The Field Experience

The Field Experience Platform (This links redirects to another site)

The Field Experience Platform is a comprehensive resources designed to support students, clients and faculty advisors in preparations for the field placement.

Overview*

All MDP students complete an international field experience, or practicum, in the summer following their first year of course work. Field locations are typically in the global South but may also be in other regions or locations where development challenges align with program focus areas.

Field experiences are team projects – typically three to four students – and provide practical, first-hand experience with sustainable development work, whether through field placements in ongoing projects, research, project development and evaluation, or strategic planning. Typically, a successful field experience centers on a self-directed project and, in that regard, is not an internship, per se, where students help out with whatever comes up during their time in the field.

Process and opportunities

Approximate project development timeline

September - project proposals** submitted by client organizations
October - project portfolio development from submitted proposals
November - student selection process (latter half of month)
December - initial meetings of student teams
January - proposal development
February - initial funding deadline (see Funding below)
March - register with Learning Abroad Center
April - submit ITRAAC (if applicable)
May - August

*List of field placements by year at bottom of page.

**Proposals based on field project request issued by MDP program.

Link to Field Experience Fact Sheet (RFP)

Field experience costs & funding

Students typically complete the summer field experience requirement between the first and second years of the program. Costs associated with the field experience are not covered by tuition. The 3-credit field experience is a fee-for-credit (versus tuition-for-credit) course. Field experiences costs include the program fee and all expenses associated with the experience.

**Students are responsible for the additional cost of the field experience and should plan accordingly.**

The typical field experience will cost approximately US$4500-$5000 per student. This expense includes air travel, appropriate lodging, per diem food and other expenses, in-country travel, registration/program fees and emergency medical insurance. As students are responsible for travel and lodging arrangements, costs may vary from the estimate based on individual preferences. We assume students will pursue a frugal to modest lifestyle during the field experience.

Students are strongly encouraged to pursue all of the numerous funding opportunities intended to offset the field experience investment. Historically, MDP students have been very competitive applicants. The three-year (2015-2017) rolling average investment per student after support is about US$1400.00, or about 30% of the total field experience investment.

The primary sources of competitive funding for the field placements include:

Judd Fellowship
Stassen Grant
Lucas Grant

Other sources include:

Consortium on Law & Values Grant

Travel Security Protocols

In some cases, travel requires approval by the University. The University uses the US State Department 's Travel Risk Assessment to guide its protocols. Any student planning to travel for University purposes, as well as any faculty or staff member planning to lead or travel with any University students, to a U.S. Department of State (USDOS) Level 3 or 4 Travel Advisory location must obtain approval from the International Travel Risk Assessment and Advisory Committee (ITRAAC) by completing the application process outlined on the GPS Alliance Travel Approval website. A quick-look overview can be found here,

Projects by year

2023

GerHub. Mongolia. Social enterprise and strategic planning.
Global Mamas. Ghana. Evaluation - participatory design and strategic planning.
Mfangano Community Health Field Station. Kenya. Program design and development for community radio. Health. Environment.
Rainforest Alliance. Guatemala and Honduras. Natural resource conservation and development through livelihood diversification and market systems. Data for sustainable development.

2022

GerHub. Mongolia. Community based tourism engagement and business model development.
University of Mizoram. India. Market system research and development focused on agricultural products
Kidogo. Kenya. Business model development for early childhood education programs.
World Vision/Vision Fund. Kenya. Program evaluation: micro-finance.
Anishinaabe Agricultural Institute. Community based agriculture and market / business model development.

