CIEE China in a Global Context Program in Shanghai, China

Location: China: Shanghai

Term: Fall, Spring, Academic Year

Dates: Fall 15 weeks: early September - mid-December; Spring 15 weeks: mid-February - late May; Academic Year 38 weeks: early September - late May

http://www.ciee.org

300 Fore Street Portland, ME 04101 United States

Call Us

Phone: 207-533-4000;
Toll-free: 800.40.STUDY

Fax: 207-553-5000

Description

This study abroad program in Shanghai, China focuses on China in a Global context and is designed for students with no Chinese language background and those who have studied Chinese for several semesters. The program offers Chinese language training at both standard and intensive levels coupled with coursework, taught in English, in global studies, economics, international relations, and area studies.

Academic Program
CIEE has been operating study abroad programs in Shanghai since 1981. Established in 1998, the CIEE Study Center in Shanghai has been hosted by East China Normal University (ECNU) since 2001. The China in a Global Context program is designed to help participants gain a deeper understanding of China as it emerges to take a more influential role in world affairs. Students are introduced to the Chinese language, as well as the colonial history, foreign policy, political development, and social issues that have either impeded or given rise to modern China.

The program is appropriate for students in the humanities and social sciences, especially those with a major or minor in international relations or political science, and is open for students with no previous experience in the Chinese language, as well as those with up to seven semesters of previous college-level Chinese. Students can choose either the standard or accelerated Chinese language track at all levels, in addition to one or more elective course related to the focus of the program.

Academic Culture
Students taking the standard language track attend language classes two hours per day, Monday through Thursday, from 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. Students taking the accelerated language track attend language classes four hours per day, Monday through Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. The language classes are small, with an average of four students and no more than eight students, so active participation is very important. Classes are typically co-taught by head language instructors who introduce new content and assistant language instructors who focus on accuracy and consistency of pronunciation through daily drills and other exercises in smaller sections when necessary. In addition students meet weekly with their peer tutors in structured tutorials for a minimum of two hours per week, and more tutorial hours can be arranged upon request. Students taking the accelerated language track also meet with their instructor in one-on-one classes for an additional two hours per week.

English language elective courses take place once per week for three hours in the morning or afternoon. Class size ranges from five to 20 students. Chinese language electives meet twice per week for two hours each day. The average class size is four students. Courserelated field trips for electives are scheduled on Fridays and occasionally weekends.

The semester is 15 weeks long and includes a one week orientation at the beginning, 12 weeks of instruction, one week group field trip, one week program break for independent travel, and typically one national holiday.

Highlights

  • Choose from a wide range of courses in international affairs, Chinese politics, economics, history, and society taught in English
  • Study Mandarin Chinese through standard or accelerated tracks at all levels with support from peer language tutors and language clinic instructors
  • Learn outside the classroom through a weeklong field trip to Beijing or Guangxi province with excursions to both cities and the countryside
  • Live with a Chinese host family or on-campus with a Chinese or CIEE roommate

Culture
Cultural Activities and Field Trips
A variety of field trips complement classroom work, including visits to local Chinese companies and factories, and government agencies, as well as museums, art exhibitions and plays. Weekly group cultural activities include an acrobatics show, river cruise along the Bund, bike ride through the former French Concession, a Chinese and CIEE student talent show, international student sporting events, and group meals with Chinese roommates and families.

A number of optional, extracurricular classes are available to program participants, including Chinese cooking, calligraphy, martial arts, music, mahjong, and Shanghai dialect.

The program exposes students to locations outside of Shanghai with a day trip to nearby traditional cities, such as Suzhou and Wuxi or small "water towns" like Wuzhen and Tongli.

Weekend Field Trip
The fall semester weekend field trip is to Hangzhou, capital of neighboring Zhejiang Province, which Marco Polo visited in the 13th century and described as "beyond dispute the finest and the noblest in the world." Today Hangzhou is renowned for the natural beauty of its mountains and the West Lake, and has numerous Buddhist temples and tea plantations.

