The purpose of this course is to quickly and efficiently familiarize international students with day-to-day life in the Republic of Korea as they will directly encounter it. They will get insights both from Koreans and from non-Koreans who have spent a significant amount of time living and working in the country. This will allow them to not only function smoothly during their stay in South Korea but also gain a basic understanding about why this country is as it is. It will be essential in providing the smoothest meeting and branching out point at the intersection of their respective cultures and that of South Korea.
Fundamental Issues for International Business in Korea3-3-0
This is a survey course that introduces various issues important to anyone wanting to study or engage in international business in Korea. Some topics included are: contracts, international business law, modern Korean corporate structures, historical and philosophical influences on modern Korean business culture, and major international corporations and their current operations in Korea.
Korean Film and Literature3-3-0
This course introduces students with little or no assumed experience of Korean literature and film to a selection of 20th and 21st century prose literature and representative critically acclaimed or popular films of the last 20 years. Students who complete this course will have a greater understanding of recurrent concerns in Korean culture, a sense of developing fashions in modern and contemporary culture, and a framework and vocabulary for interpreting and discussing these things.
Current Issues in Modern Korean Society3-3-0
The course will be designed to explore current issues in modern Korean society. The course provides students with the opportunity to explore and understand the most up-to-date social issues in Korea and what this means for our understanding of these issues in a global scale. Students will gain insights significantly from attending and participating in class. The course will teach students skills which will help them to thrive in an academic environment: reading effectively and writing expressively in English on a variety of stimulating topics, organize ideas and express themselves more effectively and sophisticatedly in English, think independently and share ideas with classmates for collaborative reading and writing as well as peer feedback.
Korean Economy: Dynamics and Future3-3-0
This course is basically designed to disseminate the knowledge on how Korea has been growing historically since early 1960s until recently. The topics include overview of economic growth in Korea, by dividing the time periods such as 1950-1961, 1961-1970s, 1980s, 1990s, Asian financial crisis with social and economic restructuring afterward, and 21st century. On top of a series of government driven economic planning, the course will highlight the pattern changes in industrial structure, labor relations, and social impacts. And the course will discuss the future trends in the aspects of ICT, industrial revolution 4.o, etc.
Korea and International Relations in East Asia3-3-0
With admirable economic growth, a major power shift in progress,long-standing crises, the second, third, eleventh of the world’s largest economies, the rivalry between China and Japan, and the identity clash,Northeast Asia is one of the most dynamic regions in world economy and politics. For example, China, Japan, and Korea comprise 70% of the US trade deficit. The aim of this course is to introduce and analyze the international relations of Northeast Asia with a focus on China, Japan, and Korea. This course will examine the dynamics of conflict and cooperation, introducing competing explanations for key issues in East Asia’s international relations.
Sociological Perspectives on Modern Korea3-3-0
This course will focus on a brief history of pre-modern Korea (19C and before), the colonial period under Japanese Imperialism, the period of US military rule, the establishment of the Korean government, the Korean War, and the post-1953 period that experienced rapid transformations in various areas.It aims to introduce modern Korea as an independent entity throughout various changes that has affected Asia and the globe and also as a society that constantly interacts with the rest of the world.
Regional Korean Event Marketing & Cross-Cultural Analysis for Business3-3-0
This course primarily focuses on Problem-Based Learning (PBL) activities in which students are expected to work individually and collaborativeiy to answer the questions posed in class. Students enrolled in this course will learn about the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival (얼음나라 화천산천어축제) a regional festival held in Hwacheon-gun, one hour north of Chunchen City. The ice festival is held every January and is one of the largest winter festivals in Korea. The festival was named one of CNN's "7 Wonders of Winter" in 2011 and plays a key role in the local economy. During the course students will be introduced to various research papers (30% written in English and 70% written in Korean. English translations of the Korean research papers will also be provided), which cover marketing and economic effects, as well as the impact media plays on the festival. Students will be expected to translate articles when required, using new technology to aid their work. The course will be taught 100% in English with all presentations and written work being submitted in English. No prior Korean Language ability is required for this course. Each research paper and media source will introduce students to a 'problam' or a scenario that they must critically assess and evaluate as individuals and as a group. Students must then formulate responses to the questions posed. Students joining the class will be expected to communicate in English and work flexibly in group settings.
KOREAN GEOGRAPHY: THE PHYSICAL AND HUMAN FEATURES3-3-0
This course examines Korea from the ground up by exploring its natural and human features. Topics of natural features include those such as its geographical location, landscape, climate, weather patterns, and natural hazards (including human responses where appropriate). Additionally, human activity within Korea will be investigated which include subjects such as demographics and population, industrial change over time as well as the wealth distribution within the society, societal change and current traditional ideologies versus progressive ideologies, and Korea’s tourism types and its impacts on society. In addition, Jeju will be investigated due to its unique privileges. The overall goal of this course is to provide a more comprehensive geographical knowledge of Korea for the students.
Korean Development, Sustainability, and Future Change3-3-0
This course examines Korea’s current and planned development and change for the 21st century. It specifically explores how Korea is adapting to new cultural and technological changes for issues surrounding social pressures, environmental and economic change. A particular focus will be made in the first half of the semester to energy concerns (social responsibility, government direction, new technologies), transport (existing concerns, planned schemes, new technologies), and how both relate to Korea’s air pollution problem and how this is being addressed overall. Additionally, social points of contention such as gender equality, and a decline in economic growth and reactions to this will be discussed in-depth in the second semester.
