Shanghai - 21st Century China

Vertical Tabs

Overview

Quick Facts

City:

Shanghai [1]

Country:

China [2]

Program credits:

15 per semester (4 courses)

Language(s) of Instruction:

English

Chinese

Language prerequisites:

None

There is no mistaking Shanghai’s skyline. From the soaring Oriental Pearl Tower to the sweeping Bund across the Huangpu River, Shanghai shimmers with possibility. We invite you to experience first-hand all that this exciting city has to offer.

Shanghai is an economic and cultural hub of more than 18 million people. You will have the opportunity to learn and communicate in Mandarin, while being exposed to the local Shanghai dialect—just one example of the many unique languages and cultures that exist in different regions throughout the country.

While in Shanghai, study the diversity and impact that international influences from all over the globe have on Chinese culture. Witness how globalization affects Shanghai and develop a greater understanding of how China’s influence is increasingly affecting the world.

Organized in partnership with the School of Social Development and Public Policy at Fudan University—one of the highest-ranked universities in China—you have the rare opportunity to study alongside Chinese peers in joint IES Abroad-Fudan elective courses taught in English.

The core course, The Chinese Metropolis: Shanghai in Comparative Perspective, serves as the cornerstone of the program with its focus on major themes currently impacting Shanghai, such as the city’s history, globalization, religion, education, finance, family values, and urban planning. Comparative field study trips to Hong Kong (spring) or Taiwan (fall) put into context the city’s powerful global and historical influence.

Shanghai will be your classroom. Discover the eclectic mix of Eastern and Western influences in the city’s architecture. Explore the Yuyuan Gardens in the Old City to get a sense of Shanghai’s past. Drink at one of the city’s many tea houses. Everything you do will be part of your learning experience.

We want you to feel at home in China, so we will do everything we can to help you integrate into life in Shanghai. From internship placements to unique field study trips, we will help you explore Shanghai in its local, regional, and global contexts. As China’s financial powerhouse, Shanghai provides an environment for learning not only about China, but also about Asia and the world at large.

Program Dates

These dates are preliminary and are subject to change. Students should not book flights according to these dates.

Academics

Our mission is simple: to provide you with the best study abroad program possible— which includes the highest quality academic and cultural experiences.

Through our partnership with Fudan University, we offer unique courses that explore Chinese Language, History, and Culture through an in-depth and hands-on approach. Our world-class professors and course options enhance your academic experience and provide you with new perspectives each day in class.

You take 15-18 semester credit hours per semester.

You are required to enroll in:

The Chinese Metropolis: Shanghai in Comparative Perspective (core course, 3 credits)
Chinese Language course (6 credits)

The required courses are augmented by a combination of the following:

Elective joint IES Abroad-Fudan courses (3 credits each)
Academic Internship and Seminar (3 credits)

Core Course
The cornerstone of this program, The Chinese Metropolis: Shanghai in Comparative
Perspective, focuses on current major themes that can be studied and understood in both a local and global context. The course includes a field trip, typically to Hong Kong (spring) or Taiwan (fall), which offers you the opportunity to experience another major Chinese city firsthand, providing an informative and compelling comparison to Shanghai.

Designed in conjunction with Fudan University and taught by Fudan faculty, this core
course provides you with a strong comparative component to allow for deeper integration with and understanding of Chinese people and institutions. Local students from Fudan University join the class with you. Guest lecturers will complement in-classroom learning.

Course highlights may include:

Exchange sessions with university students (in Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Taiwan)
Visits to the stock exchanges and key investment or economic development offices
Chinese family homestay visits in Shanghai
Observations of elementary and secondary schools
Meetings with representatives of key political parties
Visits to active religious institutions and cultural areas of interest in Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Taiwan

Elective Courses with Local Students & Language Courses
A required 6-credit Chinese Language course, developed exclusively for IES Abroad
students, is offered at varying language proficiency levels.

Elective courses offer a rare opportunity to learn alongside local Chinese students and to experience first-hand the Chinese higher education system. All courses are taught by Fudan University faculty.

In addition to the core course and language, you also take a combination
of the following:

2 elective joint IES Abroad-Fudan courses (3 credits each) OR
1 elective joint IES Abroad-Fudan course (3 credits each) and an academic internship with accompanying tutorial (3 credits)

Courses

This is a list of potential course offerings. After you are accepted, you will see a list of final course offerings in your MyIESabroad account.

To learn more about IES Abroad’s innovative theoretical and pedagogical approaches to teaching language abroad, refer to the IES Abroad MAP for Language & Intercultural Communication [3].

Fudan University Courses

Anthropology

IB/MK/AN345 - The Chinese Market (Fall, Spring) [4]

Asian Studies

AS/US350 - The Chinese Metropolis: Shanghai in Comparative Perspective (Fall, Spring) [5]

SO/RL315 - Religion in Contemporary Chinese Society (Spring) [6]

Economics

EC/PO 325 - The Political Economy of China (Fall, Spring) [7]

International Business

ID/IB365 - Global Supply Chain Management (Fall, Spring) [8]

IB/MK/AN345 - The Chinese Market (Fall, Spring) [4]

Independent Study

ID/IB365 - Global Supply Chain Management (Fall, Spring) [8]

Internship Seminar

IN395 - Internship Seminar (Fall, Spring) [9]

International Relations

PO/IR340 - Chinese Diplomacy (Fall, Spring) [10]

Marketing

IB/MK/AN345 - The Chinese Market (Fall, Spring) [4]

Political Science

EC/PO 325 - The Political Economy of China (Fall, Spring) [7]

PO/IR340 - Chinese Diplomacy (Fall, Spring) [10]

Urban Studies

AS/US350 - The Chinese Metropolis: Shanghai in Comparative Perspective (Fall, Spring) [5]

Partner Institution(s)

Fudan University 复旦大学
www.fudan.edu.cn [11]
Founded in 1905, Fudan University is one of the highest ranked universities in China. Fudan boasts a modern campus with many facilities open to IES Abroad students.

Through the IES Abroad Shanghai program, you will have the unique opportunity to enroll in courses with Fudan students and learn side by side with the future leaders of China.

Location & Commute Time
Fudan University is located just to the north of downtown Shanghai. The University is near Shanghai’s extensive subway system, opening the opportunity for city exploration in tandem with your academic curriculum.

You can walk from the International Student Dormitory to the IES Abroad Shanghai center in about 10 minutes. Walking time to class can range between 10-20 minutes, depending on class location.

Internships

While adding study abroad to your resume is impressive enough, adding an international internship experience is even more powerful, and can help distinguish your application for graduate school or a job opportunity in today’s competitive job market.

Academic internships also introduce you to the practical realities of Chinese society, providing a natural setting for meeting local residents and acquiring a more intimate knowledge of Chinese life.

IES Abroad Shanghai academic internships consist of a mandatory 3-credit seminar and an eight-hour (one day)-per-week placement. All IES Abroad academic internships are supervised and offered as academic options earning IES Abroad credit.

Placement examples include:

Business – Pepsi Co. International, Welldone Law office, Shanghai Clark CPAs, China Credit Information International Services, Pudong Institute of the U.S. Economy, Pudong Academy of Development
Environmental – Roots & Shoots, Urban Development Research Project of Fudan University, Friends of Nature
Government – U.S. Embassy-Commercial Section, China Association for the International Exchange of Personnel
Health & Medicine – Fudan University Psychology Counseling Center, Shanghai United Family Hospital
Media – The Economist Magazine
Non-Governmental & Non-Profit Organizations –The Goodall Institute

Housing

Our job is to make sure that your greatest challenge is deciding what landmarks to see first or discovering the best café—not finding a place to live where you feel comfortable. We do our best to locate housing that is reflective of how the local students are living. Our goal is that when you leave Shanghai, it will feel like home.

Homestays – Homestays offer the ideal environment for learning about China and improving your Chinese. While living in a local home may involve making some sacrifices of privacy and personal freedom, our Chinese homestay families are eager to get to know you and share their ideas, language, and culture.

You have a private bedroom, and are provided two meals a day by your host family (breakfast and dinner), seven days a week, while the program is in session. Homestay opportunities may be limited.

Student Apartments – Live in an apartment with other IES Abroad students at the modern Tonghe International Student Village (where the IES Abroad Shanghai Center is based). It is adjacent to Fudan University. The village is home to many international students from more than 28 countries and regions.

A standard Tonghe apartment has two to three bedrooms with one or two bathrooms, a living room, kitchen, and a balcony. You live with other IES Abroad and international students, and can request a private bathroom for an additional fee. Some apartments have been refurbished and some have not. Therefore amenities will vary from apartment to apartment.

This option does not include a meal plan, but you can cook for yourself, eat in a campus cafeteria, or visit small, inexpensive privately-owned restaurants on or near campus.

Housing placement is determined on site.

Student Life

Part of making you feel at home in Shanghai is doing our best to help you feel safe and cared for. Whether it’s the orientation program that prepares you for what’s ahead, your housing that is well-located and comfortable, or a field trip that takes you to places off the beaten path—we’re all about our student services. This is just one of the things we’re known for.

Orientation

The program begins with a specially-designed, five-day program introducing you to the IES Abroad staff, your fellow students, health and safety procedures, the current social and political conditions in China, the expectations of you as a student in a Chinese institution, and the city of Shanghai.

CORE™, IES Abroad’s Comprehensive Orientation program, includes detailed information on academics, housing, transportation, cultural adjustment, health and safety, and other important topics.

Classroom sessions are combined with several ventures into the city, such as a scavenger hunt, designed to help you feel at home in your new environment. Practical Chinese lessons are combined with activities designed to help you learn your way around campus and how to use key facilities. Additional cross-cultural and re-entry information and support is provided throughout the semester.

You also take a field trip to either Zhouzhuang or Tongli as part of your orientation, which is included in your program fee.

Extracurricular Activities & Cultural Events

Redefine the way you live and learn in Shanghai through our cultural activities, such as:

Joining student clubs
Volunteering for community service
Watching professional soccer, baseball, and basketball teams
Boating on the Huangpo River
Visiting local museums and historic sites

University Clubs & Events
As an enrolled student at Fudan University, you can take advantage of available on-campus activities. Clubs are student run and provide an excellent opportunity for increased campus integration. Past clubs have included:

ASES Fudan (Asia-Pacific Entrepreneurship Society)
E-Jeans Fudan (Cultural/language exchange opportunities)
FIAF (Finance & Insurance Association of Fudan)
Explorer Volunteers Association (Provides assistance to disadvantaged groups in rural areas)
Air & Health (Environmental Protection Association)
Management Association
Modern Dance (Reggea, hiphop, jazz, tap)
Shaolong Kungfu
Sports (Badmintin, tennis, vollyball, baseball, cycling, and more)
Music PlayGround
Photography Association
Drama Club
Taichi

Field Trips

The field study trips are directly related to the core course curriculum, and serve as an extension of classroom learning that provides comparative contrast between Shanghai and Taiwan or Hong Kong. The cost of this extended trip is included in the program fee.

Orientation trips to Zhouzhuang or Tongli are included in the program fee, with the exception of personal expenses.

You also have one or two long weekends to travel independently to other great cities in China to provide contrast and context for what you’re learning in Shanghai.

Field Study Trips
Taiwan
Up to 7 Days | Fall
Visit the capital of Taipei and Taiwan’s legislative body, the Legislative Yuan. Explore the island’s natural beauty at Taroko National Park and the National Palace Museum, which houses the largest ancient Chinese art and artifacts collection in the world.

Hong Kong
Up to 7 Days | Spring
Visit local sites such as the Hong Kong Museum of History, the famed Night Market, and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and Legislative Council. Trek around Lamma Island, famous for its seafood and enormous Buddha, and
learn about U.S. business in Southeast Asia and religion in Hong Kong from local business leaders and professors.

Orientation Trips
Zhouzhuang
Marvel at the sights of this ancient town flowing with lakes and rivers. Nine hundred years of history can be seen by admiring houses built during the Ming and Qing dynasties, complete with courtyards.

Tongli
Explore the town often referred to as “Chinese Venice,” where 15 small, crisscrossing river lanes are spanned by nearly 50 bridges. These bridges are regarded as sacred architecture by the local people.

Optional Tibet Field Trip (Pre-Fall Semester)
An optional 10-day trip to Tibet is offered to all IES Shanghai students. IES staff and a team of professional Tibetan guides will take you from the markets and temples of Lhasa to high mountain passes and camping by the shores of alpine lakes. We will visit sites including the Potala Palace, once the home of the Dalai Lamas; Jokhang Temple, the holiest site in Tibetan Buddhism; and the Sera Monastery where we will watch the monks participate in their daily debate ritual. Lodging will be in local hostels or sometimes camping in tents under the stars. Most meals and all local transportation is provided. Contact IES staff for information on pricing and schedule. The itinerary is subject to change or cancellation depending upon the political situation in Tibet.

**This trip begins in Beijing, so book your arrival flights accordingly. You will be responsible for your own transportation from Beijing to Shanghai after the field trip, and for your own accommodations up until the start of your program. **

Center

IES Abroad Shanghai [12]

The IES Abroad Shanghai Center is located within walking distance of the Fudan University campus, and accessible by public transportation to the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (SUFE). You can easily access all parts of Shanghai from the Center, via an extensive subway and bus system.

Features include:
• Offices
• Small library with projector and screen
• High-speed Internet and printer access
• Small classroom
• Meeting lounge

Center staff:

Dr. Xiaojun LI
IES Abroad Director
Xiaojun Li grew up in Inner Mongolia, China. He has worked with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) as the Senior Scientist and Chief Scientist of TNC’s International Programs for over 11 years, conducting conservation projects and training programs in the U.S., the Latin American region, the Pacific region, and in China. He started and ran TN C’s Beijing Office for three years. Dr. Li joins IES Abroad from The Mountain Institute, where he was the in-country manager for their work at three field sites. He received his undergraduate degree from Inner Mongolia University, his Master’s degree of Ecology from Lanzhou University in China, and his Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from Michigan Technical University. He taught undergraduate courses in Beijing Forestry University before he went to Michigan Technological University in the U.S. for his Ph.D. research that focused on Forestry Ecology. Dr. Li’s interests include biodiversity conservation, environmental protection, and sustainable development in developing countries.

IES Abroad Staff
Shuo HAN
Chinese Language Coordinator

Lihong YANG
Student Affairs Coordinator

Xi ZHOU
Center Assistant

Cost