University of Michigan School of Nursing

Graduate Global Opportunities

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Curriculum

International Health Concentration (IHC)

The IHC is designed to educate students about international health issues and provide an opportunity for practical hands-on experience. The concentration promotes multidisciplinary prevention over treatment and community-based service over institutional care. Students in any U-M School of Nursing Master’s program are eligible to add the IHC to their degree by completing two additional classes and a substantive overseas internship or service.  For more information, please visit the Master's Concentration Options page.
 

Peace Corps Option

Students may fulfill the practical requirements of the IHC by incorporating Peace Corps service into their MS program to complete a Peace Corps Master's International.  The Peace Corps funds travel and living expenses, offers health and dental coverage, and arranges for student loan deferral during the 27-month term of service.
 

Research

We recommend checking with nursing faculty regularly engaged in global research projects that may coincide with your academic interests; there may be opportunities to integrate work on such projects with a required course or clinical integration. Please visit the Faculty Global Engagement page to learn more about faculty members and their geographic and clinical areas of experience.
 
U-M Center for Global Health: Student Research Scholar Program - Through its research, training, and service activities, the Center is centrally concerned with work that aims to promote global health equity. The Research Scholar Program should not be viewed as a typical research/internship program. Rather, it is a time to develop an initiative that has the potential to grow into a sustainable project impacting the student's career.
 
Michigan Institute for Clinical & Health Research (MICHR) - The mission of MICHR's education and training programs is to provide engaging and effective multidisciplinary education, career development, and mentoring programs aimed at increasing the number of high-quality clinical and translational researchers across a broad career continuum. Other recommended pages on the MICHR wesite to explore research opportunities include:
 
U-M Center for Human Growth and Development: Minority Health and Health Disparities International Research Training Program - This NIH-funded program is dedicated to increasing the presence of underrepresented minorities in the biomedical and behavioral sciences. Students who are accepted embark on three-month research positions with U-M faculty to international placements where they conduct their research. Accepted students are awarded a monthly stipend, living expenses, round trip airfare to the placement site, and foreign and domestic expenses incurred while on the program. Undergraduate and graduate placements are available. Applicants must be African-American, Hispanic American, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, or Rural Appalachian.
 

Internships and Service Opportunities

Like research opportunities, internship and service (e.g. volunteer) engagements provide a broad range of opportunities to those graduate students who can make a commitment of their time to gain the global experience. These opportunities are available through U-M affiliated units as well as through a number of other accredited colleges, universities and external organizations.
 

U-M Affiliated Organizations

Center for Global Health
Pangea World Service Team - This student-led team, sponsored by the Ginsberg Center, is service-learning oriented and aims to enact social change through service, learning, and active citizenship. The team travels for four weeks to a different site each May. The sites are chosen via an application process from the University community. Funds are raised to offset the cost of the trip.
 
Peace Corps Service: Peace Corps Masters International Option - As described above under Curriculum, Masters students can gain global experience through adding the International Health Concentration with a Peace Corps option to their degree.
 
Sa Nimá Collaborative - This student-run organization operates two programs. One is located in Detroit and offers individual mentoring for high school-aged youth, with a special focus on graduation and post-graduation options. The international arm of the organization partners with the CasaSito Association in rural Guatemala. In conjunction with this organization, Sa Nimá implements public health interventions and needs assessments.
 
William Davidson Institute (WDI): Global Impact Internships - Housed in the Ross School of Business, the William Davidson Institute offers internships to students from across the University in one of two programs. In the first, students are responsible for setting up the internship, and can then apply to WDI for grants of up to $10,000 to fund their internship. Placements must be located in developing countries and are encouraged to focus on the business of healthcare. The second program consists of internships with organizations with which WDI already has affiliations. These are available on a rolling basis and come with awards of up to $10,000 plus up to $1500 for travel to and from the internship site.

External Organizations

Download the list linked to below to learn about the opportunities available through accredited colleges and universities and external organizations that are known to U-M Education Abroad Office and the International Career Pathways network. 
 
Another useful resource is the U-M International Center's Education Abroad Office, which serves as a clearinghouse for information on a broad range of education abroad options (e.g., study, internships, volunteering, etc.).
 

International Career Guidance

Each fall, the U-M International Career Pathways network hosts two events for undergraduates, graduating seniors and graduate students interested in working, interning or volunteering abroad or working in an international career: