community development, language + culture

Quick Info

By Term

• Spring 2014

Stay Connected

Program Overview

Take part in a unique, comparative exploration of the challenges and issues facing Tanzania today while studying the Kiswahili language in Iringa with CIEE.

Through coursework at a Tanzanian university, a hands-on field research seminar, and many community engagement activities with locals, students will gain both theoretical and practical knowledge about current issues impacting urban, peri-urban, and rural Tanzanian communities, as well as the opportunities being created by local organizations, individuals, and companies today.

Study abroad in Iringa and you will:

• Explore three distinct communities in Tanzania: the economic center of Dar es Salaam, the small city of Iringa, and the rural town of Mufindi
• Participate in an intensive four-week embedded field study experience at an NGO that addresses public health, educational, and social welfare issues in rural Tanzania
• Get to know Tanzania’s vibrant culture and natural resources through

The CIEE Difference

Excursions and Cultural Activities

In Tanzania, you’ll take part in excursions and activities centered on the programs core themes of community development, language, and culture. You could travel to Bagamoyo to visit the 13th-century Kaole Ruins, 18th-century Muslim burial grounds, and the slave trade caravan route. You might visit the Isilila Stone Age site to examine archeological artifacts from human habitation more than 70,000 years ago. You may even go on a cultural heritage conservation site visit to explore the work of the University of Iringa’s Anthropology Department to support sustainable community development and poverty alleviation.

Community Engagement and Rural Stay

While in Iringa, you’ll engage with local NGOs and other community-based organizations—Doctors with Africa (CUAMM) and Iringa Development of Youth, Disable, and Children Care (IDYDC)—and go on a series of community development site visits to see theory in action. Additionally, as part of the CIEE Field Research Seminar, you’ll spend four weeks on site at the Foxes NGO in Mufindi participating in development projects in areas such as education, development, public health, vocational training, sustainable gardening, or NGO management.

Dates, Deadlines & Fees

We want to make sure you get the most out of your experience when you study abroad with CIEE, which is why we offer the most inclusions in our fees.

• Tuition and housing
• Pre-departure advising and optional on-site airport meet and greet
• Full-time program leadership and support
• Field trips and cultural activities
• CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits

Please note, program dates are subject to change. Please contact your CIEE Study Abroad Advisor before purchasing airfare. Click the button to view more detailed information about dates and fees as well as estimated additional costs. Please talk with your University Study Abroad Advisor about additional fees that may be charged by your home institution when participating in a program abroad.

Program

Application Due

Start Date

End Date

Costs

Spring 2014

11/01/2013

TBA

TBA

Program Date Notes

Program Fees

This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.

Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed.

Estimated Additional Costs

The estimated additional costs indicated are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.

Eligibility

• Overall GPA 2.75

Recommended Credit

Total recommended credit for the semester is 16 semester/24 quarter hours and 31 semester/ 46.5 quarter hours for the academic year.

The Kiswahili Language and Culture Practicum has 20 contact hours and recommended credit of 1 semester/1.5 quarter hours. The Kiswahili courses and the CIEE electives have 45 contact hours and recommended credit of 3 semester/4.5 quarter hours.

Program Requirements

CIEE students enroll in a semester-long Kiswahili language course, the Managing Community Development Programs course, the CIEE Field Research Seminar, and two additional elective courses taught by University of Iringa faculty specifically for the CIEE program. All area studies courses are taught in English.

About The City

Iringa is a small city with a population of 115,000 (compared to Dar es Salaam’s four million), located on the TanZam highway—the main highway leading from Dar es Salaam to Zambia—around 450km inland from Dar es Salaam and 400 km from the border with Zambia at the junction to Ruaha National Park. Iringa was built during the 1890s by the German Army as a defensive base to be used against the Hehe uprising led by Chief Mkwawa. The name Iringa is derived from the Hehe word Lilinga, meaning fort, as the fortress and headquarters of Chief Mkwawa was situated in the nearby village of Kalenga.

Dar es Salaam, or Dar, (Haven of Peace) is home to approximately four million people. What was once just a simple fishing village is now the largest city in Tanzania and the center of business, commerce, and culture. Dar has a diverse mix of Tanzanian (including Masaai) and other African cultures, languages, and religions, all in a beautiful lush landscape (in the rainy season) with beaches, colorful markets, and friendly locals.

Meet The Staff

Jennifer Venecek

Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Jenny Venecek holds a B.A. in anthropology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and an M.A. in international education from the School for International Training. She served two years as a Peace Corps volunteer (community health education) in rural Tanzania and later spent a year as a program analyst with the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief at the US Embassy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. She also spent nine months as a Peace Corps Response volunteer (health systems strengthening) with the District Government in Malawi. Having worked in HIV prevention in East and Southern Africa, Jenny is interested in the impact and evolution of international development and donor aid in the region, as well as cultural barriers to HIV prevention. Jenny is proficient in Kiswahili and holds a great affection for Tanzania, its people, and its language.

Read More

No two consecutive days in Tanzania are the same. The country tantalizes your senses with the diversity of its people, the beauty and range of its landscapes, and the non-stop energy of a modern bustling African city. At the same time it challenges your resourcefulness and pushes you to explore the depths of your adaptability and resilience.

