UH West Oʻahu students have two opportunities to study in the Republic of Korea, with one of the programs offering free tuition and accommodations during its four-week program. The second program is for the fall semester at a university in one of South Koreaʻs largest cities.
Students must meet minimum qualifications to apply, including a 3.0 minimum cumulative grade point average. Preference is given to those who have taken Korean language courses and to those who are active members of UH West Oʻahu’s International Student Club.
The opportunities being offered to UH West Oʻahu students include:
The International Studies Program at Incheon National University, which runs from July 2 to 27, and students who are interested have until April 30 to apply. The summer program has been offered to UH West Oʻahu students since 2015, with credits earned transferable to UH West Oʻahu as elective credits. Tuition and accommodations are free, but students will be responsible for transportation to and from South Korea.
Incheon National University has an enrollment of about 14,000 students in Incheon, which has about 3.5 million residents. Classes are in English and no knowledge of Korean is required. Classes total 48 class hours. Four lecture tracks are available to students including Understanding Globalization;, Economics of Sustainable Development and International Environmental Regulations: MICE and Hospitality for Global Management; and Global Entrepreneurship Case Studies
Students also may partake in tours of Seoul, a visit to the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, and the Boryeong Mud Festival, a popular South Korean festival during which indulge themselves in the nutrient-rich mud of the Boryeong mud flats south of Seoul.
Tuition and accommodations are free, but students will be responsible for transportation to and from South Korea. For more information, please contact Nalani Kaku, International Programs Assistant Coordinator at nkaku@hawaii.edu.
Students wishing to spend the Fall 2018 Semester studying in Korea might consider a 16-week program at Tongmyong University in Busan, a large port city in the south east of Korea. The university was established in 1977 and has both undergraduate and graduate programs.
The program runs from Sept. 3 to Dec. 21, 2018 and offer 18 credits, with 12 of these in language and three each in history and cultural learning. The credits count as elective credits at UH West Oʻahu. The tuition is $3,324, with residence hall rooms and two meals a day free. The application deadline is June 10. Contact Nalani Kaku, International Programs Assistant Coordinator at Nkaku@Hawaiʻi.edu.
The offerings are part of an effort to increase international studies at UH West Oʻahu. The campus’ International Relations and Programs Office currently offers global learning opportunities to UH West Oʻahu students in Korea and Japan and is working to expand international short-term programs and professional development programs to students from international universities.
The UH Foundation recently received a $50,000 donation from South Korean executive Sangik Jung and his wife Kyungsin Lee for UH West Oahuʻs International program. The donation will help the school grow and strengthen study abroad programs as well as the bringing of international students and scholars to the campus.