SOCI 382: Qualitative Research Methods

SOCI 382: Qualitative Research Methods

Course Overview

In this qualitative methods course, students will be examining the different traditions of qualitative sociological inquiry and the associated methodological features used to study the interpretive practices and meanings in the everyday lives of individuals. Through a community based experiential learning approach, students will explore qualitative methods in the real world and be engaged with a community organization making a positive impact.

Eligibility Criteria: 

Pre-reqs: One of SOCI 100, SOCI 101, SOCI 102 and SOCI 217. This course is a required credit for Sociology majors.

Registration:

Register for the course on SSC here. This course runs from May – June 2021.

APSC 462: Global Engineering Leadership

Program Overview

APSC 462: Global Engineering Leadership Practicum (3 credits), together with its prerequisite course APSC 461, Global Engineering Leadership (3 credits) are designed to introduce upper-year students from a wide range of disciplines to concepts, theories, and practices of engineering leadership in international settings, exploring how technical problems and solutions fit in broader perspectives.  Appropriate implementation requires adapting to the social, cultural, economic, and political contexts and understanding the values expressed within them. By exploring themes around leadership styles, ethical community engagement, participatory planning development, and understanding differences APSC 461/2 seeks to better prepare students for real-life situations where they may encounter conflict, cultural differences, ethical dilemmas and opposing values.

 

Course Description

APSC 461 Global Engineering Leadership (3 credits) is an introduction to concepts, theory, and practice of engineering leadership, including characteristics; individual and cultural differences, service and management contexts; managing change, conflicts, and crises; real-world ethics and core values. The course is offered during Summer Term 1 (May-Jun 2020) and students can register for the prerequisite course on the SSC once registration opens. APSC 461 (coursework) is also a technical elective in most Engineering disciplines:

  • Mechanical Engineering: General “A” list Technical Elective (credit not given to Camosun Bridge transfer students)
  • Engineering Physics
  • Integrated Engineering
  • Mining Engineering
  • Civil Engineering: Please consult with your advisor
  • Others: Please consult with your advisor
  • A number of seats are also held for Arts students who wish to explore the intersections of technology, design and society.

Click here to view an example syllabus

APSC 462 Global Engineering Leadership Practicum (3 credits) is an International Service Learning Placement (ISL) and an Impact of Technology on Society elective in all Engineering disciplines. Complex international engineering projects typically require interdisciplinary approaches and individuals working together through the support of strong, ethical leaders. Students in APSC 462 will participate in an 8-week International Service Learning placement with one of ORICE’s community partners, bringing their theoretical knowledge into practice in a collaborative fashion with an interdisciplinary team.

 

International Service Learning Program 

Student enrollment in APSC 462 requires full participation in:

  • APSC 461 classes on campus from May-June 2020
  • Pre-departure learning sessions from March-May 2020
  • 8 week International Service Learning (ISL) placement from beginning of July to the end of August 2020
  • Mid-placement workshop
  • Return seminar and final course-work on campus in September 2020
  • Re-entry debrief and public engagement presentation on campus in September and October 2020

 

More information

Eligibility Criteria

Students should be in their 3rd year by Summer 2020

Students registered in APSC 462 must complete ASPC 461 prior to their International Service Learning placement. APSC 461 runs in Summer 2020, term 1. APSC 462 runs in Summer 2020, term 2.

In addition to Applied Science students, there are a number of seats in APSC 461/462 reserved for ARTS students interested in further exploring the intersections of technology, design and society in the context of Engineering Leadership. APSC 462 is an Impact of Technology on Society elective in all Engineering disciplines.

Placement Description

For the summer of 2020, there are three International Service Learning placement sites.  Each site offers its own unique range of projects to meet a wide range of student interest.

Mexico

Tsomanotik‘s communities in rural parts of Chiapas state are facing rising energy costs for fuel and electricity which have increased as much as 38% over the past two years. Tsomanotik is an eco-agricultural organization working in Chiapas and is committed to promoting sustainability and solidarity in community settings.

Tsomanotik is seeking to explore the possibility of a hydroelectric project with minimal inputs that would support the local fishery which is important for supporting the nutrition and economic opportunities of the community. Interns will contribute to a feasibility study and conduct research on waste water management systems and the implementation of a reusable water system at the local fishery while also collecting data and analysis for the project.

Costa Rica

Matapalo Sea Turtles Conservation (Matapalo, Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica): “Through the Matapalo Beach Investigation Program, we protect and conserve sea turtle nests and carry on a program of investigation to aid in efficient conservation, protection of endangered species, and the proper planning of tourist activities.”

Quelonios del Caribe (Bataan, Limón Province, Costa Rica): Quelonios del Caribe aims to “manage and contribute to the conservation, research, and education on the coast of Costa Rica while developing initiative to preserve natural resources based on community involvement.”

ASVPA is interested in improving wastewater management systems using low technology solutions. Student interns in this placement will be working on conducting research which includes a cost-benefits analysis for the project design and designing a grey-water recycling system using materials and resources available to the site.

India

With growing populations and increased energy demands, SELCO Foundation , the community partner aims to dispel myths about the relationship between poverty, people, and technology.

As a student intern, you will participate in a design challenge looking at specific energy access challenges for those living in marginalized communities. An example of the type of project would be studying feasibility and implementation of solar power intervention for small-scale vendors in an informal settlement in India.

 

Living Environment

In Mexico and Costa Rica you will live in hostel-style accommodations with modest living conditions on the placement site. Accommodation in India will be with a host family.

