SUMMER STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM

GLOBAL MENTAL HEALTH (SOUTH AFRICA)


A 4-credit Global Field Engagement Program in South Africa

AT A GLANCE

  • Global Field Engagement Program
  • Disciplinary Track: Global Mental Health
  • Study Abroad Destination: South Africa
  • 2026 Dates: June 6-26 (3 weeks)
  • Credit: 4 U.S. credit hours (~ 8 ECTS credits) for eligible university students
  • Eligibility: Any field and level of study

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PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Engage with mental health systems in South Africa
This 3-week, 4-credit Global Field Engagement course invites students into South Africa’s dynamic mental health landscape through a hybrid model of pre-program learning and immersive in-country fieldwork. The program explores public mental health systems, cultural attitudes toward mental illness, and the impact of social determinants on care access and delivery.

Students collaborate with South African mental health professionals through structured field visits, guest lectures, case-based learning, and a group project addressing a local mental health challenge. Each week includes mentorship, cultural experiences, and reflective colloquia designed to support ethical engagement and deepen intercultural understanding. A final digital portfolio highlights key learning and development.
Program Highlights
  • In-depth exposure to community-based mental health care and public systems
  • Facilitated field visits, practitioner engagement, and collaborative group work
  • Emphasis on ethical practice, intercultural competence, and systems thinking
  • Digital portfolio showcasing academic, field-based, and reflective learning

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ACADEMICS

Program Structure
The Global Field Engagement Course in Mental Health is an intensive, 4-credit program spanning three weeks, plus pre-program eLearning. Students explore global mental health systems, policies, and interventions through a structured sequence of theoretical learning, field engagement, and community-based research.

Students collaborate with local mental health professionals, NGOs, and policymakers to gain hands-on exposure to clinical and community mental health initiatives. Activities include clinical observations, mental health case discussions, and site visits to community health programs, psychiatric facilities, and mental health advocacy organizations.

This interdisciplinary and experiential approach ensures that students develop cultural competence, clinical awareness, and strategic problem-solving skills while contributing to mental health initiatives with real-world impact.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
  • Analyze mental health systems and social determinants in South Africa
  • Engage ethically with local professionals and community stakeholders
  • Apply global mental health frameworks to real-world contexts and casework
  • Reflect critically on identity, power, and culture in mental health practice
  • Synthesize learning through a polished digital portfolio
Further Details
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YOUR DESTINATION: SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa has emerged from its troubled and turbulent past into a healthy democratic country and the economic powerhouse of the African continent. At the same time, it’s a great place to witness a society going through dynamic changes, as it can still be considered both a developed and an underdeveloped country. South Africans forge a new identity, strongly embracing their unique multicultural character.

UNIQUE EXPERIENCES

Immersive exposure to South Africa’s mental health systems
Students gain direct insight into South African mental health care through field visits to psychiatric hospitals, trauma centers, NGOs, and public health facilities. They observe how practitioners address mental illness within contexts of social inequality, intergenerational trauma, and limited resources.

Dialogue with practitioners and policy influencers
Structured conversations with psychologists, social workers, and community leaders offer a deeper understanding of ethical dilemmas, stigma, and culturally grounded approaches to healing. These interactions help bridge classroom theory with real-world challenges and innovations.
Guided reflection and cultural integration
Weekly cohort sessions create space for personal reflection and group discussion, led by on-site facilitators. Students explore identity, privilege, and positionality while integrating their field experiences with academic frameworks.

Vibrant South African culture and history
Outside the classroom, students engage with South African culture through food, music, and art. Shared meals might include dishes like chakalaka or pap; local experiences could include township walking tours or community storytelling events. Optional excursions to places like Robben Island or the Apartheid Museum further ground students’ understanding of the country’s mental health landscape in its broader historical and socio-political context.
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HOUSING & MEALS

The program includes 3 weeks in South Africa. For this time, GEI South Africa offers different housing options that students can choose from, pending availability. These include:

  • Homestays: Typically single rooms, with shared bathroom, and access to a kitchen and living room
  • Serviced apartments: Single or shared double rooms, with shared bathroom, and access to a kitchen and living room
  • University residence halls at our local partner universities: Shared double rooms, with shared bathroom and no kitchen facilities
  • Simple guesthouses: Shared double rooms, with shared bathroom and no kitchen facilities


Homestay host families typically provide breakfast and dinner. Students in serviced apartments, university residence halls, or guesthouses are usually responsible for all meals outside of core course meals.

You can find additional information in the following blog post: Accommodation – What to expect.

DATES, FEES, AND SCHOLARSHIPS

Program Dates

Application Due Date

Fees

Summer 2026 (3 weeks): June 6-26

Summer 2026: April 1

Summer 2026: US $3,650 (3 weeks)

At GEI, we strongly believe in equal access to academic opportunities in study abroad. In order to help eliminate financial barriers, we offer a variety of merit scholarships, trailblazer scholarships, and opportunity scholarships and grants, ranging from $500 to full tuition awards. Each year, GEI is awarding several hundred thousand dollars in scholarships. You can find further information as well as additional resources for external funding opportunities in the following blog post: Scholarships & Grants.

INSTRUCTORS & COORDINATORS

Meet our core team

All of our instructors and coordinators are highly experienced and resourceful professionals.
Waleed Fatth, MPH
Program Director
Francoise Uzamukunda, MA
Academic Director, East Africa
Thuy Phan, MA
Academic Director, Vietnam
Chone Chaowai, MIDP
Academic Director, Thailand
Kari Cousins, MA/MSc
Academic Director, Southern Africa
Yvan Rubengebenge
Operations Manager, Rwanda
Eric Kingoina, DCS
Operations Manager, Kenya
Dang Huynh, BA
Operations, Vietnam
Denyse Iradukunda, BA
Operations, Rwanda
Sammy Davies Mochama, BSc
Operations, Kenya
Mabwe Gwamure, BSc
Operations, South Africa

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