China: Experience Contemporary and Traditional China with Alliance Programs in Xi'an, Shanghai, and Beijing

  China

• Beijing: 
Beijing
• Shanghai: 
Shanghai
• Xi'an: 
Xi'an

Term: Academic Year, Fall, Spring, Summer 
Dates: Fall, Spring, and Summer Semesters

Description: The Alliance currently offers the following academic programs in Shanghai, Beijing, and Xi'an, China:

* Art, History and the Silk Road hosted by Xi'an International Studies University (XISU). This program offers students 12 class hours per week of Chinese language as well as courses taught in English in several disciplines including ancient Chinese history, contemporary issues, art and anthropology.

* International Business in China -- hosted by the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (SUFE). This program is designed for students interested in international business and economics and offers undergraduates the unparalled opportunity to study Chinese language, international business, and economic development in Asia's financial center. Students participate in carefully-designed activities and experiential study trips that provide a first-hand encounter with China's rapidly changing business environment. Students may also engage in an internship. Classes are based at the International Cultural Exchange School (ICES) of the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. ICES is devoted to the education of foreign students and aims to train students with a background in international economics or management.

* Contemporary Chinese Society and Language -- hosted by Fudan University. The Contemporary Chinese Society and Language program offers courses in Chinese language plus courses in society and culture, political science, economics, and international relations taught in English. Classes are based at Fudan's International Cultural Exchange School (ICES), which is devoted to the education of foreign students. All classes are taught exclusively for Alliance students.

* Intensive Chinese Language -- hosted by Fudan University. The Intensive Language track is for students who want to focus on learning Chinese. In addition to 20 class hours per week of Chinese language coursework, students may elect to take one course, Issues in Contemporary Society and Culture, taught in English. Classes are based at Fudan's International Cultural Exchange School (ICES), which is devoted to the education of foreign students. All classes are taught exclusively for Alliance students.

* China Now: Development, Politics, and Social Change in Beijing -- hosted by Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU). This program offers students 12 class hours per week of Chinese language (15 hours in the summer) as well as the opportunity to examine modern China through courses in English in several disciplines including economics, film studies, womens studies, and cultural studies.

* Internships Available with in Beijing and with the International Business program in Shanghai!

Pre-Requisites:
A 3.0 minimum GPA.

Enrollment in an undergraduate degree program at an accredited U.S. institution.
Permission from the home institution to study abroad.

No prior knowledge of Chinese is required. Students seeking admission to the Intensive Chinese Language program in Shanghai must have completed two semesters of prior Chinese study.

Students seeking admission to the International Business program in Shanghai must have completed one business course and one economics course prior to arrival in China.

Highlights:
* Internship opportunities within Chinese and foreign businesses, Chinese and multi-national companies, NGOs, and government organizations.
* Capstone Projects in which students delve into a particular area of interest and challenge students to engage with Chinese people from various walks of life and deepen their understanding of an aspect of Chinese society, culture, business practices, or current policy.
* Academically rigorous classes offered exclusively for Alliance students. Chinese language classes average 6-8 students per class. * On-site Resident Directors
* Chinese language partners in Beijing and Chinese roommates in Xi'an and Shanghai.
* A one-week Field Study Trip for Beijing and Shanghai participants
* A two-week Field Study Trip to the Silk Road for Xi'an participants
* Numerous local activities
* The ability to enroll for a semester, summer, or academic year, or a combination of a semester and summer term. Students are encouraged to consider spending their second term in China in a different Alliance program to deepen their knowledge of Chinas regional diversity.

Please check each program for its specific highlights.

Experience Required: no

Participants Travel to China Independently or in Groups

Scholarships are Available. The Alliance offers need-based scholarships of up to $6,000. Students from non-traditional majors or minority backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Please see the Alliance website for more details.

Alliance for Global Education 's Mission Statement: The Alliance for Global Education, LLC is a not-for-profit partnership of the College of Global Studies at Arcadia University and the Institute for Study Abroad, Butler University. Both institutions are pioneers in the field of study abroad and have shown strong commitment to providing academically rigorous and culturally enriching study abroad programs for over 40 years. At the core of the Alliance's mission is to provide stimulating, interdisciplinary study abroad programs in the non-Western world. We seek to introduce undergraduate students to vibrant, dynamic countries and cultures that are of ever-increasing scholarly, political, and economic interest. We also strive to develop students' foreign language proficiency and inter-cultural competence. High academic standards and strong student services lay the foundation for all of our programs. The Alliance programs began in China in 2007 and are launching in India in Spring 2009.

Year Founded: 2007