Minor in Chinese Studies: Culture and Business
Recognizing China as a significant global presence, the College of Business and Public Administration offers a multi-disciplinary minor in Chinese Studies: Culture and Business. The minor is open to all majors across campus. The primary goal of the new program is to provide an opportunity for students to develop the necessary background, skills and knowledge to conduct business and other activities effectively in China. A second goal is to provide an opportunity for students to gain a practical understanding of China, its language, history, politics, geography, literature, art, music, customs and modern business culture. The program provides an in-depth examination of a region of growing global importance, with special emphasis on applied cross-cultural skills. Unique among UND programs, the Chinese Studies: Culture and Business minor requires both a full year of language study and either an extended period of residence in China or participation in the China Summer Study Program plus a number of area studies courses selected from philosophy and religion, geography, Asian art, film, literature in translation, and modern Chinese history.
Study Abroad and Internships in China
In 2000, the College of Business and Public Administration began offering a four-week summer study tour to China, conducted by UND instructors. Over ninety UND students have participated in this program to date, with another group scheduled for summer 2008. Students visit Beijing and one other city, and then spend three weeks in Shanghai completing their independent field research projects, visiting U.S. government and commercial services, shadowing at businesses in their fields of interest, making home visits, taking in cultural events, and meeting with local specialists. Living on campus, students have opportunities to interact with Chinese students, resulting in rich cross-cultural exchanges. Several UND students have returned to China for internships and jobs in Shanghai and Beijing. In the fall of 2005, we initiated our first semester-long study abroad internship program in Shanghai.
For students wishing to pursue the study of Mandarin Chinese in a Chinese environment, there are several possibilities. UND established a relationship with Beijing Dongfang University, a school well known for the exceptional quality of its teachers. Two students from UND participated in that program in the Fall of 2006. We are also in the process of setting up another program with Miracle Mandarin, a language institute in Shanghai that is affiliated with the University of Shanghai Science and Technology (USST), a university that UND has had a long and close relationship with.
Shanghai-North Dakota Business Management Program
In 1994, the College of Business and Public Administration signed a faculty exchange agreement with the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology (USST). After five successful faculty exchanges, we established the Shanghai-North Dakota Business Management Program, a joint UND/USST undergraduate program for Chinese students taught entirely in Shanghai. The first class of 50 Chinese students graduated in January, 2004, a second class of 80 in June 2005. Over 30 UND faculty members from numerous disciplines (accounting, management, economics, political science, public administration, marketing, English, history, communications, and music) have participated in this exciting joint educational program in Shanghai. The collaboration continues to provide UND faculty members with excellent faculty development opportunities, both in teaching and research, has contributed to increased UND student interest in China, and has, we trust, helped advance the modernization of China. |
