As a part of the policy wraparound course progression, a maximum of 35 MIIS and Middlebury students will deploy to two research sites, Nepal and Salinas, over the 2017 J-Term. Each student team will collect data and carry out field research related to key policy research questions during approximately three and a half weeks during January 2017.

These linked practica are closely integrated with the Field Methods course (IPSG 8609) offered during the Fall semester. In the Field Methods course, students apply policy-research concepts learned in the Field Methods and the earlier Policy and Data Analysis (IPSG 8500) courses to the design of a site-specific, client specified field-research project, which they will carry out in these J-Term practica (participants in these research practica are entirely drawn from the participants in the Field Methods course). Students returning from the three experiences may enroll in a follow-up course during the Spring 2017 semester -- Advanced Topics in Policy Analysis -- in which they will learn data-analytical techniques to be used in analyzing the data they collected from the three sites, and they will collaborate in the elaboration of final research deliverables.

This is variable 2 or 4 credits, and may be audited. Those wishing to audit or take the practicum for 4 credits will need the Professor's approval.