The city of Dar es Salaam offers exciting public markets, abundant multiethnic neighborhoods, an active seaport, and a vivacious public transportation system. While at the University of Dar es Salaam you will live and learn with local students. You will gain valuable insight into the current generation of young Tanzanians who are filled with hopes and dreams for the future of their country. In addition to your courses you have the opportunity to explore breathtaking landscapes—from the beautiful architecture and beaches of Zanzibar to the majestic slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro. The people of Tanzania are known for their warmth and hospitality; with a friendly smile and your newfound Kiswahili skills, you will undoubtedly find it easy to make friends.

— Jenny Venecek, Resident Director

“”

Where You'll Study

The University of Iringa (formerly Tumaini University) is a small, private university with 4,000 students located in the Southern Highlands Municipality of Iringa. It was founded in 1996 with the mission to engage its faculties and students in studies of higher learning committed to the pursuit of truth through scientific research and inquiries. The university offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees and consists of the Schools of Arts and Social Science, Business and Economics, Law, Science and Education, and Theology.

Housing & Meals

While in Dar es Salaam for orientation, CIEE students share double rooms in a hotel. In Iringa, students live in on-campus residence halls segregated by gender with 2-3 other students at the University of Iringa. The university has two cafeterias on campus that provide affordable meals. Students also have easy access to small, informal food stands near the university, as well as easy access to the city of Iringa, which features a variety of restaurants and stores. Finally, in Mufindi, students live in NGO-provided volunteer houses with 3-4 other students. Each house has shared kitchen and restroom facilities. Students will have their meals prepared for them by NGO home staff. Depending on the project, some students may be placed in shared volunteer housing in nearby villages associated with Foxes NGO projects.

While housing is clean and safe in all locations, students should understand that the facilities and amenities are typically quite different from those found in the U.S. Students should be prepared for limited access to internet, limited/regulated electricity (i.e., no electricity after 10 p.m.), cold water showers, and Turkish/Indian-style toilets.

Orientations

You'll begin your study abroad experience in Dar es Salaam even before leaving home by participating in a CIEE online pre-departure orientation. Meeting with students online, the resident director shares information about the program and site, highlighting issues that alumni have said are important, and giving you time to ask questions. The online orientation allows you to connect with others in the group, reflect on what you want to get out of the program, and learn what others in the group would like to accomplish. CIEE’s aim for the pre-departure orientation is simple—to help you understand more about the program, and to identify your objectives so that you arrive well-informed and return home having made significant progress towards your goals.

The mandatory week-long orientation session conducted in Dar es Salaam at the beginning of the study abroad program will introduce you to the city, country, culture, and the academic program, and provide practical information about living in Tanzania. The orientation includes a variety of sessions and activities focusing on health and safety, local transportation, and survival Kiswahili. The final two days of will be spent in Bagamoyo (60 km north of Dar es Salaam) where you’ll go on an educational and cultural tour of historical slave trade sites and ancient burial ruins before traveling as a group to Iringa.

Ongoing orientation discussions in Iringa and Mufindi and a re-entry workshop at the end of the semester are designed to help students with cross-cultural adjustment and adaptation.

Internet

You are encouraged to bring your laptop as you will have wireless internet access through the CIEE Study Center at Iringa and will be able to purchase low-cost monthly internet bundles. You’ll also have access to the Internet at the numerous Internet cafés in Iringa. During your rural stay in Mufindi, you’ll have limited internet access through your personal internet bundle and occasional access to wireless internet at the main Foxes NGO house and Foxes Lodge. You should, however, anticipate that internet access and speed will be significantly different than you are accustomed to in the U.S.

Academics

The Community Development, Language, and Culture study abroad program allows students to gain a background in community development while taking Kiswahili language and additional CIEE courses taught by faculty from the University of Iringa. The use of Kiswahili will allow students to communicate more effectively and openly with members of the communities in which they are completing their field work.

While the courses are for CIEE students only, participants live in university residence halls and are paired with a Tanzanian student roommate as often as possible. Participants can also interact with local students through immersion into the cultural and social life of the university and surrounding community.

Academic Culture

CIEE students enroll in courses taught by University of Iringa faculty as well as the CIEE resident director.

Courses at the University of Iringa include traditional lectures, exams and essays, and student presentations. The CIEE Field Research Seminar will include a field research methodology component, an intensive practical component, reflection activities, journal, and a final presentation.

Nature of Classes

Students take classes with CIEE participants only, although local students may occasionally join a course or participate in joint service projects with CIEE students at local NGOs.

Grading System

Final grades in CIEE courses are based on a combination of attendance, participation, papers, presentations, and a final paper, exam, or presentation.

Language of Instruction

English
Kiswahili (language course only)

Faculty

All area studies courses with the exception of the CIEE Field Research Seminar are taught by local Tanzanian faculty, all of whom have faculty appointments at the University of Iringa. The CIEE Field Research Seminar is taught by the CIEE resident director. The Kiswahili language courses are taught by a veteran language instructor for the U.S. Peace Corps and faculty from the University of Iringa.

Course Description

Program Blog

Read More