2021

Rainforest Alliance. Guatemala (possibly region). Natural resource conservation and development through livelihood diversification and market systems.
Mfangano Community Health Field Station. Kenya. Program design and development for community radio. Health. Environment.
Community Grassroots Solutions & University of Minnesota Extension. Minnesota. Market system and policy research for Halal goat meat production.
Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. Minnesota. Program design and development for Mille Lacs Recovery Ranch. Health. Environment. [Postponed]

2020

Global Mamas. Ghana. Evaluation - participatory design and strategic planning.
Rainforest Alliance. Guatemala (possibly region). Natural resource conservation and development through livelihood diversification and market systems.
Rural Tourism Development Network. Morocco. Agriculture-based tourism. Strategic and business planning.
Mfangano Community Health Field Station. Kenya. Program design and development for community radio. Health. Environment.
University of Mizoram. India. Exploring climate change adaptation through livelihood and market system development.

2019

Etta Projects. Bolivia. Program evaluation. Public health.
Rainforest Alliance. Indonesia. Market systems. Natural resource conservation and development
University of Mpumalanga. South Africa. Community Consultations. Community-based development [Reflection video]
WATCH. Nepal. Participatory action research. Gender and development.

2018

CAWST. Colombia. Program evaluation. Water and Sanitation.
Komaza. Kenya. Rural program development. Micro-forestry.
Maya Leadership Alliance. Belize. Community based development. Bio-cultural innovations and design.
Picture Impact. Ghana. Program development. Maternal and child health.

2017

Amigos de las Americas. Costa Rica. Program evaluation. Youth development. [Lessons Learned Video]
Educate Tanzania, Inc. Tanzania. Rural program development. Rural opportunity centers.
Global Deaf Connection. Haiti. Program development and evaluation. Haitian sign language. [Project Profile, Lessons Learned Video]
Maya Leadership Alliance. Belize. Community based development. Exploring a Mayan Economy.
National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC). Nepal. Program development. Ecotourism.
Rainforest Alliance. Guatemala. Conservation and development. Forest concessions.
Sawiris Foundation for Sustainable Development. Egypt. Program development. Employment training.

2016

Floating Doctors. Panama. Strategic planning and evaluation. Rural public health. [Project Profile]
Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Epidemiology Center (GLITEC). Wisconsin, USA. Program analysis. Smoking cessation. [Project Profile]
International Center for Policy and Conflict. Kenya. Policy analysis. Governance.
Rainforest Alliance. Guatemala. Conservation and development. Forest livelihoods and conservation.

2015

Global Volunteers. St. Lucia. Program evaluation. Maternal child health.
Kibera Girls Soccer Academy. Kenya. Program evaluation. Education.
National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC). Nepal. Ecotourism. Forest livelihoods and conservation.
New Orleans Health Department. Louisiana, USA. Strategic planning. Community health and services integration.
Save the Children. Thailand. Situation analysis. Human rights.
UNESCO / NATCOM. Philippines. Community consultations. Biosphere Reserve nomination.

2014

African Development Solutions (Adeso). Kenya. Rural livelihoods and program evaluation. Livelihood diversification.
CORENARM. Vietnam. Program development. Payment for ecosystem services, forest livelihoods and conservation.
Millennium Villages Project. Ghana. Program evaluation. Rural livelihoods.
Rainforest Alliance. Ecuador. Value chain analysis. Forest livelihoods and conservation.
Trees that Feed Foundation. Jamaica. Value chain analysis. Agroforestry.

2013

AMOAOSA. Costa Rica. Market and value chain analysis. Forest livelihoods and conservation.
Federation of Community Forest Users (FECOFUN). Nepal. Value chain analysis. Forest livelihoods and conservation.
Junín. Peru. Water and sustainable development. Situation analysis.
Nahdet el Mahrousa. Egypt. Social entrepreneurship. Social ROI.
University of Minnesota Extension/Fond du Lac Band of Great Lakes Chippewa. Food system analysis. [Report Link]
YWCA. Senegal.

2012

LIRA Integrated University. Uganda. Evaluation. Education.
Federation of Community Forest Users (FECOFUN). Nepal. Value chain analysis. Forest livelihoods and conservation.
Trees that Feed Foundation. Jamaica. Market analysis. Agroforestry.
USAID. Senegal. Capacity building. Situation analysis.

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