all of that and more. Living abroad and being immersed in a new culture strengthens your resume but even further, fosters personal growth through the development of skills such as adaptability, independence, critical thinking, and working in a multicultural environment, which are important to success in the workplace and community.

A GLOBAL CITIZEN....

IS AWARE OF THE WORLD                                    

HAS A SENSE OF PERSONAL ROLE IN THE WORLD

 

RESPECTS AND VALUES DIVERSITY

UNDERSTANDS HOW THE WORLD WORKS

IS OUTRAGED BY SOCIAL INJUSTICE

ENGAGES IN THE COMMUNITY                                  

TAKES ACTION

TAKES PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

(OXFAM, N.D.)

How Can I Afford to Study or Intern Abroad?

• If you qualify for federal and/or PA state financial aid, you may apply it to your approved study abroad program. You will review estimated cost with Office of International Programs and Services.
• Students may meet with Financial Aid, prior to submitting an application, to review how the cost of their program factors into their financial aid package. Estimates can be provided to determine whether a student is eligible to apply for additional aid.
• After a student is approved to study abroad, OIPS sends final cost estimates to Financial Aid to determine a student's official aid package.
• There are a wide variety of scholarship opportunities for students studying abroad. OIPS will advise you where to search and how to apply for such scholarships.