Past Review

By Benjamin G (Asian Studies-Korea, University of Hawaii - Manoa) for

University of Seoul: Seoul - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I liked it so much, I'm staying for an entire school year. ~.^ Really though, it's a great program and everybody should try it. Whatever the reason, just be sure you're ready to LEARN.

Personal Information

If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here:	South Korea-University of Seoul
The term and year this program took place:	Summer 2009

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	All the teachers were nice, helpful, and surprisingly comfortable with the western teaching style. (Such as allowing students to eat in class, interrupt for a question, or other things that my Korean friends tell me not to do.)
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	They helped me so much. Knowing what I know about American universities, these people went far beyond what they needed to do to help me. I am so grateful for them. If I ever have a problem, I wouldn't hesitate to go to them.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	It's a dorm. Like any dorm, they're small with two communal bathrooms/showers shared by the entire floor and you have a roommate to share it with. But, it's not too bad. The AC, internet, 19 cubbyholes, and $0.50 laundry room make up for it.
* Food:	I love Korean food. But, I have a hard time with extremely spicy food. I think that more than 70% of Korean food is very spicy. But, over time, you build resistance little by little.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	I honestly think my Korean buddy was the best buddy in the entire program. But, the strange thing is that the other students said the same thing too... We went to so many places through the program though. Since I'm a history buff, I liked the trips to historical places and such.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	There's a clinic on campus and hospitals around the city. It's pretty safe.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	No

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget? (1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Language

Language acquisition improvement?	The Korean teachers' instruction was good. It helped to reinforce the Korean I had learned so far. But, I recommend everyone to learn Korean from their buddies. Korean teachers mostly teach the Korean written language. But, if you speak the written language, it sounds strange to native Koreans. The grammar structures are kinda different and the vocabulary is completely different! (That's my opinion anyway.) ^^

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university?	Exchange

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	There are three types of students that come through the program. 1) The students that need to fulfill an academic requirement. 2) The students that want to learn the language. 3) And the students that want to go on a summer vacation. I'm not saying any of these are bad in some way. No,no,no sir. We all have what we need and want. But if you're going to be studying abroad, I do want you to take away a feeling that you learned something about this faraway place. Nothing can ever replace the firsthand experience of having lived in a completely foreign land. There are museums, shopping malls, concerts, and everything else a big city has, all representing Korea. Don't go the the nearby McDonald's or Burger King because you "miss" American food on the first week. Just as in America, there are thousands of meals. If you want to do something specific, ask your assigned Korean buddy. They will always come through for you.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	International Criminology
Course Department:
Instructor:	Dr. Gang Lee
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	It was basically an introduction to criminology. I have no hard feelings since almost all the literature written on the subject began in Europe and and still being studied in the U.S. He's a great teacher. I like how he plays the devil's advocate to provoke our opinions. It's fun actually.
Credit Transfer Issues:	Since I'm a grad student, I think all the courses offered by UOS are undergraduate level and would not be accepted as graduate level courses. If you want to argue your position, you MUST have the course syllabus and the work you did during class. Then, you need to approach your department to get the courses to qualify as graduate level courses.

Course Name/Rating:	Intermediate Korean
Course Department:
Instructor:	Ms. Jeon & Ms. Kuan
Instruction Language:	Korean
Comments:	Compared to UH, the UOS summer program had two Korean language classes. One was Beginner Korean and the other was Intermediate Korean. Compared to UH, I compare my experience in Intermediate Korean to be between Kor 102 and 201. Which isn't a bad thing per se; It's just that I went into Intermediate Korean thinking it would be a 300 level class.
Credit Transfer Issues:	Since I do not know how Intermediate Korean would transfer as to UH. I would advise everyone to take the Korean placement to possibly skip ahead on Korean and save money.