Important Dates

In addition to its academic requirements, APSC 462 students must also participate in a number of activities to ensure their preparedness for their International Service Learning Placement.  These activities begin at the end of the exam period in April,

Program Dates

Date Activity
April 2020 Program application is open and will close when full. Applications will be considered in the order they are received.
April and May 2020 Orientation and pre-departure learning sessions (all successful applicants will be expected to be in attendance at all sessions)
May – June 2020 APSC 461 course
July – August 2020 APSC 462, 8 week international placement including a facilitated workshop approximately mid-way through (exact dates TBA)
September 2020 APSC 462 Post Placement seminar and assignments due
Sept – Oct 2020 ISL Post-placement reflection sessions and International Development Symposium.

**Please note these dates may be adjusted but will be confirmed prior to offer.

Program Costs

Costs per student include the pre-departure learning program, initial pick-up upon arrival at airport, room and board during the placement and additional costs associated with the post-placement activities.  Costs vary slightly by program due to the cost of living expenses of the country or region.

 Location Program Fee
Mexico $3,700 – $4,000
India $3,100– $3,350
Costa Rica $4,100 – $4,350

Fees are subject to adjustment prior to offering the placement to the student.

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.

 

Funding Opportunities

Regional and International Service Learning Award

This $1500 award is open to all UBC students participating in APSC 461/462. Eligibility requirements are as follows:

  • Completed 60 credits of undergraduate coursework (3rd or 4th year standing)
  • Have a minimum GPA of 70% in the top 21 credits of the previous academic year. Priority will be given to students that have 75% in the top 27 credits of the previous academic year.
  • Be enrolled in at least 24 credits in the current academic year or enrolled in 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 Regional and International Service Learning Award. Admission to regional and international service learning programs is by application.

How to Apply

  1. Review course and program details (please contact ubc.isl@ubc.ca with any questions you may have).
  2. Apply online, using Gateway Application Portal, accessed by following the "Apply Now" link. (On right side of page)
  3. Submit your Application by the deadline.
  4. Successful applicants will be contacted by email to continue selection process (see below).
  5. Students who have been selected to participate in APSC 462 will be force registered in the course.

Process and Timeline

Selection Process

To apply please fill out and submit an online application. Successful applicants will be invited to an 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 and pay a program deposit. Your selection into the ISL program includes meeting eligibility requirements, as well as your initial application and your performance in the interview.

Don’t wait to apply, spaces are limited!

Pre-Departure Overview

The pre-departure learning program is designed to prepare you for an international service learning placement. This will include:

  • Pre-departure learning sessions taking place over the academic term leading up to departure led by staff and community development professionals.
  • Creation of a learning and development plan
  • Participant-led events/presentations
  • Facilitated meetings with your placement team to explore learning topics
  • Post-Placement Overview

Post-Departure Overview

You will participate in post-placement activities in September - October 2020, including:

  • A full day to debrief in September 2020
  • Return seminar and final coursework in September 2020
  • Presentation at an International Development Symposium in October 2020

Wicked Problems in Community Development

Program Overview

This international service learning Co-Curricular placement builds upon the course teachings from ASTU 401G Wicked Problems in Community Development in an international community organization setting, working on research projects focused on wicked problems associated with social change and global sustainable development. This program is a co-curricular (not for credit) placement with SELCO Foundation in Bangalore, India. There are also funding opportunities through ORICE Experiential Education Award.

 

Wicked Problems in Community Development – International Service Co-Curricular Placement

Wicked Problems in Community Development includes an international service learning placement at one of ORICE’s community-based organization partners in India.  Students must complete the prerequisite course, ASTU 401G, in Winter Term 2, or have previously completed the course prior to applying for the co-curricular placement. Participation in this placement requires submitting an application to ORICE using the link on the left side of the page.

Students will be placed in Bangalore, India and will work on a community-development project alongside a community-based organization partner. Within this context, students will work collaboratively with members of their host organization, develop their understanding of local challenges, and enhance their understanding of small-scale ethical research in practice for the organization.  Students will complete in-placement assignments, participate in a mid-placement workshop, contribute to post-placement discussions and present at a public engagement conference upon return to UBC-Vancouver.

 

More Information

Eligibility Criteria

This placement is open to all students currently enrolled in ASTU 401G (Winter Term 2, 2020) or have taken the mandatory prerequisite course ASTU 401G in the past.

Prerequisite Course Information: ASTU 401G

ASTU 401G focuses upon a case-study situated in India and utilizes the transdisciplinary tools of systems theory, forum theatre, critical systems heuristics, strategic design and, of course, current best practices in international community engagement, to engage students in a probing, practice-based dialogue exploring contemporary approaches to the “taming” of “wicked problems” in an international community development context. For more course info, click here.

International Service Learning Placement Description

As a part of this experience, you will be enrolled in an International Service Learning placement. ASTU 401G placements will be located in Bangalore, India at SELCO Foundation. With growing populations and increased energy demands, SELCO Foundation , the community partner aims to dispel myths about the relationship between poverty, people, and technology.

Living Environment

In India you will live with host families in modest conditions. In most cases, you will take public transport to and from your placement.

Important Dates

Date Activity
March 2020 Program application are reviewed
March-April 2020 Orientation and pre-departure learning sessions (all successful applicants will be expected to be in attendance at all sessions)
May-August 2020 12 week International placement including a facilitated workshop approximately mid-way through (exact dates TBA)
September 2020 Post Placement seminar and assignments due (exact times TBA)
September-October 2020 ISL Post-placement reflection sessions and Public Engagement Presentation

*Please note these dates may be adjusted but will be confirmed prior to offer.

Program Costs

The cost of this program may be funded by the Regional and International Service Learning Award award. The finalized cost per student is yet to be confirmed, but will be within the ranges in the table below.

Location Full Program Fee
India $3,900 – $4,400

NOTE: The ISL Program fee is separate from UBC course tuition. Tuition dues will be appear on your Student Services Centre account at the beginning of the term(s) in which you receive course credit.

