China Globalization

Study Abroad Spring 2010

What is study abroad?

One of the main benefits of studying abroad is the opportunity to work
closely with BYU professors. As a result of small class sizes and close
students/professor interaction, you will get to know your professors well.
Furthermore, each course features learning experiences designed to actively
involve you with the people, history, arts, attitudes, and traditions of your
host country.

While studying abroad, an important part of your educational experience
will be visiting sites related to your course work. Visits to cultural sites
such as museums, cathedrals, monuments, and theatres will be enhanced by
studying about the places before and discussing them after your visits.

Globalization and China

Globalization is changing engineering and technology across the world. As a result,
companies that design and manufacture products are more likely than ever before
to be spread across multiple locations in the future. A major driver of this corporate
“geo-spread” is the availability of inexpensive communications technology that will allow significant interaction between technical teams across long distances. Individuals with the inclination and preparation to pursue global opportunities will receive a broader and broader range of career options in the future, even as “off-shoring” threatens to diminish the number of technical positions in the U.S.

The program’s first objective is to help students both understand the most
important issues involved in globalization and technology and acquire skills needed to participate in and manage engineering and technology activities in a global environment. The program’s second objective is to increase students’ understanding of 1) how culture shapes the way people think, live, and work, 2) how culture affects governments and economies, 3) and how culture affects engineering and technology. This will prepare students to take advantage of the new opportunities globalization provides and will prepare them to enter leadership roles in a variety of careers.

Semester         Dates
Spring             Approximately 5 May–16 June.

The Shanghai trip will take place during the program’s third week and the Beijing and Xi’an trip will take place during the program’s fifth week.

Program Details

• This program is designed for all students from the College of Engineering
and Technology.
• Nanjing University in Nanjing, China, will host students in this intensive
program during the spring term.
• Courses will be held in the newly constructed international student center.
• In addition to courses on campus, the university will provide weekly
activities for our group.
• Once a week they will provide an afternoon trip to a site of local historical
interest, such as the Ming (Emperor) Tombs, the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum,
the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom museum, and the Nanjing ancient city wall.
• On another afternoon each week, they will provide courses in Tai Chi
martial arts and Chinese calligraphy for our group.
• Students will receive a Nanjing student ID giving them campus access for
the duration.
• Students will take two mid-program tours, one to Shanghai and one to
Beijing and Xi’an. The purpose of these tours is to introduce students to
Chinese culture. Students will visit important historical sites such as the
Forbidden City, the Great Wall of China, the Summer Palace, and the Terra
Cotta Warriors, etc.

Course Requirements

• The program will consist of a globalization course taught by the program director, plus a variety of language/culture courses taught by Nanjing University faculty. Coursework will be supplemented by regular visits to design and manufacturing sites and interaction with both native Chinese technical personnel and foreigners working in China. These opportunities help students learn about globalization effects on engineering, about working as an expert in a foreign country, and about the operation of engineering teams across countries and cultures. Students will register for EC En 493R plus either Chinese 345R or Chinese 347, depending on existing Chinese language ability. (Students with little or no Chinese language skills will register for CHIN 345R, while students with extensive language abilities will
register for CHIN 347.)
• EC En 493R: Globalization, Engineering, and Technology (3 credit hours)
• CHIN 345R: Chinese Culture (3 credit hours)
• CHIN 347: Business Chinese (3 credit hours)

Where do students live?

• Students will live in two-person hotel rooms near campus.
• Breakfast is provided each day by the hotel.

Preparation for Study Abroad

• All accepted students are expected to register through ISP for a one-credit,
pre-departure preparation class held Tuesdays from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. during
the second block of winter semester.
• Part-time BYU students and non-BYU students will need to pay an additional
$220 tuition fee for enrolling in the required pre-departure prep class.

What funding sources are available?

• Regular BYU tuition scholarships, Pell Grants, and Federal Insured Students
Loans may be applied to Study Abroad programs.
• Students who submit the financial aid section of the ISP application, and who
have a current FAFSA form on file at the Financial Aid Office (A-41 ASB),
will be considered for a Study Abroad scholarship.
• The dean of the College of Engineering and Technology may be providing a
scholarship.

Application Process

• Complete the ISP online application at https://kennedy.byu.edu/isp/online/
app/home.php.
• Application deadline is Friday, 27 November 2009.
• Contact the director for an initial interview once your application is complete.
• ISP reserves the right to cancel this program, revise its offering, or make
any adjustments to the preliminary cost estimates due to conditions beyond
its control.

How much does this cost?

• Approximately $3,400–3,800.
• Includes undergraduate LDS tuition (the cost increases for graduate and non-LDS
students).
• Does not include airfare, personal expenses, or meals on days requiring air
travel between countries.

Interested students should contact:

Brent Nelson, professor of electrical and computer engineering at BYU, initially
created and was the first director of this program in 2007. Nelson has been a member of the BYU faculty since 1984 and served as department chair from 1993 to 1997. He has traveled extensively throughout China over the past thirty years and is fluent in Mandarin Chinese. During spring term 2008, Nelson accompanied the BYU Ballroom Dance Company to China as their cultural advisor. He is excited to be returning again as director of this program.

Brent Nelson
459 CB
(801) 422-6455
nelson@ee.byu.edu 

ISP
101 HRCB
(801) 422-3686
isp@byu.edu

College of Engineering and Technology | School of Technology