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Note: The application deadline for the fall Chicago Programs has been extended. If you are still interested in applying, go to www.acm.edu/apply and contact the ACM office immediately.
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Welcome message from Mary Scott-Boria, Director of the ACM Urban Studies program
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Chicago is a city with a pioneer spirit. From its phenomenal rebirth after the Great Fire, to the massive social reforms resulting from Jane Addams’ Settlement House movement, to the election of Barack Obama as the first black President of the United States, it’s always challenged itself to respond to the needs of its citizens. Whether it’s public policy concerns, community development, racial and economic justice, governance politics, education, healthcare and quality of life, or the environment, the people of Chicago have always been actively engaged in the important social issues of the day. It’s also a city of tremendous diversity, with cultures and ethnicities from around the globe, living in neighborhoods that have evolved to possess their own distinct personalities, viewpoints, and values. Chicago is the perfect laboratory for creative social change – through participating in public discourse, active civic involvement, engaging current social justice issues, and working shoulder to shoulder with those who make a difference in the lives of everyday people.
The ACM Urban Studies program provides students with a thoughtful and challenging introduction to the complexities of life and society in Chicago. Since its inception in 1969, the program has guided students to examine major sociological and political issues of the day through the personal perspectives of Chicago’s community leaders, politicians, and activists, as well as through traditional scholarship on the subjects of public policy, community development, social justice, gender, race, and ethnicity in American urban societies. Each fall and spring semester, students participating in the program will participate in four key academic components. The Chicago Core Course is an interdisciplinary course examining the city of Chicago by exploring how socio-political, business, and arts issues intertwine. The Seminar course focuses on issues such as social justice, race, and politics, incorporating guest speakers and experiences around the city into a framework of readings and class exercises designed to engage students in important local issues. The Internship is a chance to gain hands-on experience, as students work in one of a broad spectrum of social welfare, not-for-profit, educational, activist, community, arts, or business organizations. The Precept is an opportunity for students to actively engage in the life of a distinctive Chicago neighborhood – living and learning as citizens, meeting with local residents and organizations to learn about their neighborhood, and constructing an independent study project (ISP) that provides an opportunity to research a specific area of interest and to learn how their efforts impact the local and larger communities in which they live. Note: Students participating in the spring trimester option will take the core course, program seminar, and will have a choice between an internship or an independent study project.
Students live with other Chicago Programs participants in furnished, shared apartments in various neighborhoods throughout the city of Chicago. Classes are held at the ACM Chicago Programs office on State Street, in the heart of downtown Chicago. Students will also spend a great deal of class time outside the traditional classroom, meeting with experts and insiders from government, the media, social service agencies, and community groups, and engaging in the social and political context of the urban community. Through their experiences living, working, and learning in Chicago, students will become skilled in the language and actions of social change, observing how public officials, community leaders, and city residents shape public policy, and how communities and groups negotiate for power and resources.
For more detailed information, please use the links located on the left-hand side of this page.
Quick Facts
- Terms: Fall semester, spring semester, & spring quarter/ trimester (March-May)
- Language prerequisite: None
- Language of instruction: English
- Living arrangements: Apartment
Application deadlines
Application deadline extended! Please contact the ACM Office for more information.
March 15, 2010
Fall 2010 semester
March 15, 2010
Spring 2011 semester early application date
Do I need to apply early?
The early application date is available for students whose college requires that all off-campus study applications for the entire upcoming academic year must be completed the prior spring semester. If your college does not require a spring decision for programs the following spring, you may simply apply by the regular application deadline.
October 31, 2010
Spring 2011 semester
If the deadline has passed and you are interested in applying, contact the ACM Office immediately. Late applications may be accepted on a space-available basis.
Related Programs
Program contacts
Emily Gaul
Program Associate
205 W. Wacker Drive, Suite 220
Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: 312.263.5000
egaul@acm.edu
More program contacts »
Publications & Resources
Chicago Programs brochure
Chicago Programs Student Handbook 2009-10
Chicago Programs internship list