Program cost includes:

  • Pre-departure learning sessions at UBC
  • Room and board
  • Transportation from the airport to your placement site
  • Orientation in host country
  • In-session debrief and workshop part way through your placement
  • Reflection materials
  • Community partner management fee
  • Program management fee

*Fees may be adjusted before offer. Program costs vary primarily due to cost of living expenses per country and region. 

Program cost does not include:

The following expenses are not covered in program costs and are the responsibility of the student.

    • Tuition
    • Airfare
    • Visas
    • Vaccinations
    • Local transportation while in country
    • Transportation from the project site back to the airport at the end of the placement
    • Personal items, and daily incidentals. You will be required to bring your own laptop.

Funding Opportunities

This course is eligible for the ORICE Regional and International Service Learning Award. More information about funding options can be found here.

Process & Timeline

Selection Process

Applications for Wicked Problems in Community Development ISL Co-Curricular placement are now open. To apply please fill out and submit an online application via Gateway (link in right sidebar). Applications are processed in the order they are received. Successful applicants will be invited to an 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 and pay a program deposit. Selection into the ISL program is based on whether you meet the eligibility requirements, your written application and your performance in the interview.

Pre-Departure Learning Program Overview

The pre-departure learning program is designed to prepare you for an international service learning placement. This will include:

  • Pre-departure learning sessions led by staff and community development professionals over the course of the term
  • Creation of a learning and development plan
  • Participant-led events/presentations
  • Facilitated meetings with your placement team to explore learning topics

Post-Placement Overview

You will participate in post-placement activities in September – October 2020, including:

  1. A full day to debrief in September 2020
  2. Return seminar and final coursework in September 2020
  3. Presentation at a public engagement conference in October 2020

ASTU 401I: Community Based Participatory Research Applications

 

Program Overview

ASTU 401I is a 3 credit course and an international service learning placement. To apply to ASTU401I, students must first complete its mandatory prerequisite course, ASTU401H, during Winter Term 2 (Jan-Apr 2020). Students can register for the prerequisite course on the SSC here.  ASTU401I requires participation in the International Service Learning Program (see below).

ASTU 401I provides an immersive and engaging course that centers research as a tool for social change and global sustainable development. Although ‘research’ is its focus, the courses are not about you as a researcher, or about your research project. Rather, ASTU 401I explores how reciprocity can be used to guide social research for a community-based partner.

 

 

ASTU 401I

ASTU 401I (2020S, May-October) is 3 credit course which includes an international service learning placement at one of ORICE’s community partners in either Costa Rica, India, Kenya, Mexico or Uganda.  Students must complete the prerequisite course, ASTU401H, in Winter Term 2, prior to taking ASTU401I. Participation in ASTU401I requires submitting an application to ORICE  using the link on the left side of the page.

ASTU 401I  students will be placed in a non-Western country and will work on a community-development project alongside a community partner organization. Within this context, students will work collaboratively with members of their host organization, develop their understanding of local challenges, and enhance their understanding of small-scale ethical research in practice for the organization.  Students will complete in-placement assignments, participate in a mid-placement workshop, contribute to post-placement discussions and present at a public engagement conference upon return to UBC-Vancouver.

 

International Service Learning Program 

Student enrolment in ASTU401I requires full participation in:

  • ASTU 401H classes on campus from January-April 2020
  • Pre-departure learning sessions from March-May 2020
  • ASTU 401I classes on campus during May 2020
  • 12 week International Service Learning (ISL) placement from beginning of June to the end of August 2020
  • Mid-placement workshop
  • Return seminar and final course-work on campus in September 2020
  • Re-entry debrief and public engagement presentation on campus in September and October 2020

 

More Information

Eligibility Criteria

Students must take ASTU401H before ASTU401I. ASTU 401H is open to students in all faculties with 3rd year status and beyond. Students can register for ASTU 401H through the SSC. Students interested in further developing their understanding of participatory research in an applied, international context are encouraged to apply for the course, ASTU 401I, using the application link on the left side of this page.

Prerequisite Course Information: ASTU401H

ASTU401I's prerequisite course, ASTU 401H, provides an overview of research in the social sciences, informed by post-colonial, feminist, and post-development scholarship.  In particular, the course will examine how power shapes research relationships. In the international context, power operates through North-South relations conditioned by histories of colonialism and imperialism. With these relations in mind, this course will introduce techniques, methods, and tools for collaborative research in cross-cultural contexts. Our goal is to identify research practices that decolonize knowledge seeking in order to promote social justice.

The course will focus on Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) methods, which work to decolonize approaches to conducting research and to promote reciprocity, respect, and resilience. This involves building relationships with community members and developing research projects that bring benefit to the community (reciprocity), placing value and emphasis on the practices and knowledge of the community members (respect), and working in partnership to develop the skills and capacity of the community (resilience). Students in the Social Sciences are trained in a variety of research methods – from survey design to ethnography. This course teaches students how to approach their research in a way that emphasizes reconciliation and diverges from the history of exploitative international research practices that have dominated the past century.

International Service Learning Placement Description

As a part of the ASTU 401I course, you will be enrolled in an International Service Learning placement. Specific placements will be announced in Feb/March 2020. ASTU 401I placements may be located in Mexico, Costa Rica, India, Kenya, Uganda, or other countries where ISL community partners are located.Specific placements for 2020 are currently being determined by host partners and program staff.

Living Environment

In Uganda, Kenya, and India you will live with host families in modest conditions. In most cases, you will take public transport to and from your placement. In Mexico and Costa Rica you will live in hostel-style accommodations with modest living conditions on the placement site.

