Introduction
As part of the Undergraduate Global Health Certificate, students are required to participate in a field experience, which can be met through an approved study abroad program or a local course or program. Field experiences are a hallmark of the Global Health programs at UW-Madison and a unique opportunity for students to explore global health issues outside the classroom, engage with community partners, and learn from experts and practitioners in the field. These high-impact experiences allow you to apply your classroom knowledge, and for most students stand out as a highlight of their undergraduate education.
We encourage planning 6-9 months in advance to ensure that you find the right program and do not miss any application deadlines. Students can complete a field experience any time before graduation, but we encourage students to complete their field experience before senior year.
Field experiences range from 1 to 4 credits and are educational programs, not volunteer opportunities. With the exception of senior Nursing students in supervised clinical programs, students will not provide medical care to patients as part of their field experience.
There are six categories of field experiences that students can choose from:
- Signature Short-Term Study Abroad Programs: Typically 1-3 week study abroad programs led by UW-Madison faculty and staff and developed specifically for UW-Madison global health students. Students can search and apply for programs here.
- Semester and Summer-length Study Abroad Programs and Courses: Students can explore and apply for semester and summer programs that are approved as a Global Health Field Experience here. Programs with many courses, such as DIS or CIEE, have a specific list of approved field experience courses.
- International Internships: Cultivated and independent international internships that range from 4 weeks (summer) to 15 weeks (semester) and are administered through the International Internship Program (IIP).
- Local Field Experience Courses: Select UW-Madison courses that have a field or community engagement component and cover global health topics. These courses typically do not require an application prior to enrollment.
- Local Internships and Programs: Select local or regional internships and programs with a public health focus and vary in length from a couple of weeks to a full semester. These programs require an application, and accepted students are able to enroll in UW-Madison credit to complete their field experience.
- Independent Field Experiences: Certificate students that have identified their own internship opportunity with a public health focus and/or global health dimensions and wish to have it satisfy their field experience requirement can apply beforehand for approval. Students should consult their advisor and review the criteria before submitting the field experience exception form.
With a range of program locations, topics and durations, a majority of students in the certificate choose to participate in one of the many international field experiences. The list below contains all the currently approved international field experiences. For a list of local and domestic field experience options please visit the Global Health Certificate website.
Prospective Global Health Certificate Students
The Undergraduate Certificate in Global Health is a 15-credit program open to all undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The curriculum features a set of core courses, a diverse pool of elective options, and a credit-bearing field experience requirement. Students interested in the certificate should consult the Guide page and program website to learn more about the program and how to meet with an advisor.
To gain background information about study abroad and the various programs available, attend the Study Abroad Fair on campus, visit the Program Search, and/or meet with CALS Study Abroad Advisors.
To discuss how studying abroad fits within your career or professional goals in relation to the completion of the Global Health Certificate, please visit the CALS Career Services webpage to schedule an appointment with a CALS Career Advisor.
Mapping Your Study Abroad Experience in the Global Health Certificate
Global Health students can study abroad at any point during their time at UW-Madison, but students are encouraged to complete their field experience requirement before their senior year. Your major and program choice will impact when might be a good time to go abroad and if you need prior coursework. Students preferring short-term programs that meet the Global Health Certificate field experience requirement, for example, can complete these programs at any time during their career at UW-Madison. All returned students should meet with CALS Career Services to explore how to best convey the international experience to future employers, to graduate schools, and on personal statements.
To start the process of exploring study abroad as part of your Global Health Certificate you should:
- Meet with your Global Health Advisor to discuss your study abroad priorities and program ideas
- Meet with a Study Abroad Advisor to learn more about programs and ask questions
Questions to Ask
Your Global Health Advisor
- What study abroad programs are you familiar with that align with my interests and priorities?
- Are there courses that I should plan on taking here in Madison, and when are these typically offered?
- I’m interested in another program and would like for it to meet the field experience requirement. Is there a way for this other program to meet the field experience requirement?
- How do my other goals (summer research experiences, preparing for medical, professional, or graduate school, taking a gap year vs. applying right away) fit in with my coursework and timeline for studying abroad?
Your Study Abroad Advisor
- What programs offer the study abroad experience that best fits my needs?
- What are my financial aid and scholarship options for funding study abroad?
- How does the course equivalency process work?
- What are the classes like abroad, and how do they differ from UW-Madison courses?
- What is the application and notification timeline for programs and scholarships?
Yourself
- Why do I want to study abroad, and what do I hope to gain from this experience?
- How will studying abroad enhance my education and what type of learning experience to I want?
- What are my personal goals, and how will study abroad complement my personal growth?
- How long do I want to study abroad for – a few weeks, a summer, a semester, a year?
- Is there a specific country, culture, or language that I want to experience?
- How will I finance my study abroad and what scholarships do I plan to take advantage of?
Identifying Programs That are Right for You
There are many different program options available to you that meet the field experience requirement, depending on the type of experience you’d like to have.
