HPA 499 Healthcare: The Swedish Experience

Jönköping, Sweden (Date to be determined due to virus)

HPA 499, Healthcare: The Swedish Experience is offered as an embedded program together with Jönköping University in Sweden. Students also attend lectures at Gothenburg University and the Karolinska Institute. The embedded program is a Maymester course with two credits being offered during the spring and one credit for the study tour. The May 20__ dates (Pandemic permitting) for the course are TBD. Students will need to make travel arrangements so that they arrive on Wednesday, May TBD, 20__, and depart on May __when the course ends. No overnight accommodations are made for May TBD, 20__. If students want to remain longer in Sweden, other arrangements will need to be made by the students. The Learning Objectives for this embedded program are for students to 1) demonstrate knowledge of healthcare applied in a range of organizations in a social welfare context; 2) Compare and contrast the institutional and cultural contexts of the U.S. and Sweden, and 3) Demonstrate intercultural competencies that can be applied throughout a later career life.

Sweden is a particularly interesting country for students to study from a healthcare perspective. The social welfare society stands in contrast to many of the approaches taken in the USA. It is also an ideal setting in which to study a healthcare perspective, again because of the interesting systems they have in place that differ from the US approach. Students spend time in Jönköping, Gothenburg, and Stockholm.

Jönköping is a very attractive city of 130,000 people, located approximately midway between the two major cities of Stockholm and Gothenburg in Sweden, allowing easy access for visits. It is a very historic area, famous for its matchstick industry! Jönköping University is based in the city center and is a highly international private university. It offers a three-year undergraduate human resource management program housed jointly in the School of Education and Communication and the School of Psychology. It also has a strong School of Health Sciences which is housed in the Institute of Gerontology.

Applications. The online applications for Maymester 20__ will open during the fall of 2022. Students should have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. A maximum of 14 students will be admitted, based on motivation for the class and academic achievement. Once all spots are filled, no more applications will be considered. Prior to traveling to Sweden, students will participate in four seminars designed to provide students with an understanding of the Swedish culture and history; an overview of the policies and regulations governing the healthcare system in Sweden. Please contact: Dr. Diane Spokus 

 

Once a student is accepted on the trip, they will need to enroll under HPA 499: Healthcare: The Swedish Experience to obtain the two-course credits in the spring and then again for the one-course credit in the summer. The costs of the trip can be discussed during individual appointments. In-country costs are paid by students as well as the cost of airfare. Students are encouraged to apply for the $1000 Commonwealth Scholarship which is based on financial need to help support their trip.