Spring Semester in Dakar, Senegal

We are still accepting applications for Spring 2010 (though not for Laurel Fellowships); apply by September 30!

The Mount Holyoke College program in Dakar offers students a unique opportunity to combine the study of Senegal's past and present with internships and community service in an exciting Francophone African country.  Senegal offers a rich kaleidoscope of cultures, languages, religions, and ethnicities due to its geographical location, diverse population, and historic relationships with its neighbors and with Europe.  It is the birthplace of Francophone African literature and film and enjoys worldwide fame for the richness and variety of its music, both traditional and conteporary.  

Students will take courses at Universite Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD), study Wolof (the most widely spoken local language in Senegal), and enroll in special topics courses offered in cooperation with other U.S. college programs in Dakar.  With support from the on-site program director, students can combine their course work with internships and community-based learning opportunities.

Senegal and the City of Dakar
The Program
Volunteer and Community Service
Housing
Program Director
Requirements
Fees and Financial Aid
Application

Sénégal And The City Of Dakar
Senegal is the westernmost country on the African continent, a location that has contributed to the development of trade with Europe and North America.  French is the official language, although a number of other languages (including Wolof, Fulani, and Serer) are spoken by the many ethnic groups that make up the Senegalese population.  Senegal gained its independence from France in 1960, and is noted for its political stability and secular republic. 

Dakar is a large, bustling city, home to many embassies and consulates, several United Nations offices, NGOs, and international development organizations. Public transportation is easily accessible and inexpensive. The hustle and cosmopolitan flavor of Dakar are a sharp contrast to the rest of the country; a trip to the villages and towns within an hour's drive of the city offers a completely different Senegalese experience.

The Program
Students typically take five, 3-credit courses.  They join with other U.S. students in Dakar for Wolof language instruction and special topics courses, taught by Senegalese faculty.  Popular courses in previous years include the History of Islam, Contemporary Arts and Culture in Senegal, and Francophone African Literature. 

UCAD is the oldest Francophone university in Africa and enrolls more than 50,000 students.  It offers a wide range of courses in the humanities and social sciences, and is known for the strength of its courses in African studies.  Students may also take courses at the Institut de Français pour les Etudiants Étrangers (IFE), a division of UCAD that offers courses for foreign students, including courses in French language.

Enrolling in regular UCAD courses helps students develop their French language skills, meet Senegalese students, and enhance their understanding of Senegalese culture and society.  Students will find that the university system in Senegal (like the French system on which it is based) expects them to work more independently than is typically the case at most U.S. colleges and universities. 

Students arrive in early January and the program runs until mid- or late May, depending on the UCAD calendar.  The program director will arrange for airport pick-up, orientation, and excursions (inluding visits to cultural and historic sites in and around Dakar).

Volunteer and Community Service
We encourage students to participate in an internship or community service project to enhance their understanding of contemporary issues in Senegal.  Specific opportunities will vary from year to year, but students can expect to have a range of possibilities, such as:

• NGOs, including human rights watch organizatons such as Rencontre Africaine Pour la Defense des Droits de l'Homme (RADDHO)
• Local health centers
• Social service organizations supporting underprivileged children, the homeless, and others in need
• English as a second language instruction
• Adult literacy programs
• Enviromental agencies
• Microbusiness

This list is not exhaustive; our program director will assist students with other interests to find suitable placements.  Internships and service work do not carry academic credit.

Housing
Program students live in homestays that are carefully arranged by the Program Director. Upon acceptance to the program, students will complete a housing questionnaire that we will use to place them in a homestay.

Program Director
Ousmane Sène has been the on-site director of the Mount Holyoke program since it was established in 1992.  He is director of the West African Research Center and teaches in the Department of English at UCAD.  Dr. Sène is especially interested in the portrayal of African social, cultural, and development issues through literature.  A dedicated and experienced team of Senegalese students assists him in directing the program and in helping students take advantage of the many cultural opportunities that Dakar has to offer.

Requirements
The program is open to students from Mount Holyoke, the Five Colleges, and beyond (men and women).

Students should have completed four or five semesters of French, or the equivalent.  Students who do not expect to meet this requirement are strongly encouraged to consult with the French Department or the McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives to discuss whether an exception might be warranted.

Mount Holyoke students must meet the College's general requirements for academic leave of absence, including a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.7. They must also have a minimum grade point average in French of 3.0, and meet the French Department’s requirements for study in a Francophone country: they must take at least one four-credit course in French each semester of their first and second years, and must complete at least one course in culture and literature at the 200 level (215, 219, 225, or 230) prior to their departure for Senegal.

All students must also take at least one course on Africa (anthropology, history, art, geography, politics, etc.) prior to going abroad.

Fees and Financial Aid
The program fee for Spring 2010 will be $13,000, covering tuition, orientation, room and board, advising, and on-site support services.) Not included in the program fee are airfare, books, laundry, and personal and miscellaneous expenses.

Eligible Mount Holyoke students who are accepted to the program are guaranteed financial aid provided that they apply for Laurel Fellowships and qualify for aid on the basis of the cost of the program.  Students from other colleges should consult with their home campus adviser about financial aid. 

Application
Applications are due March 31 each year for the following spring.  Mount Holyoke students apply by submitting the College's Request to Study Abroad Form (and, if applicable, the Laurel Fellowship application) to the McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives.  Students from other colleges should submit the program application form and required waiver of liability.  We will consider late applications, if space is available, up to September 30, but we strongly encourage all students to apply by the March deadline. 

If you'd like to speak with us about the Mount Holyoke College Spring Semester in Dakar, please contact:

Joanne M. Picard
Dean of International Studies
Telephone: 413-538-2072
Email: jpicard@mtholyoke.edu