| Description |
Participants will be immersed in Korean culture for three weeks in both urban and rural areas. Both in classroom settings and through travels, students will learn about the religion and music of Korea, with emphasis on Korea's modern development. Participants will experience Korean culture and history through personal relationships with Chong-Shin University (Seoul) students while involved in lectures, discussions and excursions together. |
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| Location |
Home base for the program will be Chong-Shin University in Seoul, the capital of South Korea. Located on the Han River, Seoul is home to more than 10 million people, making it one of the largest cities in the world. It is the political, cultural and economic center of South Korea. Bordered by eight mountains, South Korea is also surrounded on three sides by water. Nearly all of Seoul’s residents are Korean, and the two major religions are Buddhism and Christianity. Participants will also experience the cities of Pusan and Kyeongju—a location with ancient heritages. |
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| Faculty leaders |
Dr. Juyeon Kang is a member of Northwestern’s music department, while Dr. Jay Shim is a faculty member in Dordt’s theology department. Dr. Kang and Dr. Shim will co-lead this program, which is offered by Dordt College. Both Dr. Shim and Dr. Kang lived in Korea before coming to the United States. Aside from traveling in Asia, Dr. Kang has also spent time in Europe and South America. |
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| Course and credit |
Gen 255: Korean Culture Through Religion and Music, 3 credits. This course, offered by Dordt College, fulfills NWC’s cross-cultural general education requirements. Summer study abroad courses cannot be taken for audit. |
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| Program structure |
Northwestern students will register for the program through Dordt College. Credit will transfer. The pre-trip seminar will cover various academic and logistical aspects of the program through presentation, readings, discussion and Q&A sessions. The seminar will take place during portions of the second half of the spring semester and several days before the trip. The faculty leaders plan to build community by sharing a Korean meal, watching Korean movies, and learning together while addressing issues related to culture, language and other pertinent details. While on-site, participants will take courses at Chong-Shin University in Seoul, where they will also hear guest speakers. Students will be required to keep a journal to record observations about Korean culture and to express issues related to cross-cultural adjustment. Regular group discussion will take place after class field trips and listening to guest speakers. A research paper comparing/contrasting participants’ beliefs about a certain aspect of Korean culture before and after the trip will be part of the Gen 255 requirement. |
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| Transportation |
Current plans have students flying as a group into Seoul. On-site transportation will include trains, local buses and the subway. Trains will transport participants from Seoul to Pusan. |
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| Housing and meals |
While in Seoul, participants will stay as a group in a residence hall at Chong-Shin University. Students will also experience homestays with Korean host families or with Chong-Shin students over weekends. Most meals will be provided either by the housing organization, the host family or via stipends. While on overnight excursions, participants will stay as a group in a hotel or similar housing. |
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| Excursions and day trips |
This program will include a variety of tours and day trips within and around Seoul, Kyeongju, Pohang and Andong. Highlights include day trips to old palaces, the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea, Pohang Iron and Steel Company (POSCO)—one of the world’s largest steel producers—and a Korean folk village. Additionally, visits will be made to museums, theatres, markets, restaurants, temples, churches and Christian schools. |
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| Passport and visa |
For U.S. citizens, a passport is required for entry into Korea; a visa is not required for tourist stays of less than 30 days. Information on how to obtain a passport is available from the summer study abroad office or http://travel.state.gov/. |
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| Vaccinations and health information |
The Center for Disease Control recommends that all routine vaccinations are up-to-date. The following are suggested vaccines: influenza, chicken pox, polio, MMR, DPT, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, rabies, Japanese encephalitis and malaria. See the Center for Disease Control website (www.cdc.gov) for more information and complete details. |
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| Eligibility |
All NWC students with a minimum GPA of 2.5 or with the consent of the faculty leader are eligible to apply. This program is also available to non-NWC students on a space-available basis. |
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| Application |
The 2008 Korea application consists of the two-page application form, two recommendations (one from a faculty member, one from a resident director) and a student-copy transcript. Applications are available on the summer study abroad website, but will be processed by Dordt College. |
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| Application deadline |
Jan. 15, 2008. Early application is encouraged. After the deadline, call for space-availability information. |
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| Program fee |
Tentatively, the program fee will be $3,420 per student. The final fee will depend on the actual number of participants and confirmed prices for airfare, exchange rates, etc. A better estimate of cost will be given in February, and the final fee will be determined by April 1. Every effort is being made to keep the cost at a minimum. The program fee includes tuition for three credits, airfare, in-country transportation, housing, meals or meal stipend, the international student identity card (with medical evacuation and repatriation coverage), pre-departure orientation, excursions, theatre tickets and museum entry fees. Participants will need to have basic health insurance coverage abroad and will need to cover books, passport and pictures, some meals, individual travel and spending money, among other items.
Northwestern and Dordt summer study abroad programs are academic, credit-bearing experiences (not mission programs) that focus on broadening a student’s worldview through immersion in—and academic exploration of—a different culture. Therefore, the Northwestern College summer study abroad office does not sponsor nor coordinate fundraising activities to help participants cover the cost of the program fees. Payment of the program fees remains the responsibility of the participant. |
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| Deposit and financial aid |
Upon acceptance into the program, a $350 deposit will be required to hold a participant’s slot (participants will be notified of the exact payment deadline in the acceptance letter). This deposit will be applied to the final program fee. Financial aid in the form of loans may be available. Contact the NWC financial aid office for more information. |
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| Payment deadline |
After determination of the final program fee, on or around April 1, a statement of the balance due will be provided. Deadline for payment is May 1. Participants will be provided with the payment, cancellation and refund policies upon acceptance into the program. |
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Summer study abroad
