This program is part of the Global Experiential Education Program (GEEP) and is informed by ORICE values. GEEP aims to strengthen the bridge between classroom learning (theory) and application (practice) to address pressing global issues, in this community-based praxis initiative. Students who participate in GEEP can participate in experiential education projects designed and led by global community partners.
Details at a Glance
Round 2 Application Deadline: October 26, 2025
- Program Type: 3-Credit Curricular Program (Academic Course) taught by Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim
- Program Location: Nairobi, Kenya
- Duration: 5 weeks beginning on April 27, 2026 + Pre-departure Program & Post-placement Activities
- Eligibility: Open to UBC-V BSW or MSW students + all UBC-V students interested in this topic who can demonstrate a fit with the nature of the course during the application and interview process.
Course Description
According to the Global Burden of Diseases report, mental illness is considered to be among the leading conditions causing disability globally. Health and social service providers practicing in international settings can play a role in policy development, health education and promotion, direct provision of psychosocial interventions, assessment, referral/linkage, and mobilization of self-help, mediation, advocacy, community development, public education and research.
SOWK 440J/571 Global Mental Health: Praxis Course introduces students to an emerging and important global mental health field. Global mental health is an area of study, research, and practice that places a priority on improving mental health and achieving equity in health for all people worldwide (Patel, 2012). This elective will introduce students to advanced competencies in global health practice and research, such as the global burden of mental health, social and economic determinants of mental health, the globalization of biomedical psychiatry, global mental health governance and leadership, human rights, and equity. Students will discuss practical and ethical challenges in delivering care in low-resource settings, describe tools, and strategies to address the needs of specific vulnerable populations, especially urban refugees in resource-limited countries. They will also examine cultural awareness and its importance in caring for a diverse population.
This premier global mental health course provides learners with the opportunity to gain the necessary knowledge and skills required to work as a mental health practitioner in a global context. This course is located in Kenya to ground the concepts of global mental health in a specific non-Western context. Students will be partnered with local health organizations to observe and learn from local experts.
This course will be taught by Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim PhD, MSW, RN, an Assistant Professor at UBC’s School of Social Work and an internationally trained scholar and clinician. He has expertise in the content, lived experience in the area, and a strong network of local human service organizations and professional colleagues to assist in the facilitation of the course content.
Program Overview
Student enrollment in SOWK 440J/571 requires full participation in:
ORICE Pre-departure Learning Program (January – April, 2026)
The pre-departure learning program is designed to prepare you for an international placement. This will include:
- Pre-departure learning sessions that take place over the academic term leading up to departure are led by staff and community development professionals.
- Creation of a learning and development plan
- Facilitated meetings with your placement team to explore learning topics
- Post-Placement expectation review and planning
5-Week Academic Course (April – June 2026)
- 1 week online intensive course before departure (Starting the last week of April 2026)
- 1 week in-person intensive course hosted in Nairobi with guest speakers from Kenyan academia, government and civil society (May 2026)
- 3 weeks of community-based learning & placements in Nairobi, Kenya for the remainder of May/early June 2026
- Includes: In-Country placement orientation and workshops facilitated by ORICE
Final Course Work – due as per instructor deadlines by end of Summer Term 1.
Public Engagement Presentation (October, 2026)
More Information
Round 2 Application Deadline: October 26, 2025
- Review course and program details (please contact ubc.orice@ubc.ca with any questions you may have).
- Next, fill out the ORICE international programs application form for this course below.
- Successful applicants will be contacted by email to continue the selection process through an individual interview and a group interview.
- After interviews, you will be notified of a decision; successful candidates will be sent an offer letter with further details on the program and detailed instructions on how to accept. You will have approximately one week after receiving the offer letter to accept. Your selection into the program includes meeting eligibility requirements, as well as your initial application and your performance in the interview.
- Students who have been selected to participate in SOWK 440J/571 will be automatically registered for the course by the department.
Note: Although there are rounds of multiple deadlines scheduled, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and we can not guarantee the number of spots remaining in the following round of deadlines. We encourage interested students to apply as soon as possible.
