The
Metro Urban Studies Term (MUST) Experience
What
is MUST all about?
MUST is an integrated, semester-long
learning experience that explores the roots, dynamics, and persistence
of economic, political, and social inequality in U.S. cities as well
as strategies for effective social change. The Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St.
Paul provide the urban setting where you will interact closely with
different communities through an internship at an organization of your
choice and through direct conversation with community organizers, political
activists, economic development workers, and residents. This semester
is a chance to experience the realities of poverty, social inequality
and social change as they relate to you and a larger urban context.
How
is HECUA different?
One of the exciting and
challenging features of MUST is the level of responsibility students
are given for directing and evaluating their own learning process, as
well as contributing to the learning of other students. As students,
we have become accustomed to passive participation in our own education,
sitting back and waiting for the facts to be given to us, memorizing
and reproducing those facts for grades and credits. Choosing to participate
in MUST is choosing a new way to learn. We invite you to become dynamic,
creative participants in this project.
What
do we do in MUST?
MUST is a unique semester
that interweaves a variety of experiences and activities.
• An
internship placement, tailored to your interests, provides hands-on
experience, skill-building, and a place to connect program themes with
reality.
• Field
seminars take you outside the classroom to convene with community leaders,
policy makers, politicians and organizers whose daily work intersects
with the theories you study.
• Readings
by diverse authors provide a framework to analyze your internship, field
and group interactions.
• Lectures
by program faculty and discussions with guest speakers heighten the
understanding of and relationship between theory and current issues
relevant to poverty and social change.
• Internship
seminars provide a forum for discussion, critical analysis, and peer
support related to your experience, reflection on the impact of the
organizations, and insight into a wide array of career options.
• Written
papers prompt reflection on the connections between practice and theory
as they are examined throughout the course.
• An
independent study project allows you to focus intently on an area of
your own interest for an in-depth, semester-long study.
• Group
interactions will cause you to rethink your views and assumptions concerning
poverty, social inequality and social change.
What
do we read?
Readings include theoretical
writings in the fields of sociology, economics, psychology and public
policy to give a multi-disciplinary understanding of urban affairs.
The readings challenge students intellectually and create a basis for
understanding the structural elements of society and thus mechanisms
for change. Examples include:
Holly Sklar, Streets
of Hope: The Fall & Rise of an Urban Neighborhood.
Cornell West, Race Matters.
William Goldsmith and Edward
J. Blakely, Separate Societies: Poverty and Inequality in U.S. Cities.
Jonathan Kozol, Savage
Inequalities: Children in America's Schools.
Parker Palmer, "Community,
Conflict and Ways of Knowing: Ways to Deepen our Educational Agenda,"
in Change.
Myron Orfield, Metropolitics.
Terry Eagleton, The Significance
of Theory.
Who
do we meet and learn from?
Community activists, economic
development organizers, educators, political officials, and business
executives make up the itinerary of guest speakers for MUST. Field seminars
range from discussion with a speaker to hands-on activities. Some examples
include:
Russel Adams - Executive
Director of the Alliance for Metropolitan Stability. Discussion of affordable
housing and urban sprawl.
Rafala Green - Sculptor,
public artist, educator, community activist. Students may participate
in a current project such as laying mosaic tiles at the Peavey Park
Project.
Larry Weiss - Executive
Director of Minnesota Fair Trade Coalition. Simulation of global trade
entitled "The New Global Economy: A View from the Bottom Up."
Dawn Goldschmidt
- Executive Director of the Greater Frogtown Community Development Corporation.
Discussion of affordable housing development and the meaning of community
in the 1990's.
Beth Newkirk - Executive
Director of the Organizing Apprenticeship Project. Discussion of different
grassroots organizing frameworks and community organizing as a career.
Julia Dinsmore -
Community activist/organizer, musician poet, mother and welfare recipient.
Students listen, sing, tell stories, and assess the reality of the welfare
system.
Scott Chazden - HECUA
alum and policy analyst at the Minnesota Department of Human Services,
where he is evaluating the outcomes of the restructured Minnesota welfare
system. Discussion of how well the program will work to move people
from welfare to work and whether this will be a move from poverty to
non-poverty.
John Morris - Vice
President for Employee Relations at Honeywell Corporation. Discussion
of corporate responses to the global marketplace and increased international
competition.
Tom McElveen - Deputy
Directory of the Metropolitan Council. Discussion of regional issues
and urban sprawl.
What
are the courses and how do they connect?