Important Dates

Date Activity
Now Program application open. Applications to ASTU401I are currently being reviewed in the order received.
January 7th, 2020 First day of lectures for the mandatory prerequisite course, ASTU401H
January 17th, 2020 Last day to register for the mandatory prerequisite course, ASTU401H, on SSC
January-April 2020 Orientation and pre-departure learning sessions (all successful applicants will be expected to be in attendance at all sessions)
May-August 2020 ASTU 401I + 12 week International placement including a facilitated workshop approximately mid-way through (exact dates TBA)
September 2020 ASTU 401I Course – Post Placement seminar and assignments due (exact times TBA)
September-October 2020 ISL Post-placement reflection sessions and Public Engagement Presentation

*Please note these dates may be adjusted but will be confirmed prior to offer. There is no program fee for ASTU 401H aside from regular tuition fees.

Program Costs

The *cost of this program may be funded by the ARA award. The finalized cost per student is yet to be confirmed, but will be within the ranges in the table below.

Location Full Program Fee Fee with 70% ARA funding**
Uganda $3,900 – $4,400 $1,170 – $1,320
Kenya $3,900 – $4,400 $1,170 – $1,320
Mexico $4,600 – $4,800 $1,380 – $1,440
Costa Rica $4,600 – $4,800 $1,380 – $1,440
India $3,900 – $4,400 $1,170 – $1,320

NOTE: The ISL Program fee is separate from UBC course tuition. Tuition dues will be appear on your Student Services Centre account at the beginning of the term(s) in which you receive course credit.

Program cost includes:

  • Pre-departure learning sessions at UBC
  • Room and board
  • Transportation from the airport to your placement site
  • Orientation in host country
  • In-session debrief and workshop part way through your placement
  • Reflection materials
  • Community partner management fee
  • Program management fee

*Fees may be adjusted before offer. Program costs vary primarily due to cost of living expenses per country and region. Placements may be in other countries where ISL community partners are located

Program cost does not include:

The following expenses are not covered in program costs and are the responsibility of the student.

    • Tuition
    • Airfare*
    • Visas
    • Vaccinations
    • Local transportation while in country
    • Transportation from the project site back to the airport at the end of the placement
    • Personal items, and daily incidentals. You will be required to bring your own laptop.

*Students who receive ARA funding will have 70-100% of the cost of airfare funded.

Funding Opportunities

This course is eligible for the Arts Research Abroad & ORICE Regional and International Service Learning Award.
More information about funding options can be found here.

Process & Timeline

Selection Process

Applications for ASTU 401I are now open. The deadline for the first round of applications is October 27th. To apply please fill out and submit an online application via Gateway (link in left sidebar). Applications are processed in the order they are received. Successful applicants will be invited to an 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 and pay a program deposit. Selection into the ISL program is based on whether you meet the eligibility requirements, your written application and your performance in the interview.

Pre-Departure Learning Program Overview

The pre-departure learning program is designed to prepare you for an international service learning placement. This will include:

  • Pre-departure learning sessions led by staff and community development professionals over the course of the term
  • Creation of a learning and development plan
  • Participant-led events/presentations
  • Facilitated meetings with your placement team to explore learning topics

Post-Placement Overview

You will participate in post-placement activities in September – October 2020, including:

  1. A full day to debrief in September 2020
  2. Return seminar and final coursework in September 2020
  3. Presentation at a public engagement conference in October 2020

ECON 364B: The Economics of Sustainable Development

Program Overview

ECON364B is a 3 credit course on campus in May followed by a 3 month international service learning placement from June to August. This page describes the international service learning placement associated with ECON364B; find more information about the regional service learning placement associated with ECON364B here.

To take ECON364B, students must first complete its mandatory prerequisite course, ECON364A, during Winter Term 2 (Jan-Apr 2020). Students can register for the prerequisite course on the SSC here. Acceptance into ECON364B is by application. A link to the application can be found in the left sidebar.  Students who apply to ECON364B and are not registered in ECON364A will be force registered in the course when accepted into the program.

ECON364B is a part of the International Service Learning program, which includes pre-departure learning sessions, a mid-placement workshop, and post-placement coursework, discussion and public engagement (see below).

Course Description

ECON 364 A/B- The Economics of Sustainable Development: Communities, Markets and Technology is a six credit course integrating an international service learning approach with rigorous academic studies. The aim of the course is to both deepen and broaden students’ understanding of the process of economic development as it affects disadvantaged communities in East Africa, India and Latin America. In particular, students will explore the problems and concerns of developing communities in relation to ways that resilient, healthy communities are able to create sustainable livelihoods, to support rather than deplete the local or regional environment, and to build local economies that ensure the well-being of all community members.

 

International Service Learning Program 

Student enrollment in ECON 364B is part of the ISL program and requires full participation in:

    • ECON 364A classes on campus from January-April 2020
    • Pre-departure learning sessions from March-May 2020
    • ECON 364B classes on campus during May 2020
    • 12 week International Service Learning (ISL) placement from beginning of June to the end of August 2020
    • Mid-placement workshop
    • Return seminar and final course-work on campus in September 2020
    • Re-entry debrief and public engagement presentation on campus in September and October 2020

 

More information

Eligibility Criteria

Students who have completed their second year (54 credits) by January 1, 2020 and who have completed a minimum of nine credits in Economics.

Placement Description

As a part of the ECON 364B course, you will be enrolled in an International Service Learning placement. Specific placements will be announced in March 2019. ECON 364B placements may be located in Mexico, Costa Rica, India, Kenya, Uganda, or other countries where ISL community partners are located. Below are examples of previous placements for ECON 364B.

Kenya

Sustainable Livelihoods through Girls' Education and Empowerment

Econ 364B student interns have worked in southwestern Kenya with a community partner organization that is working to determine financial models that will facilitate the continued growth and operations of the education facilities aimed at the girl child. With fee-paying and scholarship students, the intern worked with the team to identify models that will allow for a sustainable balance of students in the years to come. In addition, interns explored income-generating opportunities and conduced feasibility research and cost-benefit analyses on potential income generation opportunities such as establishing a community health facility or water point in the community. Income generating activity aims to both serve community needs and establish a revenue stream that will continues to support girls’ education and empowerment.

