HNGR Curriculum


Core Courses (16 hours, required before internship)

  • HNGR 114 Poverty, Justice, and Transformation (4 hours, GP, SI)
  • ANTH 353 Culture & Difference (4 hours, DUS, GP)
  • Elective: choose one of the following
    • Social Change in the Americas (SOC 385, GP, SI)
    • Development Economics (ECON 365)
    • Politics of Global Development (IR 315)
    • Marginal Voices in the Old Testament (BITH 478, GP)
    • Indigenous Histories in the Majority World (HIST 391)
    • Latin American Colonial Literature (SPAN 343, GP, LE)
    • Modern Latin American Literature (SPAN 344, GP, LE)
    • Global Health (BIOL 318, GP, SIP)
    • Nature, Environment, and Society (ENVR 315 / CORE 325, SIP)
    • Other 300 Level or above 4 credit courses may qualify by special permission of the HNGR Director
  • HNGR 385 Field Research Methods and Intercultural Orientation (4 hours)
  • Language Study: Interns are expected to attain conversational proficiency pre-departure for any languages offered on campus (e.g. SPAN 331, FREN 331, MAND 331). For languages not offered on campus, students will develop a self-guided language learning plan in collaboration with the HNGR office. It is recommended that all HNGR interns have a language tutor for at least the first half of their internships.                      

Co-Curricular Components

  • World Relief Tutoring. The HNGR Program partners with World Relief DuPage to accompany newly arrived refugees. During the academic year leading up to the HNGR internship, HNGR interns will tutor a family in basic English for 2 hours each week. This experience practices hospitality for new families in DuPage County and foreshadows many intercultural engagements during the internship, such as communication while developing language abilities. 
  • HNGR Small Groups. Though HNGR students intern in different locations, the HNGR cohort is still a significant part of the internship. Friendships within the cohort last a lifetime and one of the main avenues to develop these relationships is in biweekly small groups.
  • HNGR Retreats. During the year leading up to the internship, the HNGR cohort will gather once in the Fall to build relationships together as they explore Chicago neighborhoods and once in the Spring for a weekend retreat. In addition, upon students' return to campus after their internships, students participate in a 5 day retreat in January prior to their final semester at Wheaton.

Field Courses (10-16 hours, required during internship)

  • HNGR 491 Introduction to Internship in Development (0)
  • HNGR 496 Internship in Development (4-8 hours)
  • XXX 495 Independent Study (2-4 hours in major or in HNGR)
  • HNGR 481 Introduction to Global Christian Perspective (0)
  • HNGR 484 Global Christian Perspective (4 hours)

Post-Internship Course and Activities (required after internship)

  • HNGR 494 Capstone Integration Seminar (2 hours)
  • HNGR Chapel and Poster Display