All students in MUST participate
in what are considered four courses:
• Reading
seminar (1 course credit)
• Field
seminar (1 course credit)
• Internship
placement and seminar (2 course credits)
In contrast to courses on
campus, however, these four courses are not separate, distinct experiences
but are all interconnected.
The reading and field seminars
connect theory and action as a way to really grapple with the issues.
For example, in MUST we analyze the economic roots of inequality. As
part of this work, students will read theory and history that discusses
forces, such as globalization and economic restructuring, that shape
economic inequality.
Students integrate this
reading with their experiences as they talk with a welfare activist
and recipient and an executive from a global company. Students learn
about corporate decisions in the face of global competition and the
impact those decisions have on people locally and as far away as China.
To articulate this theory, a simulation exercise of the global economy
provides students with an opportunity to integrate what they have learned
about local economic restructuring and global business trends.
The seminars, in turn, are
connected to your hands-on experience in the internship through assignments,
reflection papers and discussions.
How
are seminars graded?
Papers, independent study
projects, written internship reflections, group projects and class participation
are evaluated in determining the student's grade. Grades are on an A-F
scale; no incompletes are given.
What
is the independent study project?
The independent study project
(ISP) is an integral part of the seminars and is one of numerous ways
that students can connect their theoretical learning with their passion
to create change in the world. The ISP is a chance for students to study
and write about an issue that they care about or links well with their
major. Students may choose to do an ISP related to their internship,
which may also be of direct benefit to the organization.
The ISP is a semester long
project. Students submit a topic proposal at the beginning of the semester,
get feedback from the program faculty, hone plans, and then work individually
or in a small group in carrying out the project. At the end of the semester,
students are given the option to present their ISPs to the entire group.
What
have students done for independent study projects?
Here are some examples of
what past MUST students have done:
The Geography of Opportunity:
Land-Use Practices, Public Policy and Segregation in the Twin Cities
Metropolitan Area.
Dismantling My White Privilege.
The Educational Gap: Native
American Children and the Legacy of Cultural Genocide.
Coming out as an Adolescent
in the Twin Cities: Resources for GLBT Youth.
Standard English, Ebonics
and the Reproduction of White Supremacy.
The Relationship between
Teen Pregnancy and Poverty: New Research and Implications Explored.
"Tracking" at Central High
School: Does it Reproduce Class and Racial Hierarchy?
Who
teaches the program?
Dr. Philip Sandro,
program director, holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the New School for
Social Research. He has taught interdisciplinary experiential urban
studies programs for the past ten years. He also served as an economic
development official in the Harold Washington administration in Chicago.
Dr. Sandro brings a life-long commitment to study of activism in the
city, listening to voices of diverse peoples and identifying key forces
of change. In MUST, he blends his expertise and interests to provide
students with an integrated picture of the ways in which social structures
create and reproduce urban inequality and poverty, and empowers students
as active, engaged citizens.
Martha Malinski,
program assistant, holds a B.A. in Peace Studies from Gustavus Adolphus
College. While at Gustavus, she served as a student instructor for interdisciplinary
courses in peace studies and women's studies. She was a leader of numerous
social justice activities on campus. Her professional experience includes
human rights education and resource dissemination, recruiting and supervising
interns, placing students in community-based opportunities and implementing
campus-community collaborations in action research. Martha has great
enthusiasm for developing learning opportunities that allow students
to confront issues of inequality and injustice and to find ways to positively
impact the world.
THE MUST INTERNSHIP
What
is a MUST internship?
A MUST internship provides
you with the opportunity to be directly involved with the work of a
specific organization. The activities in which you will participate
directly contribute to the goals of the organization, are challenging
in multiple ways, and will help you build skills and gain experience.
As an intern, your role is to learn from the organization as you help
to facilitate its mission through your projects and tasks.
The nature of the internship
varies according to each student's goals, needs and experiences, as
well as those of the organization. You might assist with community outreach
programs, help to write newsletters, learn the ropes of urban planning
and development, or participate in numerous other project areas.
How
does the internship fit into the program?
Since the internship comprises
half of the credits you earn, and requires 200 hours of time during
the semester, it is taken as a serious learning experience and responsibility.
With the program's focus on urban inequality and social change, each
internship must be with an organization that addresses social issues
in the city.
What
kind of internships are there?