Mexico

Sustainable Livelihoods and Community Development (Feasibility Study)

Former Econ 364B students worked with a community partner organization in Mexico that works in solidarity with local communities to advance eco-agricultural practices and ensure that reliable forms of income are available for community members. Their work included collaborating closely with staff to comparatively analyze the market and production for current and proposed agricultural products. In addition, students created an assessment tool using a sustainable livelihoods lens to gage the efficacy of a home garden project implement with school age children.

Uganda

Microfinance Support (Program Development)

Past students worked alongside staff at a social enterprise in Uganda that works towards ensuring that women and young girls have access to safe and dignified solutions to managing their periods. Their work supported the research of processes, equipment and efficiency models of manufacturing different products, while maintaining the social values of the enterprise at the core of the production.

Placements for 2019 are currently being determined by host partners and program staff.

Living Environment

In Uganda, Kenya and India, you will live with host families in modest conditions. In most cases, you will take public transport to and from your placement. In Mexico and Costa Rica you will live in hostel-style accommodations with modest living conditions on the placement site.

Important Dates

Date Activity
Now Program application open. Applications are currently being reviewed in the order received.
March - May 2020 Orientation and pre-departure learning sessions (all successful applicants will be expected to be in attendance at all sessions)
May – August 2020 ECON 364B course + 12 week International placement including a facilitated workshop approximately mid-way through (exact dates TBA)
September 2020 ECON 364B Course – Post Placement seminar and assignments due (exact times TBA)
September - October 2020 ISL Post-placement reflection sessions and Public Engagement Presentation

*Please note these dates may be adjusted but will be confirmed prior to offer.

Program Costs

Please see the Funding Opportunities section below for more information about the ARA award. The finalized cost per student is yet to be confirmed, but will be within the ranges in the table below.

Location Full Program Fee with 70% ARA Funding
Uganda $3,900 - $4,400 $1,170 - $1,320
Kenya $3,900 - $4,400 $1,170 - $1,320
Mexico $4,600 - $4,800 $1,380 - $1,440
Costa Rica $4,600 - $4,800 $1,380 - $1,440
India $3,900 - $4,400 $1,170 - $1,320

NOTE: The ISL Program fee is separate from UBC course tuition. Tuition dues will be appear on your Student Services Centre account at the beginning of the term(s) in which you receive course credit.

Program cost includes:

  • Pre-departure learning sessions at UBC
  • Room and board
  • Transportation from the airport to your placement site
  • Orientation in host country
  • In-session debrief and workshop part way through your placement
  • Reflection materials
  • Community partner management fee
  • Program management fee

*Fees may be adjusted before offer. Program costs vary primarily due to cost of living expenses per country and region. Placements may be in other countries where ISL community partners are located

Program cost does not include:

The following expenses are not covered in program costs and are the responsibility of the student.

    • Tuition
    • Airfare*
    • Visas
    • Vaccinations
    • Local transportation while in country
    • Transportation from the project site back to the airport at the end of the placement
    • Personal items, and daily incidentals. You will be required to bring your own laptop.

*Students who receive ARA funding will have 70-100% of the

cost of airfare funded.

 

Funding Opportunities

This course is eligible for the Arts Research Abroad & ORICE Regional and International Service Learning Award.
More information about funding options can be found here.

How to Apply

  1. Review course and program details (please contact ubc.isl@ubc.ca with any questions you may have).
  2. Apply online, using Gateway Application Portal, accessed by following the "Apply Now" link. (On right side of page)
  3. Submit your Application by the deadline. (October 27th)
  4. Successful applicants will be contacted by email to continue selection process (see below).
  5. Students who have been selected to participate in ECON 364B will be force registered in the course.

Process and Timeline

Selection Process

To apply please fill out and submit an online application. Successful applicants will be invited to an 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 and pay a program deposit. Your selection into the ISL program includes meeting eligibility requirements, as well as your initial application and your performance in the interview.

Don’t wait to apply, spaces are limited!

Pre-Departure Overview

The pre-departure learning program is designed to prepare you for an international service learning placement. This will include:

  • Pre-departure learning sessions taking place over the academic term leading up to departure led by staff and community development professionals.
  • Creation of a learning and development plan
  • Participant-led events/presentations
  • Facilitated meetings with your placement team to explore learning topics
  • Post-Placement Overview

Post-Departure Overview

You will participate in post-placement activities in September - October 2020, including:

  • A full day to debrief in September 2020
  • Return seminar and final coursework in September 2020
  • Presentation at an International Development Symposium in October 2020

Education Technology and Innovation Placement with Meghshala – India

Program Overview

Eligibility Criteria

Open to all UBC students. One to two placement spots are available.

Program Description

Meghshala is a vibrant organization located in Bangalore, India, with well over 20 young educators working collaboratively on curriculum and technology innovations to improve the education system, the effectiveness of teachers and the educational experience for children. They believe the most effective way to transform the Indian education system at scale is to empower the heart of the education system: the teachers.

Meghshala is both product (teach kit, teach app, etc.) and process (mentorship, guidance, teacher centred) focused.  They have been collecting extensive data about the use of its products, teacher feedback and school performance – and are keen to gather deeper meaning of the data to both inform their work but also to consider the impacts of their work.

The fall 2019 student or students placed with Meghshala will work with the design and implementation team to develop regionally contextualized materials to address pressing concerns in education. Concerns include preservation and transfer of knowledge of traditional saree weavers; environmental education addressing water shortages; and human-wildlife coexistence.

