Compared to traditional semester-long study abroad programs, these Maymester trips to China are short, usually three to four weeks. Groups try to pack as much as possible into the time there. They visit the obvious tourist attractions, like the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, but they also explore the commerce and culture of the country.
China Maymester
This program will provide an opportunity for students to learn first-hand about a society very different from our own, but in many ways very familiar.
China is a dictatorship that does not tolerate political dissent. At the same time, it has allowed a market economy to develop in many parts of the country, it is attempting to develop a more modern legal system, and, based on its size and economic growth, it is now a regional military power and a major economic force in the world. Customers line up at McDonald ‘s and military police suppress protest. This remarkable society raises truly profound questions. Is modern life compatible with dictatorship? Is dictatorship an aid to a country’s development, a hindrance, or is it irrelevant? Can a society and very diverse population successfully absorb rapid social, economic, and cultural change?
If you’re interested in an internship connected with our China program you might want to take advantage of the special internship stipends available for Maymester in China students through the Asia-Georgia Internship Connection: AGIC’s goal is to expand and transform existing student internship opportunities in East and Southeast Asia. As part of AGIC’s campus-wide initiative a limited number of $2,500 stipends are available to Maymester in China participants who complete internships in China.
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About China
China is a poor country, a developing country, and a rich country: millions of peasants still live in houses with dirt floors, its economy is growing much faster than the U.S., and the skyscrapers of Shanghai rival those of any city in the world. The program includes extended stays in places spanning China’s rich heritage.
BEIJING is home to the Great Wall, one of the Eight Wonders of the World. The Wall is over 2000 years old and snakes over 4000 miles. The Forbidden City, the ancient imperial palace dating from 1407, was a huge complex for the Emperor and his government. The magnificent Summer Palace, which was constructed during the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234), served as the royal family’s retreat and includes a garden and lake.
XI’AN, an ancient capital of China, marked the beginning of the great Silk Road. Home to the world famous 2200 year old Terracotta Warriors, ancient city walls, and the Wild Goose Pagoda. Situated at the mouth of the Yangtze River,
SHANGHAI is the commercial capital of China and a world destination for shoppers. The Bund area along the Huangpu River reflects the city’s early occupation by Europeans, while Shanghai’s skyline and shopping district are thoroughly contemporary. Nevertheless, you will also find ancient temples and gardens within the city.
Coursework
Students are required to take BOTH of the following courses for a total of six credits.
There are no academic prerequisites for these courses.
POLS 4190: China’s Gov’t. & Economy
POLS 4960: Chinese Society and Culture
This program provides students with an opportunity to learn first-hand about a society that is culturally, economically, and politically very different from our own, but one that is rapidly challenging the U.S. for world leadership. Much of the study abroad experience in this program occurs outside the classroom. Students meet directly with government and Communist Party officials as well as faculty at local colleges and participate in social activities with Chinese students. Participants are exposed to the full range of Chinese history: the founding of the country in 221 B.C., the reign of the imperial dynasties lasting until 1911, the Communist revolution leading to the creation of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, and the vibrant commercial China of contemporary Shanghai.
Costs
The student fee for the program is $3150. This includes a double room, a majority of meals, and local transportation while in China ; scheduled fieldtrips; guest speakers; and medical insurance. Additional expenses not included are tuition and fees (Hope scholarship applies), airfare (international and within China) China visa ($200), and spending money (gifts, eating out, laundry, sundries, etc.).
Deadlines
Information session:
Thursday, November 14: Baldwin Room 101B at 3:30
Early admission:
Application deadline with $250 deposit due (refundable only if not accepted). Acceptance notices will be sent out by December 3, 2013.
Application deadline:
January 17, 2014
Application deadline with $250 deposit due (refundable only if not accepted)
February 3rd: Second Installment Due $1400
March 3rd: FINAL installment of $1500
Helping with support materials and classroom activities is part of Virginia Newman’s job as an intern with the UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government’s training program in Nanchang, China. Newman, an international affairs major, spent two weeks there in June, where she was able to practice her Chinese—she’s studied it for two and a half years at UGA—and interact with the students, who are government officials in Jiangxi Province. For 15 years, the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at UGA has provided government training to Chinese officials. The institute was one of the first to develop training programs for China after the country opened its doors in the 1980s. During the past decade, almost 900 Chinese government officials have attended UGA's Vinson Institute programs in a variety of locations including Beijing, Tianjin, Jiangxi Province and Qinghai Province, and have traveled to Georgia for training as well. Those connections have led to significant economic development opportunities for the state of Georgia and UGA study abroad.
