Education Abroad

Michigan State University offers more than 260 programs in over 60 countries on all continents. Programs range in length from one to six weeks to a semester or an academic year, and they are offered during each session, including winter and spring break. For more information about University study abroad programs, please click here. To try to find information about a specific program, go to Search Programs and select the country in which you are interested.

Finland

International Social Policy and Social Service Delivery
Summer 2023
Contact: Amanda Woodward, awoodwar@msu.edu

This overseas blended model program is designed for graduate students in social work, health science policy/law, or related fields of study and is taught during the summer, with 2 of the 7 weeks spent abroad. Students will investigate areas of comparative and applied social policy, practice, and international social work in the context of Finnish social services provision in the classroom, online, and in Finland. Study will include history, economy, and government as it is relevant to understanding Finnish social policy development; trends and shifts in education and policy regarding social work especially as it is affected by the European Union and professional organizations; service provision to those who need physical and mental health care—either institutionally or in the community—from infants to elderly.

This program was introduced in the summer of 2011. In Finland this first year, students had exposure to a range of social service research groups, agencies, and professionals during their time in Helsinki and Tampere; students also experienced a day-trip to Tallinn, Estonia, and an overnight cruise and day in neighboring Stockholm, Sweden.