Students in this placement should be prepared to take initiative in understanding the organization’s intended social impacts while being embedded in its operations, innovation, and technological focus.  They should be interested in working alongside a dynamic, high-energy team to address the challenge of delivering context-relevant curricula to underserved areas.

This placement is best for students interested in processes of systematic change and the challenges of intervening and measuring impact. Interns will engage with the team on day-to-day projects related to the work that Meghshala is undertaking. For example, the 2017 UBC team worked with Meghshala on the development of an app to connect teachers and further curriculum development and support.

Program Dates

Date Activity
August 11th, 2019 Applications accepted until full OR until 11:59pm on August 11th
August/September Orientation and pre-departure learning sessions (all successful applicants will be expected to be in attendance at all sessions)
September- December 12 weeks of fieldwork in an International Service Learning placement
TBD Re-entry debrief
**Please note these dates may be adjusted, but will be confirmed prior to offer.

 

Program Costs

The costs below are per student and are yet to be fully determined, but will be within the following ranges. Possible funding available through ORICE award.

Location Program Fee
India $3,900 – $4,400*

**Fees are subject to adjustment prior to offering the placement to the student.

 

Awards & Funding

Regional and International Service Learning Award

This $1500 award is open to eligible UBC students participating in this co-circular offering. Students from all faculties are eligible. Eligibility requirements are as follows:

  • Completed 60 credits of undergraduate coursework (3rd or 4th year standing)
  • Have a minimum GPA of 70% in the top 21 credits of the previous academic year. Priority will be given to students that have 75% in the top 27 credits of the previous academic year.
  • Be enrolled in at least 24 credits in the current academic year or enrolled in 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 Regional and International Service Learning Award. Admission to regional and international service learning programs is by application.

ASTU 401G: Wicked Problems in Community Development

Course Overview

ASTU 401G “WICKED PROBLEMS” is an upper-level interdisciplinary course designed for students with an interest in global sustainability, students will focus on a case study in India and study the societal complexity of international community development. Students from all faculties are encouraged to register. 

In partnership with SELCO Foundation, an NGO in the Bangalore area, this course will collaborate on cases to approach complex social issues such as:

  • urban homelessness and housing;
  • agricultural (un)sustainability and sovereignty;
  • clean energy solutions for social services;
  • refugee migration; and
  • nomadic communities.

Students will learn to utilize the trans-disciplinary tools of systems theory, forum theatre, critical systems heuristics, strategic design and, of course, current best practices in international community engagement. Assignments will be grounded in solidarity practices with the mission of the organization. Students will gain the tools to untangle the complex systems and structures, drawing on theories such as critical pedagogy and post-development.

In their influential paper of 1972, design scientist, Horst W. J. Rittel and city planner, Melvin M. Webber, coined the term “wicked” to describe “problems of governmental planning – and especially those of social or policy planning” that are “ill defined; and […] rely upon elusive political judgment for resolution.” They considered these problems to be of a fundamentally different nature to “problems in the natural sciences, which are definable and separable and may have solutions that are findable.” According to Rittel and Webber, the intrinsic complexity of such “wicked problems” as poverty, homelessness, and environmental degradation could not be solved but only “tamed” or “at best […] re-solved – over and over again.” Perhaps the single greatest consistent contributor to “wickedness” is the lack of consensus among stakeholders as to the correct description of the problem itself, let alone the nature of any possible intervention. This vexing conundrum is often due to differing tacit judgments regarding the “boundaries” of the “system or area of concern” to be addressed (i.e. Should an intervention to address homelessness include strategies around education and employment?) as well as a lack of clarity regarding the specific socio-political contexts and power distributions within any particular development context. The ways that these often unvoiced assumptions can surreptitiously constrain dialogue and action can be particularly acute when well-intentioned citizens from the “developed world” attempt to participate in community development projects with vulnerable populations in parts of the “developing world.”

Focusing upon a case-study situated in India and utilizing the transdisciplinary tools of systems theory, forum theatre, critical systems heuristics, strategic design and, of course, current best practices in international community engagement, this course will engage students in a probing, practice-based dialogue exploring contemporary approaches to the “taming” of “wicked problems” in an international community development context.

Course time:

W2021 T2 Tuesday and Thursday 11:00-12:30pm. Classes will be primarily synchronous for team-based activities.

Eligibility Criteria:

Open to all UBC students with a minimum 3rd year standing by January 2020.

This course can be counted towards the Faculties of Science and Engineering’s undergraduate students arts course requirement.

This course runs from January – April 2021.

How to register: Register on the SSC here.

Health and Community Development Placement with TASO – Uganda

Program Overview

Eligibility Criteria

Open to all UBC students, psychology and sociology students may be especially suited for this placement. One to two placement spots are available.

Program Description

This program is placed in Uganda.

TASO has 11 different centers across the country – exact placement location is to be determined at a later date.

The AIDS Support Organization (TASO) is a Ugandan NGO founded over 25 years ago that has been at the forefront of HIV/AIDS responses on the continent. Across the 11 centers, the organization employs hundreds of people who attend to clinical as well as psychological needs for clients and families.

Interns would support a particular project that is focusing on the economic empowerment and self-esteem in adolescents and women through a sustainable livelihoods lens. This would entail working alongside staff with groups of clients who are currently engaged in the program to support both individual success/development but also success at a programmatic level. Any assessment work that interns engage in with the organization will require documentation for the specific project as well as knowledge translation/documentation about the impact of the specific project contributions to the organizations strategic goals. Interns could add considerable value by simultaneously researching/assessing the impact that this program could have on clients, families and the region – while considering assessment tools that could be used by TASO for M&E within an already overburdened system.

Interns should have an interest in the health care system – and in the psycho-social aspects of healthcare (ie. Not clinical) in particular. Interns should be ready to learn about HIV/AIDS and prepared to contribute to the overall health and wellbeing of clients while advocating for stigma reduction.

