Program Duration
Academic year: Late September/Early October - Late June
Program Description
The University of Wisconsin-Madison program in Saint-Louis, Senegal provides students the opportunity to attend classes alongside Senegalese students at the Université Gaston Berger (UGB) and learn about the surroundings firsthand through a fieldwork research project. In addition, students study the most widely spoken local African language, Wolof. The program begins with a four-week orientation in Dakar at the Baobab Training and Resource Center. The orientation is organized by Africa Consultants International (ACI), a training and consulting organization whose purpose is to provide more equitable access to the resource, information, technology and skills necessary for economic and social development in Africa and to improve human communication and understanding.
Sénégal, a French colony from 1659 to 1960, features a unique blend of cultures and is home to several different ethnic groups. Saint-Louis, the capital of the former French colony, became the leading French settlement on Africa’s west coast during the 1700’s. Beautiful French colonial architecture dating back to the 18th century serves as a reminder of the city’s history. Less than six miles from the Mauritanian border, Saint-Louis (or N’Dar as it is known in Wolof), is close to beautiful ocean beaches and the Parc Djoudj, a UNESCO world heritage site that plays host to approximately 400 species of birds each year.
Dakar, the capital, is located 200 miles south of Saint-Louis. A deep natural harbor at Dakar makes the cosmopolitan city a major West African port.
Academics
UGB is home to approximately 2,000 students. The university offers a modern campus designed in the traditional Sahelian style. From the university, a 15 minute bus ride delivers students to the heart of Saint-Louis, an island in the Sénégal River.
All UGB courses, except those in the English and Foreign Language Departments, are taught in French. UW-Madison program participants can directly enroll in classes in any of the following four UGB faculties:
• Letters and Humanities
• Law and Political Science
• Economics and Business
• Computer Science
In addition to the UGB classes, this academic program includes:
• Wolof language instruction: special tutorial classes are organized for program participants. Students receive eight credits in Wolof for the academic year.
• A fieldwork project: students carry out research on an aspect of Senegalese life, culture, and the environment, and write a 35-50 page paper on their findings. The six-credit fieldwork project also acquaints students with appropriate research methodologies and resources.
Housing
Participants live with a Senegalese family during the month long orientation in Dakar. In Saint-Louis, students share a room with a Senegalese roommate in a university dormitory. Meals in the student dining hall are included in the program cost.
Excursions and Activities
A required, one-week pre-departure orientation is held at UW-Madison in September and includes academic and cultural information, introductory Wolof language instruction and initial advising on fieldwork projects.
At UGB, students can take advantage of organized excursions for university students. Students often gather in the courtyards throughout campus for music, dancing, and socializing. Past participants have enjoyed talking with other students while enjoying sequential cups of ataaya, traditional Senegalese tea.