academic information

The Living/Learning Community

CGEE semester students work together to form a living/learning community. As the group lives together, travels and takes classes together, it is important that students develop a positive and respectful environment amongst themselves.

Although each group is different, we hope that a feeling of a community and togetherness will develop. Students will have opportunities to teach and learn from each other as well as share good times together. It is important that community members support each other in rough and confusing times, listen, and be willing to sacrifice individual needs and wants for the sake of the larger whole, so that each person can learn as much as possible.

In order to facilitate a healthy community, the group meets once a week. As a community member, you will share responsibility for organizing and attending these events. These meetings are a time for everyone to touch base with each other, to discuss community issues or topics, and to have fun. At least, one student is in charge of planning and leading the event each week. As members of the living/learning community, you will also be responsible for participation in house tasks groups and the creation of general house guidelines in order to insure the general maintenance and safety of the CGEE - Namibia house.

Courses

This semester explores the processes of the political and social changes occurring in Southern Africa and is organized through the following courses. Students take a full course load on the program (16 credits, typically four or five courses, view the Course Syllabi). Options include: 

All courses are worth four credits unless otherwise noted.

Core Courses:

• HIS327: Racism and Resistance in Southern Africa and the U.S. (required)

• POL353: Political and Social Change in Southern Africa

• ENV100: Environmental Connections: Environment and Sustainability in Southern Africa

• POL354: The Politics of Development in Southern Africa

• RLN376: Religion and Social Change in Southern Africa

• Internship

The first courses are interrelated and as such their activities are complementary and interdependent. Detailed course syllabi (including due dates for assignments) will be provided once you arrive in Namibia.

For the internship, you will have to answer additional questions on your Course Selection questionnaire (found in your Global Gateway account). You must complete submit our course selection no later than June 1 (Fall semester)/December 1 (Spring semester).

Internship

The internships are arranged in advance of your arrival and the organization has made a commitment to mentoring you and providing you with meaningful work.  To this end, students choosing to register for the internship class should also feel a similar commitment to the host organization.

Students registering for an internship must answer additional questions found on the Course Selection questionnaire. Requests for internships will not be processed without fully answering these questions and providing a copy of your resume. All requests are subject to the approval of the program directors. The registration deadline for internships is June 1 (fall term)/November 1 (spring term).

After you have completed the request form, a Zoom interview will be arranged between you and the Internship Coordinator in order to better understand your interests in the internship and to explain the internship program more clearly.  After the interview, you will be matched with an organization with which you will do your internship. You will receive a description of the organization and the work that they do, and be asked to sign this description in order to acknowledge that you agree to work with this organization.  Once you have signed this document, you will not be permitted to drop the internship class. You need to be prepared to make a commitment to the organization with which you will be matched.

However, if you decide you do not want to take the internship after the interview process, you should indicate this to the Internship Coordinator, and notify Margaret Anderson in the Minneapolis office about making the change to your course registration.

Possible placements include, but are not limited to:

• Informal or formal education positions

• Work in NGOs focusing on human rights, gender issues, Environment, democracy building and more

• Work in orphanages, day care centers and kindergartens

• Work with organizations focused on Health and HIV/AIDS education or service provision

Please note:  in addition to working with an organization for 12 hours each week, the internship course includes two hours of class time per week.  This class time provides opportunities for you to demonstrate what you are learning in your internship, develop professional skills, and reflect on the internship experience.

Credit for an internship may be earned in the following disciplines:

• Environmental Studies (ENV)

• Cross-Cultural Studies (CCS)

• History (HIS)

• Interdisciplinary Studies (INS)

• Political Science (POL)

• Religion (RLN)

• Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies (WST)

Some schools do not grant academic credit for an internship. Please check with your Study Abroad Office and/or Registrar before you sign up for an internship to make sure you will get credit for it.

Any changes must be made using the Add/Drop Form. No changes will be made without this form. 

General Academic Information

If questions arise as you plan for your semester in Southern Africa, please refer to this list to find the appropriate person to address your concern!

Course Registration: The CGEE Minneapolis Staff (globaled@augsburg.edu) are the ONLY people who can register you for CGEE courses and help you add or drop any. While it is helpful to cc Albertina Shifotoka and Pinias Kashedi you MUST write to the CGEE Minneapolis staff to request adding, dropping, or changing course registration in any way. If you do not write to CGEE Minneapolis yourself, these changes will not be official and could cause lots of problems at the end of the semester. 

Independent Study: Albertina Shifotoka 

Information about courses in Namibia: Albertina Shifotoka 

Internship Course: CGEE Minneapolis Staff and  Pinias Kashedi 

Not sure who to contact? Feel free to email CGEE Minneapolis Staff or Site Director Albertina Shifotoka, and they will gladly direct you to the right person.