TASO is one of the longest standing partnerships with UBC ORICE. TASO as an organization has undergone tremendous organizational change over the past 25  years as it responded to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and then to the 2008/9 financial crises, and changing attitudes/urgency to HIV/AIDS. Currently, the model in Ungada is to identify programmatic priorities whereby multiple agencies collaborate. Regardless of the configuration, TASO placements have yielded tremendous learning for student interns in large part due to the highly skilled teams at the TASO sites.

Program Dates

Date Activity
July 21st, 2019 Applications accepted until full OR until 11:59pm on Sunday July 21st, whichever comes first.
August/September Orientation and pre-departure learning sessions (all successful applicants will be expected to be in attendance at all sessions)
September- December 12 weeks of fieldwork in an International Service Learning placement
TBD Re-entry debrief
**Please note these dates may be adjusted, but will be confirmed prior to offer.

 

Program Costs

The costs below are per student and are yet to be fully determined, but will be within the following ranges. Possible funding available through ORICE award.

Location Program Fee
Uganda $3,900 – $4,400*

**Fees are subject to adjustment prior to offering the placement to the student.

Awards & Funding

Regional and International Service Learning Award

This $1500 award is open to eligible UBC students participating in this co-circular offering. Students from all faculties are eligible. Eligibility requirements are as follows:

  • Completed 60 credits of undergraduate coursework (3rd or 4th year standing)
  • Have a minimum GPA of 70% in the top 21 credits of the previous academic year. Priority will be given to students that have 75% in the top 27 credits of the previous academic year.
  • Be enrolled in at least 24 credits in the current academic year or enrolled in 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 Regional and International Service Learning Award. Admission to regional and international service learning programs is by application.

ASTU 401C: Global Women’s Health and Human Rights

Applications for this program are currently closed.  Applications for fall co-circular programs will open soon. Check back in July/August for more information about summer 2020 programs.

Course Overview

Credits: 3

Term 1 (May 6th-June 20th), Summer 2019

Tues/Thurs 12:00-3:00pm

Point Grey Campus, UBC Vancouver

Room: Henry Angus Building, room 293

Instructor: Dr. Laura Lee; see bio below.

Course Description

This course, Global Women’s Health and Human Rights, will focus on critical issues related to global women’s health and her/their ability to exercise human rights. Using an inter-sectional approach, this course will examine a number of factors that women face in their pursuit of achieving and maintaining health, including, but not limited to economic, social and political factors.

Successful applicants to this course will receive a full conference admission to Women Deliver 2019, and will be required to attend as much of the conference as possible from June 3rd-June 6th 2019.

Students will be introduced to frameworks and theories through which to understand women’s health and rights. Incorporating lectures, guest speakers, readings, classroom discussion and experiential learning, this course will explore the Women Deliver 2019 conference theme of Power: Individual, Structural and Movements.

Students in this course will be required to apply their classroom-based learning to participation in the conference sessions and dialogue with organizations and individuals from diverse settings to inform their academic activities and understanding broadly.

For further information about Women Deliver 2019 conference visit https://wd2019.org/

 

Eligibility Criteria and Application Process

Students interested in ASTU 401C: Global Women’s Health and Human Rights are required to submit an application, as there are limited seats in the course and the $500 Women Deliver 2019 conference fee will be paid for each student from the ORICE Experiential Immersion Award fund. Applications are open to upper-level (min. 60 credits) students in the Faculty of Arts.

To apply, please follow the link below and answer the questions. Applications will be reviewed as received and the portal for applications will close when the course is full.  It is highly recommended to apply ASAP for this course. Students accepted into the course will be contacted and asked to accept the offer, before being registered into the course on the SSC. Students not accepted into the course will also be notified by email. Please note that you may not be able to save your application and return to it at a later time once you have begun. You can preview the application below. 

ASTU 401C Application PREVIEW

When ready, apply here: ASTU 401C Application 

Course Instructor:

Dr. Laura Lee is a scholar practitioner in global child health. Laura has more than 15 years of experience in strengthening global child, adolescent and youth health programming, protection and services in adversity settings. Specializing in community-based participatory research methodologies, gender, child protection and participation, social justice and health equity and participatory program planning and evaluation, she has designed, implemented and analyzed research projects with children and youth in various countries in East and Southern Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and North and South America. In 2015, she obtained her PhD from University of British Columbia (UBC) for her work on the sexual health of young women heading households in Nakuru County, Kenya. She holds an MSc in International Health (Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, 2006) for her thesis focused on community-based responses to strengthen the psychosocial wellbeing of child-headed households in Rwanda. She is an Adjunct Professor at the UBC in the Faculty of Medicine, teaching program planning and evaluation and topics around global health. In the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University, Laura has participated in HIV research with youth in South Africa and is a sessional instructor. Contractually she has worked with Proteknon Consulting Group, the International Institute of Child Rights and Development (IICRD), Queen Margaret University, World Vision, Terre des hommes (Tdh), Provincial Health Services Authority, and Vancouver Foundation, most recently exploring the role of sports (IICRD, Tdh, UNHCR and the International Olympic Committee) and the arts (IICRD, Tdh) in the protection and psychosocial wellbeing of youth in migration and adversity settings.

 

Additional Details

Inquiries about this course can be directed to ubc.orice@ubc.ca

 

 

ASTU 401G and ASTU 401 (TBD) Wicked Problems in Community Development

Program Overview

Applications for ASTU 401 (TBD) will open soon. Students interested in  Check back in a few days for more information about summer 2020 programs.

Course Overview

ASTU 401G “WICKED PROBLEMS” is an upper level course led by the Faculty of Arts!

Designed for students with previous international engagement experience. Students will focus on a case study in India and study the societal complexity of international community development.

