SATA Vietnam, Spring 2011
Hanoi, Vietnam will once again be the campus for a small group of Connecticut College students during Spring semester, 2011. This will be the tenth SATA program in Vietnam and will be directed by Don Peppard, Professor of Economics.
SATA Vietnam offers students the chance to become immersed in the life of a developing country whose history is intrinsically interesting and at the same time inseparably a part of major currents in world affairs. Colonialism and its aftermath, the Cold War, Confucianism and Communism, war and revolution, globalization: all are manifest in the atmosphere of Hanoi. SATA Vietnam’s academic program takes full advantage of its setting, which will enrich the education of students interested in the arts, history, cultural studies, economics, international relations, Asian studies, environmental studies, and American studies, among others.
Well over a hundred Connecticut College students have participated in SATA Vietnam programs. They have established a tradition of engagement, challenge, and lots of fun.
Informational Meetings
There will be two meetings in the fall semester for interested students. The dates for these meetings are November 10th in Blaustein 208 at 7:00 p.m. and November 11th in Blaustein 208 at 4:30 p.m. In the spring semester of 2010, there will be several additional informational meetings for students who may be interested in SATA Vietnam 2011. Watch for announcements of meetings in February, April, and May.
Arrangements
As in all SATA programs, each student’s financial arrangements and obligations, mainly the comprehensive fee and financial aid, are the same as they would be if he or she were staying at Connecticut College for the semester. The SATA Vietnam 2011 program includes round-trip travel from New York, room and board in Vietnam, and all group field trips in Vietnam. In Hanoi, students live in an international students’ dormitory situated in one of the university complexes. Typically, students have single rooms with private bath and air-conditioning.
Courses offered in 2011
Students of all majors are encouraged to apply to this program. Peppard will work with interested students to assist them in their course selection.
Vietnamese Language and Culture (6 credits).
Required of all students.
Each class has only 3 to 5 students and meets for 2.5 hours each morning, Monday through Thursday. Students learn from a textbook and close interaction with the teachers from Vietnam National University (VNU). Emphasis is on speaking and listening competence. Guided by their language instructors, students in this course are introduced to the life and culture of Vietnam.
Vietnamese History (4 credits).
Required of all students.
Taught by a professor of history from VNU, this course introduces students to the long and rich history of Vietnam. 1 meeting per week.
Elective Courses (each course meets once a week for 2.5 hours):
Additional courses will be added later in the academic year!!!
ECO 216, The Political Economy of Post-War Vietnam (4 credits).
This course covers the recent economic history of Vietnam and introduces students to the remarkable changes that have occurred since 1986. The course also includes survey work in the informal sector of Hanoi’s economy.
ECO 406, Political Economy Seminar (4 credits).
The course will consider a variety of readings. Students will write weekly papers and 2-3 longer papers.
Schedule, Travel, Excursions
SATA Vietnam 2011 students will depart as a group from John F. Kennedy Airport in New York on approximately January 12, 2011. In Hanoi, they will follow an academic calendar similar to that of Connecticut College, modified by Vietnam’s national holidays.
In addition to classes, there will be day trips to local sites of historical and cultural interest, and at least two longer trips. A highlight of the program is a two-week spring break trip to sites in central and southern Vietnam and possibly Cambodia. During that trip, students will visit Hue, the ancient imperial capital of Vietnam; Hoi An, a quaint old fishing town; Nha Trang, a lovely beach resort city; and Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon. In HCMC, students can sample life in the most modern of Vietnam’s cities and visit sites associated with the war in Vietnam. Later in the semester, there will be a 4-day trip to the northern mountain town of Sapa. Students are encouraged to take occasional weekend trips to towns and villages outside of Hanoi.
The end of the semester, like the beginning, will closely coincide with that at Connecticut College. Students will be ticketed to depart Hanoi around approximately May 9, 2011, for their return to the US. Students are free, however, to arrange for later departure or rerouting, subject to current airline rules and regulations, at their own initiative and expense.
Connecticut College students interested in SATA Vietnam 2011 should contact Professor Peppard or Shirley Parson in the Office of National and International Programs, Fanning 113.
Last Modified: Monday, November 09, 2009 14:21