Open to BSW or MSW students registered with the UBC Vancouver School of Social Work. Students who are entering their 4th year in September 2025 are encouraged to take this course, but please note that students who enrol in this course will be unable to officially convocate until November 2025, as they will still be active enrolled students during the May 2025 convocation period.
A program completion letter can be provided when graduating students complete the course, which can be used for employment purposes prior to formal graduation in November.
Students in other health professions, such as Nursing and Public Health, are also encouraged to apply. Strong applications from students who are not in a health professional program may also be considered.
Preference will be given to 4th year and Masters level Social Work students.
In addition to its academic requirements, SOWK 440J/571 students must also participate in a number of activities to ensure their preparedness for their international placement.
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| August 18, 2025 | Program application is open and will close when the program is full. Applications will be considered in the order they are received. |
| September 28, 2025 | Application Deadline #1 |
| Between September 28 - October 26, 2025 | First Round of Interviews |
| October 26, 2025 | Application Deadline #2 (if spaces remain) |
| November 23, 2025 | Application Deadline #3 (if spaces remain) |
| January 11, 2026 | Final SOWK application Deadline (if spaces remain) |
| January – April, 2026 | Orientation and pre-departure learning sessions. All successful applicants will be expected to be in attendance at all sessions. Sessions include some remote connections with KMTC. |
| One Week In the End of April or Early May, 2026 (Dates TBD) | SOWK 440J/571 (Summer Term 1), Course begins with an intensive seminar week prior to departure. (online course with KMTC) |
| May, 2026 (Dates TBD) | Orientation in Nairobi |
| May - June, 2026 (Dates TBD) | 4 week course including community-based attachments in Nairobi, Kenya |
| June 2026 | SOWK 440J/571 Final assignments due and post-placement reflection session |
| Post-placement October 2025 | Public engagement presentation related to course-based research |
In Kenya, you will live in hostel-style accommodations with modest living conditions.
There are program fees, outside of tuition, for this course. The finalized cost per student is yet to be confirmed, but will be within the range listed below. A program deposit fee of $685.00 is payable upon acceptance of an offer to secure your spot in the program. The deposit fee will be deducted from the overall balance owing. The prices listed below are in Canadian Dollars (CAD).
| Cost | Available Award: ORICE Regional and International Program Award (see eligibility) |
| Program Fee: $3,800 -$4000 | Award Value: $2000 |
| Program fees do not include the cost of tuition. | |
*Note: Program fees may be adjusted before the offer. Program costs vary primarily due to cost of living expenses.
Program cost includes:
- Pre-departure learning sessions at UBC
- Room and board in Kenya
- Transportation from the airport to your placement site in Kenya
- Orientation in Kenya with in-country rep
- Reflection materials
- Community partner management fee
- Program management fee
Note: Additional expenses not covered in program costs are the responsibility of the student. Costs not included are airfare, visas, vaccinations, tuition, local transportation while in country, transportation from the site back to the airport at the end of the placement, personal items, and daily incidentals.
Please see the Funding Opportunities section below for information on the award that is available to cover some of the costs of the program.
Funding available for this program: ORICE Regional and International Program Award
The ORICE Regional and International Program Award ($2000) is open to eligible UBC students participating in ORICE programs that require travel to a host community, including SOWK 440J/571. Students from all faculties are eligible.
Additional eligibility requirements are as follows:
- Completed 60 credits of undergraduate coursework (3rd or 4th year standing), unless an alternate minimum completed credit criteria is stated in the program eligibility.
- Have a minimum GPA of 70% in the top 18 credits of the previous academic year with no fails or incompletes in the assessed period. Priority will be given to students who have 75% in the top 24 credits of the previous academic year.
- Be enrolled in at least 18 credits in the current academic year or enrolled in the maximum sufficient credits to satisfy graduation requirements if this is your final year.
When you apply to any eligible program, you will be automatically assessed for the ORICE Regional and International Program Award. Admission to regional and international programs is adjudicated by application.