Program Description

J-Term Team Nepal 2017: Environmental Perceptions and the evolving use of Plastics

Team Nepal will be run as an experiential learning opportunity for guided field research and data driven analysis methods at the graduate level. The foci will be on fostering cross-cultural communication, gaining experience in data collection methods and data analysis (qualitative and quantitative) in a development context, and implementing research methodologies.

Team Nepal 2017 will partner with the Himalayan Climate Initiative (HCI), a youth led not-for-profit in Nepal that works towards environmental sustainability and climate resilience. Before traveling to Nepal, students will work in tandem with HCI to create a research project design. During the J-term practicum, students will utilize their newly built data collection tools in-country to research environmental awareness, perspectives on waste management and recycling and the nation-wide plastic bag ban. This course offers students the chance to utilize skills developed during courses at MIIS, including fieldwork in a rural context and working with local interpreters. In the spring, students will have the opportunity to participate in the third part of the wraparound course, Advanced Policy Analysis, to examine the findings in detail.

COURSE OVERVIEW

Location: Nepal: Kathmandu, Dang, and Surkhet.

Dates: January 3th – January 25th 2017 plus pre-departure orientations and meetings with host organization AND post-return analysis and report writing.

Specific Learning Objectives:

  • Survey and Interview Design in a Development Context
  • Field experience in survey implementation, data collection, and cross-cultural communication
  • Mixed Qualitative and Quantitative Research
  • Data Cleaning and Hypothesis testing with unique quantitative data
  • Client centered report writing

Related Courses:

  • Public Policy & Data Analysis (portion of 3 course wraparound)
  • *Field Methods (*required, portion of 3 course wraparound)
  • Advanced Policy Analysis (portion of 3 course wraparound)
  • Advanced Data Analysis
  • Qualitative Data Analysis
  • Development Economics

This opportunity falls under Tier 3 of the Immersive Professional Learning Funding Guidelines. Apply by November 1st or December 1st to be considered for an award of $1,000 to offset the costs of this practicum.