Shanghai is the economic hub of China—what better place to study business than the financial center of China and one of the fastest developing cities in the world? This is your opportunity to live in an international city and be a part of its ever-changing economy.
Our program allows you to study Chinese and international business practices from a Chinese perspective. Study business-related topics such as the political economy of China and marketing while learning or perfecting your Chinese language skills and participating in an academic internship.
Organized in partnership with the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (SUFE), a highly-ranked research university in China, the program capitalizes on SUFE’s association with Shanghai’s rapid rise in recent years as a major world center of business and finance. The program’s courses, internships, unique field study trip, and integration opportunities maximize the many amazing opportunities this global city affords.
Comparative field study trips to Hong Kong (spring) or Taiwan (fall) take you to other international economic hubs outside mainland China, and help you to appreciate how rapid economic growth is impacting China as a whole.
Shanghai will be your classroom. Learn about trading by following the Shanghai Stock Exchange, the third highest trading volume in the world. Visit Shanghai’s international port and see one of the busiest container ports in one of the world’s most important trade cities. Marvel at the beautiful modern buildings, such as the Shanghai World Financial Center and Jinmao Tower, which symbolize the city’s growing economy.
We want you to feel at home in Shanghai, so we will do everything we can to help you integrate into life in the city. From internships to cultural activities, you will have numerous opportunities to get to know China and better understand the Shanghainese culture.
These dates are preliminary and are subject to change. Students should not book flights according to these dates.
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 Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (SUFE), we offer courses that explore Chinese language and business 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:
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.
Shanghai University of Finance and Economicswww.shufe.edu.cn Founded in 1917, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (SUFE) is a multi dimensional university which focuses on applied economics and management with theoretical economics as its base.
Through the IES Abroad Shanghai Business Program, you have the unique opportunity to enroll in courses at SUFE.
Location & Commute Time SUFE is located 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.
SUFE is located a short distance from the IES Abroad Shanghai Center. Commute time to the Center can range between 15-25 minutes, depending on method of transportation and traffic.
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.
An IES Abroad Shanghai academic internship provides an invaluable cultural experience in the global workplace, practical exposure to the demands of specific jobs, and development of professional and personal skills.
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:
The field study trips serve as an extension of classroom learning and provide comparative contrast between Shanghai and Taiwan or Hong Kong. The cost of this extended trip is included in the program fee.
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.
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 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.
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, and an easy commute to SUFE via public transportation. The village is home to many international students from more than 28 countries and regions.
A standard Tonghe apartment has 2–3 bedrooms with 1–2 bathrooms, a living room, kitchen, and a balcony. You live with other IES Abroad and international students, but 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, and 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.
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.
The program begins with a specially- designed, five-day program introducing you to the IES Abroad staff, your fellow students, the current social and political conditions in China,health and safety procedures, 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 about 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.
Redefine the way you live and learn in Shanghai through our cultural activities, such as:
Orientation trips to Zhouzhuang or Tongli are included in the program fee, with the exception of personal expenses.
You will also have one or two long weekends to make plans to travel independently to other great cities in China to provide contrast and context for what you’re learning in Shanghai.
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. **
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
Dr. Xiaojun LIIES 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 HANChinese Language Coordinator
Lihong YANGStudent Affairs Coordinator
Xi ZHOUCenter Assistant
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