Here are some examples of
the variety of internships past MUST students have done:
|
Organization
|
Description
|
Intern
Experience
|
|
Lyndale
Neighborhood Association
|
Utilizes
the capacities of neighborhood residents for community development
|
Participated
in community organizing efforts and neighborhood planning.
|
|
Urban Coalition
|
Provides
advocacy research toward empowerment of low income people and
people of color
|
Participated
in Immigrant Task Force meetings, welfare reform, and Food First
Coalition meetings. Planned advocacy activities. Reviewed materials
about immigration policy.
|
|
City Hall,
Minneapolis Mayor's Office,
|
Mayor's
office for a major metropolitan area
|
Assisted
with constituent calls. Conducted research and created reports
on current issue incl. funding for children's programs, juvenile
crime, homelessness, and prostitution intervention.
|
|
OutFront
Minnesota
|
Provides
legal advocacy, education, referrals and legislative work in support
of human rights for the GLBT community
|
Coordinated
film screenings on domestic violence. Helped organize/write/network
for press releases for conferences. Compiled bias crime reports.
|
|
Plymouth
Youth Center Alternative School
|
Serves students,
mostly low income, who, for a variety of reasons, have not done
well in traditional public schools
|
Assisted
students with work during class. Helped facilitate class sessions
and assisted with curriculum development. Conducted research on
opportunities for school's graduates.
|
|
Greater
Frogtown Community Development Corporation
|
Primarily
focused on retention and development of affordable housing in
Frogtown, St. Paul's economically poorest neighborhood
|
Assisted
in matching community members with Neighborhood Development programs.
Attended City Council meetings. Maintained contact with Frogtown
neighborhood homeowners.
|
|
Minnesota
Advocates for Human Rights
|
Provides
legal counsel for asylum seekers, does legislative lobbying on
asylum issues, and educates the public on immigration and asylum
issues
|
Participated
in client interviews; interacted with asylum seekers. Helped organize
and run fundraising event. Researched conditions in asylum seekers'
countries of origin.
|
|
Green Institute
|
A private
non-profit organization that promotes urban development through
sustainable enterprise, job creation, and environmental education.
|
Helped coordinate
volunteers. Assisted in organizing annual meeting, press conference,
celebration, and educational activities. Helped prep sustainable
indicators for Philips Health Report.
|
|
Harriet
Tubman Women's Shelter
|
Transitional
shelter for women and children who are victims of domestic abuse.
|
Compiled
resource book of services offered by community agencies. Planned
groups with transitional residents. Con-ducted initial interviews
with participants to determine if program had services for them.
|
|
St. Paul
Tenants Union
|
Helps tenants
organize to improve their housing conditions, advocates for an
adequate supply of affordable housing for low and moderate income
families.
|
Participated
in organizing, tenant advocacy, and rental discrimination testing.
|
How
do I find an internship?
HECUA helps you identify
and sort through possibilities to find a placement that meets your interests
and the learning goals of the program. You describe your interests to
the HECUA Program Assistant or Director, who then connects you with
possible internship sites. (Placements may also develop through your
own contacts, subject to HECUA's approval.) HECUA usually makes initial
contact with the organization, then students are responsible for sending
a resume and interviewing at the potential site(s).
What
do I do at the internship and how is it graded?
As an active participant
in your educational process, you will design your own learning experience
in the internship through a carefully crafted set of learning objectives
called a "Learning Agreement." This specifies your role within the internship,
the contribution you'll make, as well as the knowledge, skills and personal
development you intend to achieve. The Learning Agreement functions
as your internship plan which includes what you'll learn, how you'll
do it and how it will be evaluated.
For example, if one of your
learning goals is to learn how community organizing works, your Learning
Agreement would outline the specific tasks/projects/activities for which
you would be responsible, such as participating in and planning organizing
efforts, that would help you reach that goal. You, your internship supervisor
and the Program Assistant or Director will work together on the Learning
Agreement and participate in midterm and final evaluations as a basis
for your final grade.
What
is the internship seminar?
The internship seminar is
a time for students to discuss internship successes and difficulties
with other MUST students. It is also a time to connect internship experiences
with theoretical issues discussed in Reading and Field Seminars. Discussion
topics, group activities and writing assignments will help students
to integrate the internship experiences with the rest of the program
and gain support and understanding from students with similar experiences.
What
if problems arise in my internship?
Students help each other
with problem solving as part of the internship seminar, and the program
assistant and director are always available to discuss strategies with
you. If there are serious problems that cannot be resolved, a new placement
may be arranged.
CREDITS
How
much credit do I get for the program?