Students will learn to utilize the trans-disciplinary tools of systems theory, forum theatre, critical systems heuristics, strategic design and, of course, current best practices in international community engagement.

In their influential paper of 1972, design scientist, Horst W. J. Rittel and city planner, Melvin M. Webber, coined the term “wicked” to describe “problems of governmental planning – and especially those of social or policy planning” that are “ill defined; and […] rely upon elusive political judgment for resolution.” They considered these problems to be of a fundamentally different nature to “problems in the natural sciences, which are definable and separable and may have solutions that are findable.” According to Rittel and Webber, the intrinsic complexity of such “wicked problems” as poverty, homelessness, and environmental degradation could not be solved but only “tamed” or “at best […] re-solved – over and over again.” Perhaps the single greatest consistent contributor to “wickedness” is the lack of consensus among stakeholders as to the correct description of the problem itself, let alone the nature of any possible intervention. This vexing conundrum is often due to differing tacit judgments regarding the “boundaries” of the “system or area of concern” to be addressed (i.e. Should an intervention to address homelessness include strategies around education and employment?) as well as a lack of clarity regarding the specific socio-political contexts and power distributions within any particular development context. The ways that these often unvoiced assumptions can surreptitiously constrain dialogue and action can be particularly acute when well-intentioned citizens from the “developed world” attempt to participate in community development projects with vulnerable populations in parts of the “developing world.”

Focusing upon a case-study situated in India and utilizing the transdisciplinary tools of systems theory, forum theatre, critical systems heuristics, strategic design and, of course, current best practices in international community engagement, this course will engage students in a probing, practice-based dialogue exploring contemporary approaches to the “taming” of “wicked problems” in an international community development context.

Students who complete ASTU 401G may be eligible to complete an enrol in 3 credit course ASTU 401 (TBD), which includes an international service learning component and would take place from May to August, 2020.

ASTU 401 (TBD) Eligibility Criteria Students who have completed their second year (54 credits) by January 1, 2020

Students are eligible to apply to ASTU 401 (TBD) if they have successfully completed their second year (54 credits) by January 1, 2020; have successfully completed ASTU 401G (Winter Term 2) and meet requirements set by the ISL Program.

ASTU 401 (TBD) is part of the ISL program and requires full participation in:

  • Pre-departure learning program from January – April 2020
  • ASTU 401G classes run on campus from January to April 2020
  • ASTU 401 (TBD) classes run on campus for May 2020
  • 12 weeks of fieldwork in an International Service Learning placement from beginning of June – end of August 2020
  • Return seminar and final course-work on campus in September 2020
  • Re-entry debrief and public engagement presentation on campus in September – October 2020

ARA Funding eligibility information can be found here. 

ASTU 401 (TBD) Placement Description

As a part of the ASTU 401 (TBD) course, you will be enrolled in an International Service Learning placement with SELCO Foundation in Bangalore, India. Specific information about the placements will be announced in Feb/March 2020.

ASTU 401 (TBD) Living Environment

You will live with host families in modest conditions. In most cases, you will take public transport to and from your placement.

Program Dates

Date Activity
July 01, 2018 Program application open. Applications are currently being reviewed in the order received.
January – April 2019 Orientation and pre-departure learning sessions (all successful applicants will be expected to be in attendance at all sessions)
January – April, 2019 ASTU 401G course
May – August 2019 ASTU 401 (tbd) course + 12 week International placement including a facilitated workshop approximately mid-way through (exact dates TBA)
September 2019 ASTU 401 (tbd) Course – Post Placement seminar and assignments due (exact times TBA)
September – October 2019 ISL Post-placement reflection sessions and Public Engagement Presentation

*Please note these dates may be adjusted but will be confirmed prior to offer.

ASTU 401 (TBD) Program Costs

Please see the Awards & Eligibility section below for more information. The finalized cost per student is yet to be confirmed, but will be within the ranges in the table below.

Location Full Program Fee with 70% ARA Funding
India $3,900 – $4,400 $1,170 – $1,320

NOTE: The ISL Program fee is separate from UBC course tuition. Tuition dues will be appear on your Student Services Centre account at the beginning of the term(s) in which you receive course credit.

Program cost includes:

  • Pre-departure learning sessions at UBC
  • Room and board
  • Transportation from the airport to your placement site
  • Orientation in host country
  • In-session debrief and workshop part way through your placement
  • Reflection materials
  • Community partner management fee
  • Program management fee

*Fees may be adjusted before offer. Program costs vary primarily due to cost of living expenses per country and region. Placements may be in other countries where ISL community partners are located.

Program cost does not include:

The following expenses are not covered in program costs and are the responsibility of the student.

  • Tuition
  • Airfare*
  • Visas
  • Vaccinations
  • Local transportation while in country
  • Transportation from the project site back to the airport at the end of the placement
  • Personal items, and daily incidentals. You will be required to bring your own laptop.

ASTU 401 (TBD) Process & Timeline

Selection Process

Applications for this program are currently closed. To apply please fill out and submit an online application. Successful applicants will be invited to an 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 and pay a program deposit. Your selection into the ISL program includes meeting eligibility requirements, as well as your initial application and your performance in the interview.

Don’t wait to apply, spaces are limited!

Pre-Departure Overview

The pre-departure learning program is designed to prepare you for an international service learning placement. This will include:

  • Pre-departure learning sessions taking place over the academic term leading up to departure led by staff and community development professionals.
  • Creation of a learning and development plan
  • Participant-led events/presentations
  • Facilitated meetings with your placement team to explore learning topics

Post-Placement Overview

You will participate in post-placement activities in September – October 2020, including:

  1. A full day to debrief in September 2020
  2. Return seminar and final coursework in September 2020
  3. Presentation at an International Development Symposium in October 2020