Signature Short-Term Study Abroad Programs
Austria:
UW Obesity and Health in Austria (Summer)
China:
UW Art, Design and Wellness in China (Summer)
Costa Rica:
UW Tropical Horticulture in Costa Rica (Winter Intersession)
Ecuador:
UW Water for Life: Sustainability and Community Health in Ecuador (Summer)
UW Wellbeing through Indigenous Knowledge and Environmental Health (Winter Intersession)
Ghana:
UW Health & Food Systems: Human, Agricultural, & Environmental Health in Ghana (Summer)
Greece:
Perrotis College
India:
CFHI Global Health Internships in India (Summer)
Italy:
UW Sustainable Food Systems in Italy and the World (Summer)
Japan:
UW Food Systems and the Environment in Northern Japan (Summer)
Mexico:
UW International Field Study in Animal Agriculture and Sustainable Development (Summer)
Nepal:
UW Global Health Community Health and Health Disparity in Nepal (Summer)
Sri Lanka:
UW Global Health Community Health & Asset-Based Community Development in Sri Lanka (Winter Intersession)
Tanzania:
UW Health, Education, & Tanzanian Culture (Summer & Winter Intersession)
Thailand:
UW Biological Sciences Research Internships in Thailand” (Summer)
UW Microbiology and Public Health in Northern Thailand (Summer)
Uganda:
UW Agriculture, Health & Nutrition in Uganda (Winter Intersession)
UW Mobile Clinics & Health Care in Uganda (Summer)
Semester and Summer-length Study Abroad Programs and Courses
Note: students participating in the following programs/courses to meet their field experience requirement should consult their advisor about the course equivalency process to ensure the course is correctly counted in their DARS.
Argentina:
CFHI Global Health Internships in Argentina (Summer)
CIEE Summer Community Public Health (Summer)
SIT Public Health in Urban Environments (Fall/Spring)
Australia:
SFS Australia Rainforest Studies (Fall/Spring/Summer)
Botswana:
CIEE Community Public Health (Fall/Spring/Summer)
Brazil:
CET Brazil: Social Justice & Inequality (Fall/Spring)
Approved Course:
– Social Justice and Inequality
Chile:
SIT Public Health, Traditional Medicine, and Community Empowerment (Fall/Spring)
Denmark:
DIS – Study Abroad in Scandinavia
Approved Courses:
-Bicycle Urbanism (Summer)
-Food, Taste, and Waste (Summer)
-Healthcare Systems: A Comparative Approach (Fall/Spring/Summer)
-Health Delivery and Prioritization (Fall/Spring/Summer)
-Human Health and Disease: A Clinical Approach (Fall/Spring/Summer)
-Human Trafficking in Global Context (Fall/Spring/Summer)
-Sustainable Denmark: Solutions and Dilemmas (Summer)
-Sustainable Development in Northern Europe (Fall/Spring/Summer)
-Sustainable Food: Production and Consumption (Fall/Spring)
-Prostitution and the Sex Trade (Fall/Spring/Summer)
Ecuador:
Ceiba Tropical Conservation Semester: Galapagos, Andes and Amazon (Spring)
France:
UW in Paris (Fall/Spring)
Approved Courses:
-Community and Public Health
-Comparative Healthcare Systems
Germany:
CIEE Berlin Open Campus (Fall/Spring)
Approved Courses:
-Community and Public Health (Fall/Spring)
-Comparative Healthcare Systems (Fall/Spring)
Italy:
CIEE Rome Open Campus (Fall/Spring)
Approved Courses:
-Community and Public Health (Fall/Spring)
-Comparative Healthcare Systems (Fall/Spring)
Jordan:
SIT Refugees, Health, and Humanitarian Action (Fall/Spring)
Approved Course:
– Development, Gender, and Social Change in the Himalaya
Nepal:
SIT Development, Gender, and Social Change in the Himalaya (Fall/Spring)
Approved Course:
– Development, Gender and Social Change in the Himalaya
South Africa:
CFHI Global Health Internships in South Africa (Summer)
SIT Community Health and Social Policy (Fall/Spring)
Sweden:
DIS – Study Abroad in Scandinavia
Approved Courses:
-Gender, Equality and Sexuality in Scandinavia (Fall/Spring/Summer)
-Human Trafficking in Global Context (Summer)
-Public Health and Migration: Access, Politics, and Human Rights (Fall/Spring)
-Public Health Policy in Practice (Summer)
-Public Mental Health (Summer)
Switzerland:
SIT Global Health and Development Policy (Fall/Spring)
United Kingdom:
CIEE Summer Comparative Public Health Systems [London + Amsterdam] (Summer)
International Internships through International Internship Program (IIP)
Note: students participating in the following programs/courses to meet their field experience requirement should consult their advisor about the course equivalency process to ensure the course is correctly counted in their DARS.
Ghana: Days for Girls Communications and Media Intern
Guatemala: Asociacion Todos Juntos Food Security Research Intern
Guatemala: FUDI Communications Internship
Guatemala: FUDI Agricultural training Internship
Kenya: Health by All Means Community Health Outreach Intern
Uganda: Health Access Connect Media, Evaluation, or Operations Internship
Independent/Other: Students interested in other international internships through IIP or found independently should consult with their advisor about completing the field experience exception form and applying for Intl St 523 internship credit. To be eligible for Intl St 523, independent international internships must be at least 4 weeks in length, include at least 100 work hours, and be approved by IIP.