The MUST semester is equivalent
to a full semester course load -- 4 course credits, 16 semester hours
or 27 trimester credits. When broken down for the purposes of credit
distribution, the structural components of the program are:
Internship Placement and
Seminar = 2 course credits, 8 semester hours or 13 trimester credits
Reading Seminar = 1 course
credit, 4 semester hours or 7 trimester credits
Field Seminar = 1 course
credit, 4 semester hours or 7 trimester credits
How
do the credits fit into my degree?
The use of MUST credits
is very flexible. You'll discuss the program with your advisor and decide
how it fits and how credits can be used for your major, minor, core
requirements and/or electives. With a curriculum focused on poverty,
inequality, and social change, students can receive credits across the
social sciences, including urban studies, American studies, women's
studies, sociology, and political science; as well as in communications
and other related fields.
You can specify the kind
of internship you want so that it fulfills a particular kind of credit.
Furthermore, as part of the seminars you can pursue an independent study
project that fits your major.
An information sheet is
available from HECUA that outlines specific credit distribution considerations
at each member school. You can also talk to the HECUA campus representative,
on-campus faculty advisors and/or the HECUA program director for help
in figuring out credit distribution.
How
do the credits appear on my transcript?
For students from HECUA
member schools, credits earned are from your home institution rather
than transfer credits. HECUA sends a grade report to the college registrar
that gets posted to your transcript. Students from non-member schools
receive a Hamline University transcript and transfer the credits back
to their school.
LOGISTICS
How
much is the semester going to cost?
The MUST semester comprehensive
fee (for Fall 2000 or Spring 2001 program) equals whatever you pay for
a full semester of credits at your college, if your school belongs to
the HECUA consortium. University of Minnesota students pay a set fee
of $4,950, that is different from U of M tuition. If your school is
not a member, the fee is $7,850.
The comprehensive fee includes:
tuition, all field seminars and other required events, internship placement
and supervision, and some program materials. Housing, food, transportation,
reading materials and personal expenses are separate. These expenses
are to be covered directly by the student and vary according to each
student's needs and living situation.
Estimated additional expenses
for the semester are:
|
Housing
|
$1,650
|
|
Food
|
525
|
|
Transportation
|
260
|
|
Reading materials
|
155
|
|
Personal Expenses
|
350
|
|
Total
|
$2,940
|
How
can I finance my MUST semester?
Most internships are unpaid.
Occasionally students are able to use work-study/financial aid, matched
with an agency stipend for a paid internship, but this is uncommon.
Some students increase loans for the semester, and many students work
paid jobs evening and weekends. The program is very demanding, so students
often minimize their hours at another job.
Can
I use financial aid?
Students from HECUA member
schools should be able to use all financial aid for the MUST semester.
The options for non-member students may vary. All students should talk
with their financial aid or off-campus study office for details.
What
does a typical MUST week look like?
The structure of the MUST
week is different from the normal college semester and similar to that
of a typical work week.
|
Monday:
|
Internship 9-5
|
|
Tuesday:
|
Class 9-3:30
|
|
Wednesday:
|
Internship 9-5
|
|
Thursday:
|
Class 9-3:30
|
|
Friday:
|
Internship 9-12
|
Your internship work schedule
may be flexible or may include some irregular hours; it can be set in
consultation with your supervisor. The class schedule is not negotiable.
Work and personal schedules must be arranged so that they do not conflict
with class meeting times. In addition to these requirements, students
will need a significant amount of time to prepare for class. The reading
load and writing assignments equal that of two courses during a regular
college semester.
Where
will I live?
If you already live in the
Twin Cities you do not have to move. You can live with friends, your
parents, stay in your dorm room on campus or move to a new place for
the semester.
If you're coming from outside
of the Metro area, or want to change your living arrangement for the
MUST term, there are several options:
a. Find an apartment--HECUA
can refer you to well-established apartment hunting services, as well
as to MUST students or alumni who might want a roommate. Your school
might have lists of college alumni in the Twin Cities who often have
rooms available. You might have your own leads. The Program Assistant
can also give you ideas of places in the city to consider living, based
on transportation, convenience, safety and connections with places you'll
be learning about during the term.
b. Live on a Twin Cities
college campus--it may be an option to live on campus at one of the
many member schools in Minneapolis or St. Paul. HECUA can find out if
and where space is available and provide information for you to contact
residential life offices. (Note that schools might require you to pay
for a meal plan, which you may not be able to fully use due to the MUST
schedule.)
c. Live with a host family--an
alternative being developed is the option of living with a family for
the semester, a placement that would be arranged through Hamline University.
