LSA: Semester in Detroit
Overview
The Semester in Detroit mission is to engage U-M undergraduates in substantive, sustained and reciprocal relationships with the people and communities of the City of Detroit. Combining a semester-long residence in the city with rigorous academic study and a comprehensive community-based internship, SiD students become deeply involved in – and committed to – the life, challenges, and promise of this important American city.
Eligibility
The Semester in Detroit program accepts undergraduate students from all schools and departments at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, UM-Dearborn and UM-Flint. We also accept applications from undergraduate students at Grand Valley State University. Completion of the program plus two additional required courses will meet the requirements for a minor in Urban Studies through the College of Literature, Science and the Arts at the UM-Ann Arbor campus. (Note: this minor option is only available to students from UM-Ann Arbor campus.)
Academics
The Semester in Detroit curriculum has three components:
1) All students are required to enroll in RCSID 350 - From the Underground to Motown: A Course in Detroit's history. SiD is fortunate to have Baba Jamon Jordan teach this foundational course - the first official historian of the City of Detroit. This course is three credits and meets the social science distribution requirement and can count for some social science concentrations.
2) Students have the choice between two elective classes: RCSID 334 - Detroit Artist as Activist and RCSID 360 - Theory and Practice of Visionary Organizing. RCSID 334 is three credits and taught by Darcy Brandel, an english and creative writing instructor with over twenty years experience teaching in Detroit. RCSID 360 is three credits and taught by Stephen Ward, an historian with joint appointment in the Department of African-American Studies (DAAS) and the Residential College. Stephen is also SiD's faculty director.
3) All students are required to participate in a community-based internship and embedded weekly seminar for a total of three credits. Students choose where they intern from over 60 organizational partners in Detroit with the guidance of SID faculty and staff.
Costs
Please refer to this website for more information. Semester in Detroit does everything we can to ensure that cost will not be a barrier to participation for any of our students. If you would like to be considered for SID scholarships, please be sure to fill out the final financial need question on the application form.
Application Procedures
To apply, fill out the required forms and documents in M-Compass. We are now accepting applications for the 2026 spring/summer program (May 4-August 7, 2026) from students from UM-Ann Arbor, UM-Dearborn, UM-Flint and Grand Valley State University. No more than 20 students will be accepted into the program each semester. When the program becomes full, a wait list will be used based on the order by which students applied and were accepted into the program.
Housing
Living in the city of Detroit during SiD is an integral component of the experience. For our 2026 program, Wayne State University is our sole housing partner. Students live in 2- or 3-bedroom unfurnished apartments in University Towers. (This is Wayne State University's most affordable option.)
Students who already live in the city of Detroit have the option to stay in their existing housing. However, if financially feasible, we encourage such students to consider living as independent adults at Wayne State University with the cohort. (Ample scholarship options are available to make this choice as accessible as possible.)
Internship
Each student accepted into the program works closely with SiD staff to choose a challenging internship opportunity with a Detroit-based community organization (non-profit, museum, school, small business, elected official, and more). Each year, students have the option to consider more than 50 organizations from a wide variety of different areas. During the program, students earn academic credit for working at their internship site (approximately 150-180 hours) on a specific project designed by the organization. In addition to the internship credit, SID students also participate in a required internship reflection seminar taught by Lecturer and SiD Program Manager, Rose Gorman.
Contact Information
For more information, please contact:
Craig Regester SiD Associate Director
3663 Woodward Ave., Ste. 150
Detroit, MI 48201
regester@umich.edu
(c) 313-505-5185
