SIT Study Abroad: Cameroon: Development and Social Change
Open to all students, this program, in partnership with Dickinson College, examines development issues in Cameroon in the context of culture, politics, and the economy.
WHY STUDY ABROAD IN CAMEROON?
SIT and Dickinson College have partnered to create a one-of-a-kind, interdisciplinary study abroad program in Cameroon. Open to all students, this program examines critical issues in development affecting communities and people in Cameroon, West Africa, and the Global South. SIT and Dickinson’s long presence in Yaoundé and dynamic on-site staff and faculty offer students opportunities to develop an understanding and appreciation of Cameroonian and West African culture and society. Students may choose an intensive French- or English-language program track with no language prerequisites.
Cameroon, an ethnically diverse and rapidly changing country, is an ideal setting to study development and social change. Alongside Cameroonian college students, you will explore African approaches to development, perspectives of development from Cameroon, sustainable development and the linkage of conflict development and peace. Focusing on three major sociocultural groups—Bamiléké, Bagyeli, and Anglophones—you will discover the complex relationships between development, modernization, and social change.
Spring semester students of French may enroll at Catholic University of Central Africa where you’ll have the opportunity to explore cocurricular university activities with Cameroonian students. Both spring and fall students may request a Francophone or Anglophone homestay, depending on French ability.
Please visit the SIT Study Abroad website for details on the program highlights and details of coursework, educational excursions, and housing.
MONEY MATTERS
SIT is an all-inclusively priced study abroad program – including academics costs, excursions, accommodations and meals, airport transfers, and health insurance. Be sure to discuss how study abroad costs are handled at your school with your study abroad advisor and read the website for more specific information.
SCHOLARSHIPS
SIT has awarded an average of over $1.3 million in scholarships and grants to SIT Study Abroad students in the past three years. All scholarships and grants are need-based. Awards generally range from $500 to $5,000.
QUOTE
"My internship, as well as overall experience, has allowed me to discover new strengths as well as interests within myself, which has empowered me to envision new paths for myself. This program has given me the power to realize my potential in international education! The staff in Yaoundé was especially helpful in curating this self-realization. They were available at all times and were friendly and loving to all students. The director of this program will forever be an inspiration and mentor to me because of her individualistic style of teaching and loving."
CONTACT SIT STUDY ABROAD
· Visit our website: studyabroad.sit.edu
· Request more information or email us: studyabroad@sit.edu
· Call an admissions counselor: 888-272-7881
· Contact a former student.
· Apply to SIT
FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM!
Academic Program
The semester begins with a one-week orientation in Yaoundé. After the initial orientation, students take coursework in either the English Program Track or the Intensive French Language Track, depending on French language proficiency. Each semester, a small number of Cameroonian students enrolled in local university programs participate in the program alongside U.S.-based students.
Students will enroll in the following courses for a total of 16 credits (4 Pomona credits):
All students:
- Intersectionality in African Contexts (Taught in English; 0.75 Pomona credits)
- Research Methods and Ethics (Taught in English; 0.75 Pomona credits)
All students choose one of the following courses (completed in English or French depending on the track) in addition to the courses listed above:
- Internship and Seminar (1.0 Pomona credit)
- Independent Study Project (ISP; 1.0 Pomona credit)
English Track:
- Decolonizing Development from African Perspectives (0.75 Pomona credits)
- Beginning French: French in Cameroonian Contexts (0.75 Pomona credits)
Intensive French Language Track:
- French in Cameroonian Contexts (0.75 Pomona credits)
- Spring semester: 3-credit course at Université Catholique d’Afrique Centrale (0.75 Pomona credits), Fall semester: Decolonizing Development from African Perspectives (Taught in English; 0.75 Pomona credits)
There is no CR/NC option on this program.
| Semester Hours |
Pomona Credits |
| 3 |
0.75 |
| 15 |
3.75 |
| 16 |
4 |
Living Arrangements
Students live in homestays in Yaoundé. During program excursions, students stay in homestays, hostels, and camping accommodations.
Number of Students
SIT enrolls approximately 10 – 20 students, selected from a national pool.
Host Institution
School for International Training (SIT)
Dickinson College
Universite Catholique d'Afrique Centrale
Faculty Liaison
Pierre Englebert (on leave for the 2024-2025 academic year)
Eligibility
- Completion of intermediate French (French 2 or 22), or the equivalent. For the Intensive French Language Track, students must have French language proficiency to follow coursework in French.
A college-level background course with African content is highly recommended.
Student Experiences
Click here to read Marianna Heckendorn's (PO '16) reflection on her semester in Cameroon.
Travel Advisories