The spring semester weekend field trip is to Nanjing, capital of neighboring Jiangsu Province. Nanjing maintains many aspects of the traditional Chinese city, with its classical temples and 600-year-old city wall. You can walk through history as you stroll among the beautiful grounds of the first Ming emperor's mausoleum or walk atop the most ancient city wall still standing in the world.

Weeklong Field Trip
The weeklong field trip includes lectures and visits to famous historical and contemporary sites of great national and international importance. The fall weeklong field trip is to Beijing, the political epicenter of China, and the spring fieldtrip is to Nanning in Guangxi province, which is the center of China's reach into Southeast Asia. Guangxi is also home to one of the most diverse groups of ethnic minorities in China, and students may visit villages to interact with local ethnic minorities along the Sino-Vietnamese border.

While in Beijing, activities include hiking along unrestored sections of the Great Wall, exploring the last of the hutong or old alleyways, visiting such architectural marvels as the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace, touring the world famous Bird's Nest and Water Cube at the Olympic Center, and visiting the Great Hall of the People, the site of China's national legislature.

The weeklong field trips area intended to go beyond tourism and its goals are both educational and cultural. Students are expected to complete pre-departure readings; attend classroom lectures, films, and discussions; and conduct fieldwork assignments during the trip.

Immersion
One-On-One Classes
In addition to daily classes, students taking the accelerated language track meet for one-on-one class with their language instructor for thirty minutes twice weekly.

Peer Language Tutors
Participants are paired with ECNU students for structured, one-on-one Chinese language tutorials for a minimum of one hour twice weekly. Additional tutorial hours are available upon request. Tutors are undergraduate or graduate students who major in teaching Chinese as a foreign language.

Chinese Language Clinic
Full-time Chinese language instructors assist students with special or unique problems in language study by arranging an optional language clinic that meets for one and half hours four evenings per week from Monday through Wednesday and on Sunday in the campus residence hall.

Target Language Activities
CIEE head teachers organize group meals and other activities for the students, their language teachers, peer tutors, and Resident Staff to encourage students to utilize their Chinese in an informal setting. Students attending the optional activities are expected to speak only Chinese.

Teaching and Volunteering
CIEE maintains relationships with a number of schools and not-for-profit organizations, and is able to offer a limited number of teaching and volunteer opportunities to interested students. These part-time opportunities vary in time commitment and skills required and are unpaid and not for credit.

Degree Level

Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Cost in US$:

Please check the CIEE website for current program pricing.

Cost Includes:

Cost Include Description:

The CIEE program fee includes an optional on-site airport meet and greet, tuition, full-time program leadership and support, housing, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, transportation and accommodation during the week-long academic field trip, peer language tutors, Chinese Language Clinic, guest lectures, pre-departure advising, visa fees, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.

*Students placed in homestays will receive breakfast and dinner during the week and most weekends.

Credit Available

no

Experience Required

yes

  • Overall GPA 2.75
  • 0-7 semesters of college-level Mandarin Chinese or the equivalent*
  • 1 college-level Chinese area studies course recommended
  • East China Normal University does not accept students who are citizens of the People's Republic of China (PRC), Taiwan ROC, Hong Kong SAR, or Macau. This includes those who are permanent U.S. residents. Students of Chinese ancestry who hold U.S. and other foreign passports and meet the above language requirements are welcome.
  • Depending on their language background, students with eight semesters (40 semester/60 quarter hours) or more of college-level Mandarin Chinese or who communicate in Chinese at the superior level may not be appropriate for this program. This program is not designed for native Mandarin Chinese speakers.
This Program is open to

Worldwide Participant.

Typical Living Arrangements
  • Home-stays
  • Dormitory

Participants Travel to China

Independently

Application Process Involves
  • Letters of Reference
  • Transcript
  • Written Application
  • Other
CIEE's Mission Statement

Since 1947, the Council on International Educational Exchange, known as CIEE, has been in pursuit of its mission, "to help people gain understanding, acquire knowledge, and develop skills for living in a globally interdependent and culturally diverse world. Our services to young people studying, working, teaching, and traveling abroad are more important than ever.

Year Founded

1947

GoAbroad.com