Global Education

Program Dates

Term	Start Date	End Date
Spring 2024	January 14th, 2024	May 4th, 2024
Fall 2024	August 25th, 2024	December 7th, 2024

These dates are tentative. Confirm program dates before booking travel.

Eligibility

The program is open to Allegheny juniors and seniors with a minimum GPA of 2.75. Coursework related to the applicant’s track of interest and/or Ecuador or South America, or volunteer or social services experience is preferred. 2 years of college-level Spanish is also required.

Where

Few countries as small as Ecuador contain the remarkable geographic and biological diversity found in this Pacific coast nation. Rising from the jungles of the coast and bisected by the Andes, Ecuador is the product of a complex interplay of historical factors. Indigenous cultures, Spanish imperialism, revolutionary movements, US hemispheric policies, and increasing globalization have all played their part in the development of a political and economic structure which, in many ways, is a case study for Latin America as a whole.

Pichincha, an active Andean volcano, provides a spectacular backdrop to Quito, one of Latin America’s most beautiful and livable cities. From above, the city is a sea of red tile roofs broken in a number of places by the towers of churches, which are among the continent’s great architectural gems. Quito also boasts a lively cultural and arts scene with numerous museums, concert halls, and theaters.

Academics

The program’s combination of classes, field trips, field experiences/internships, and research links experience with theory and provides a critical analysis of development efforts and their effectiveness, sustainability, cultural appropriateness, and equity. Students participating in the program develop a profound, firsthand understanding of the complex economic and social issues at work in Ecuador.

Once in Quito, students study as a group for 8 weeks, then participate in a 6-week internship followed by a final wrap-up week back together. Students on the year-long option build the field experience to an internship in greater depth. The academic year curriculum includes the internship and a related course for a total of 8 credits, plus a research project and related methods course for another 8.

Internship opportunities include working at family health care clinics, working with communities to develop eco-tourism, contributing to a rural adult literacy project, urban planning, and working in a shelter for street children.

MSID’s partner institution in Ecuador is Fundacion Cimas del Ecuador, a Quito-based nonprofit foundation. Dr. Jose Suarez is the Director of Cimas, and he also serves as MSID’s Academic Director. The Assistant Director of Cimas, Lic. Dolores (Loli) Lopez de Suarez, also serves as MSID’s Administrative Director and arranges field placements and homestays.

Academic Structure

Course taken with other MSID students. The internship or research project will be with an organization engaged in grassroots work related to your chosen international development theme.

Course Credit

You are required to take 16 credits for fall or spring semester. Add 4 credits for optional language pre-session.

Courses

For a full list of course offerings, visit MSID’s website here.

Student Life

MSID participants live with host families throughout the program. The homestay is an important venue for practicing Spanish and for gaining insights into Ecuadorian culture. The MSID-Ecuador facilities include five classrooms, a small library, a kitchen and dining area, a snack bar, a rest area, and eight computers (connected to the Internet) set aside for student use.

Application Process

Allegheny students must apply for approval to study off-campus from the Global Education office AND apply directly to their chosen program. For this program, students should work on the Allegheny approval application simultaneously with the host program application. The Allegheny approval application deadline is February 20 for fall programs and September 20 for spring programs. Study away approval applications will be reviewed immediately following the appropriate semester deadline. The separate application deadline to apply directly to this program will vary and could be before or after Allegheny’s approval application due date. Check directly on their website (linked at the top of this page) for deadline information. For more information about the study away application process, please visit the application steps page.

Fees & Costs

Below find information on estimated costs for a semester abroad. You will receive a bill from Allegheny College, as you normally would, for the amount shown under “Costs Paid to Allegheny College.” All other study away program costs will be paid directly to a non-Allegheny entity and are listed in part two below. These amounts are estimates and will vary depending on individual choices. A total estimated cost of attendance for this program is shown at the bottom.

All financial aid awards can be applied to study abroad costs with the exception of federal work study awards and certain tuition exchange scholarships. For more information, visit our page about Financing Study Away.

Part One: Costs Paid to Allegheny College

Part Two: Costs Paid to non-Allegheny Entity

TOTAL COST OF ATTENDANCE

NOTES:

Study Away Fee includes: administrative support, transcript translation and processing, pre-departure orientation, and emergency travel insurance.