Overseas and Summer Programs

Studying Abroad

All students who wish to study abroad must apply through the International Studies Office to receive credit and be eligible for financial aid and scholarships.  The International Studies Office is located in Minor Hall 208.  The first step is to attend one of the general information sessions, which are held Monday-Thursday from 2-3 pm in Minor 224.  This session will explain the study abroad process and policies.  Upon attending a session, please make an appointment with Colleen Fischer, the Study Abroad Advisor for East Asia.  For further information, please visit www.studyabroad.virginia.edu.

                                          Chinese Language Study

Shanghai Summer Program

The UVA in Shanghai Intensive Chinese Language Program in the Department of East Asian Languages, Literatures and Cultures at the University of Virginia is hosted by East China Normal University. It is intended to enable students who are serious about studying Chinese language in a total immersion environment to cover a year's worth of material and to earn eight UVA credits. This rigorous, demanding, and rewarding language program allows the student to have first hand experience using Chinese in real world situations as well as studying and practicing it in the classroom. For more information, use the "Find a Program" link at www.studyabroad.virginia.edu.

Shanghai Summer Program 2009

Shanghai Summer Program 2008

Shanghai Summer Program 2007

Shanghai Summer Program 2006

UVA Summer Chinese Language Program

The SLI program is an intensive 8-credit beginning level program in Modern Standard Mandarin Chinese for students with no or little prior experience in the language. The program is not intended for students who speak Mandarin Chinese or who have previously studied the language. The program will cover material for Chinese 101 and 102 offered during the fall and spring semesters at the University of Virginia. Students may proceed to CHIN201 upon successful completion of the program.

The Summer Language Institute Chinese program helps students acquire a solid foundation in listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in a near immersion setting. