Mobility, Society, and Governance in North America

Vancouver, Canada

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Location

Only 30 minutes from the heart of downtown Vancouver, the University of British Columbia holds an international reputation for excellence in advanced research and learning.

The spectacular UBC campus is a 'must-see' for any visitor to the city -- where snow-capped mountains meet ocean, and breathtaking vistas greet you around every corner.

Vancouver The university boasts some of the city's best attractions & recreation facilities, including the Museum of Anthropology, the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, the UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research, and endless opportunities to explore forested trails in the adjoining 763-hectare Pacific Spirit Regional Park.

Program of Study

A select number of Notre Dame students can participate for one semester in the program Mobility, Society, and Governance in North America, a consortium of six colleges and universities. The fall semester begins in early September and runs through December; the spring semester runs from early January to the end of April (although some studies continue well into the month of May). The program is open to students from all colleges at Notre Dame.

The main objective of the MSG-NA program is to create a group of young professionals and researchers endowed with a comparative and transnational vision of the processes that characterize the NAFTA region, in the hope that this vision will allow them to find innovative solutions to the challenges facing the three countries of North America. Students in the MSG-NA Vancouver program will benefit from the strengths at the University of British Columbia in The Functioning of US Democracy, Threats to Democracy, International Relations, Amerindian Cultures, and Economic History and Regional Trade Integration.

The MSG-NA program focuses on four sub-topics: Border and Environmental Management, Democratic Process and Institutional Reform, Immigration, Cultural Identities, North America after NAFTA (paying particular attention to economic and social welfare). A major part of the academic work in the MSG-NA program consists of taking 4 courses related to the four sub-topics. Students must choose 3 out of their 5 courses from the approved course bank or must have alternative courses approved by the Project Director. Additionally, each student will be assigned a faculty advisor that will strive to include the student in research activities and professional internships. Students in the MSG-NA program will become a part of a virtual community with the other students participating at each of the partner institutions. Finally, students in the program will have the opportunity to participate in an all expenses-paid summer workshop in Mexico.

Participants are chosen by members of the Kellogg Institute and the Office of International Studies, and acceptance into the MSG-NA program is highly selective.

Eligibility for the Program

Students from any discipline may apply. Students must maintain a 2.5 GPA.

MSG-NA Costs and Fees

Students accepted into the MSG-NA programs will pay Notre Dame tuition only, which covers the following:

Tuition for the program of study
Notre Dame credit and grades for courses taken abroad

As opposed to other University study abroad programs, students in the MSG-NA program do NOT pay Notre Dame room and board fees nor the $600 international studies fee (which are used in other programs to cover airfare, field trips, and room and board at the study abroad site).

In the MSG-NA program, each student is responsible for paying for his/her own airfare, field trips, and room and board at the study abroad site. Each MSG-NA student will receive a $3,000 stipend to put towards these and any other necessary expenses.

Students may incur other expenses, such as passport and visa fees, along with other incidental costs specific to the program of study. For financial aid purposes, the cost of attendance will be calculated based on estimated program costs as determined by the Office of Financial Aid.

Additional Information

There is much more we can tell you — about this location, vibrant religious, cultural and recreational life of this community...about the student housing, transportation, health care and much, much more. It is, after all, the details that make this program so appealing. Interested? Just click here for additional information.