One of the requirements for my degree at my home university is studying abroad, which I was hesitant about at first, but after studying abroad has by far been my most educational and worthwhile experience of my college career. CIS Abroad made it so simple, easy, and fun. Before I even applied, CIS Abroad’s advisors were there to answer any of my questions in a detailed and timely manner. Once I arrived in Seoul, my on-site program coordinator was there to help me every step of the way! Here's a quick overview of the classes I took while studying abroad in Seoul and what it was like:
I took a variety of classes offered by the Arts and Technology College at Sogang University. They had a very similar teaching style and philosophy to my home university; small class sizes (20-30 people), project based to help students build their resumes and portfolios, and curriculum that adapts to the current job market.
One of my favorite classes was Media, Human, and Society. This was a discussion based class, which I loved because I got to hear different cultural perspectives on issues, not just from Korean and American students, but from other international students from places like Russia, Australia, Sweden, China, Thailand, and Vietnam. Here I learned about how media affect human behavior from both a sociological and psychological perspective.
The other class I enjoyed was Human Computer Interaction. My professor was extremely enthusiastic, and you could tell he was very passionate about his field of study. One of the biggest focuses on the class was how user studies and user interface design worked in the real world, outside of a university setting. He gave helpful, individualized feedback, and explained how the skills we learned in the classroom would specifically apply outside of a university setting. This class is what pushed me to sign up for a graphic design class at my home university, where I can apply much of my knowledge from Sogang to excel in my class at my home university.
At Sogang, Korean students are required to take a certain number of classes in English every semester, so most students I interacted with spoke fluent English, in addition to all of my classes being in English as well. Despite me not speaking their language, Koreans were extremely welcoming and always made sure I felt included in discussions and while working in group projects. They were extremely proud of their culture and heritage, and were happy to answer any of my questions about their lives, and they often were very curious as to what it was like for me growing up in the southern United states as well.
Sogang does have an attendance requirement for all of their classes (if you have more than 5 unexcused absences, you automatically fail the class). This seemed to be a bigger issue for the European students, who are almost never required to go to classes in their home countries, and never have attendance or participation as a part of their grade like many universities in the U.S. do.
Still, I was able to find plenty of time to take a weekend trip or a day trip to lots of places both in and outside of Seoul, especially because Korea has such a robust public transportation system, and domestic flights are incredibly cheap. Sogang also has more holidays for students than my home university does, so this gave me the time to travel and explore as well.
Blog by Ellie Hague, Texas A&M University
Semester in Seoul - Sogang University