Please also see the following links for information on the trip to the Netherlands
What Forms do I need for this Program?
All of the forms you will need are linked from the
Forms page.
What are the Course concentrations in the Netherlands?
Survey the Netherlands (under
graduates) (Lori D'Angelo
lori@magnoliaclubhouse.org and
Grover Gilmore
gcg@case.edu)
This 3 credit course is designed to familiarize students with Dutch social policies and
practices for prostitution, drug use, substance abuse, social services, neighborhood social
control, homelessness, and multicultural aspects of health care. The trip includes guided tours of
neighborhoods and social institutions and lectures by practitioners and scholars in the field.
Health Policy (Sarrah Parran
sparran@aol.com)
This 3 credit course will acquaint students with the socio-political factors that influence
the delivery of health care and health-related services to the citizens of the Netherlands. The
role of the social work profession in health care and service delivery will be explored via agency
visits, lectures, and collaboration with Dutch experts in the area of health care.
Mental Health (Patrick Boyle
patrick.boyle@case.edu)
This 3 credit course will offer students an opportunity to compare aspects of the adult
mental health system in the Netherlands and the United States (Cuyahoga County) to explore how
"Culture Matters". The definition of mental illness, the deinstitutionalization of the
mentally ill and the current treatment and support systems will be contrasted. There
will be a focus on dual diagnosis issues related to people who have a mental illness and substance
abuse problems, dual systems issues related to people who have a mental illness anment and the
University Center for Woman and will allow students to become familiar with Dutch social policies
and practices related to women's health issues sud have committed a crime, and a look at an
international model of psychosocial rehabilitation in both settings. The subjective
experience of people who have a mental illness will be central to the learning experience, which
will include guided visits to various organizations and lectures by practitioners and scholars in
the field.
Government and Politics (David Miller
david.miller@case.edu)
This 3 credit course will acquaint students with the socio-political factors that influence
the government and politics affect citizens of the Netherlands. The role of the social work
profession in government and policy making will be explored via agency visits, lectures, and
collaboration with Dutch experts.
What makes the Netherlands Study Abroad program unique and innovative?Past programs
consisted of daily lectures by Dutch government officials, practicing social workers, and prominent
scholars, as well as visitation to Amsterdam's Vrije Universiteit (Frei University), local
neighborhoods and social institutions. Visits included Youth Center facility in
Rotterdam for Moroccan youth, Asylum center to learn about immigration policies,
and Saint Paul's Church which provides shelter and food, temporary employment
opportunities, treatment as well as user rooms for addicts. Other visits included Dumpling
Coffeehouse to learn about the coffee shop (soft drug) business such as the policies of buying,
selling and using soft drugs and the Red Light District guided by a police officer or guide who
also gave a presentation about the policies and practices related to the prostitution business.
What have past students said about their experiences? They could experience the
realities of how theories & cultural values influence policies and in turn impact
practices. They suggested that these educational hands on opportunities could not be
obtainable in a traditional classroom setting, that personal growth was gained from going outside
of one's own culture & value system, and they could reevaluate original values and
beliefs. They also commented that intense time spent with faculty and students from
both countries and readings & assignments were great ways to synthesize the experience.
What are some testimonials?
"A really engaging itinerary... I truly consider the experiences I had on this trip to
be some of the greatest educational moments in my four years at college. I could not possible
think of a better way to round out my college experience." B.H.
"One of the more invigorating experiences of my life ... it created so much dialogue
regarding issues that are still controversial in the U.S. " W.L.
"This class was a very powerful learning experience for me... I have never been so intimately
involved with the policies of any nation before... it opened my eyes." H.F.
"The class in the Netherlands has been one of my most memorable experiences at Case. It
helped me to get a sense of the world" J.C.
"The trip was an incredible experience... Seeing real drug users, seeing real
prostitutes, entering real coffee shops, spending time talking with the Dutch students... has
significantly changed my outlook on many facets of societal life" A.S.
"I found the hands on experience so much more interesting and informative than a classroom
lecture... To visually see what we were learning about not only helped me remember the
information more, but it also helped me grasp it more... It really helped me to understand and look
critically at various aspects and policies that we have in the U.S. and to see how culture greatly
influences these policies." C.F.
"Having never been out of the country before, I found so much that fascinated me. You
never really think that you have an ethnocentric view of the world until you go outside of your own
culture...opened my eyes to other opinions and experiences ..." S.B.
"Traveling to another culture is an experience that every college student should partake
in."E .M.
More information? Check out these links:
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