Consider living with another
student on the program as a way to get to know other people and talk
to someone who understands the new things you experience. Sharing transportation
is also a plus.
How
will I get around?
Students are responsible
for getting to their internships and to class. Students who live in
the same areas usually carpool to class and to different meeting places
for Tuesday and Thursday seminars, so owning a car is not a necessity.
Some students rely on public transportation to get to their internships
and to class. Riding the bus can be time-consuming yet provides a great
way to learn the city and encounter the urban reality discussed during
the semester.
STUDENTS RESPOND
What
have students said about MUST?
"MUST
gives students a complete and accurate picture of poverty and inequality
in the Twin Cities. Great experience!"
"Go in
with an open mind. Be ready to share yourself and your ideas. MUST will
give you a better, deeper understanding and appreciation for people."
"Jump
into MUST feet first and learn. Self-confidence will increase, leadership
skills and tools will develop or improve. Everyone should try a program
like MUST because it can change your life and make you feel like you
have the skills to succeed in school and in certain aspects of your
life."
"The
program is not about 'saving the world', it's about finding your place
in it. Read, open your mind, reflect…."
"This
is the most cohesive, integrated learning experience that I've had.
Expect to try hard and take risks."
How
do students benefit from MUST?
"I learned a lot about
why inequality and poverty exist in an urban setting. I learned how
to really listen and learn from people."
"This program has really
helped me in ways I never expected it to. It has helped me to figure
out how I want to make a difference after college. I now have a better
grasp of where my talents lie."
"The most important thing
of all was becoming more focused on my career and school path. I also
have the tools to be more of a leader now."
"I learned about myself
the most, what I want to do and how I want to change things, how to
be involved."
"The last 4 months taught
me more about my world, my family, my classmates and myself than 21
years of life has. And I got credit for it!"
"This was the best educational
experience of my life and has profoundly impacted my life. I am not
the same person now that I was in August."
Contact HECUA if you would
like to talk with past student participants from your school or your
major about the program.
What
schools and majors have participated in MUST?
Students come from many
schools and a wide variety of majors. Past participants have included:
Major
|
Advertising
|
American Studies
|
Anthropology
|
Architecture
|
Art History
|
|
Bachelor of Individualized Studies
|
Biology
|
Business
|
Communications
|
Comparative Literature
|
|
Computer Science
|
Criminal Justice
|
Criminology
|
Cultural Studies
|
Economics
|
|
Education
|
English
|
Environmental Studies
|
Geography
|
Government
|
|
Hispanic Studies
|
History
|
Human Services
|
International Relations
|
International Relations
|
|
Justice and Peace Studies
|
Liberal Studies
|
Low-income Housing Issues
|
Marketing
|
Mathematics
|
|
Music
|
Peace and Conflict Studies
|
Philosophy
|
Physics
|
Political Science
|
|
Psychology
|
Public Administration
|
Public Relations
|
Religion
|
Social Science
|
|
Social Work
|
Sociology
|
Spanish
|
Studio Art
|
Theater
|
|
Urban Studies
|
Women's Studies
|
|
|
|
Schools
Member Schools
|
Augsburg College
|
Augustana College
|
Carleton College
|
College of St. Benedict
|
College of St. Catherine
|
|
Concordia University - St. Paul
|
Gustavus Adolphus College
|
Hamline University
|
Macalester College
|
St. John's University
|
|
St. Mary's University
|
St. Olaf College
|
University of Minnesota- Twin Cities
|
University of St. Thomas
|
Viterbo University
|
Non-Member Schools
|
Concordia College Moorhead
|
Earlham College
|
Grinnell College
|
Mankato State University
|
Middlebury College
|
|
Mount Senario College
|
Northland College
|
Oberlin College
|
St. Norbert College
|
South Dakota State University
|
|
Texas Christian University
|
Trinity University
|
University of Minnesota- Morris
|
|
|
How
do I contact HECUA?
Higher Education Consortium
for Urban Affairs (HECUA)
2233 University Ave. W., Suite 210
Saint Paul, MN 55114-1629
Fax: 651/659-9421
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: www.hecua.org
Rebecca Rassier,
Admissions and Student Services
651/646-8832 or 800/554-1089, [email protected]
Doug Franzman, Student
Accounts
651/646-8831, [email protected]
Amy Sunderland, Executive
Director
651/646-1348, [email protected]
Copyright
(c)2001. Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs, Inc. All rights
reserved.
Last updated 03/22/01
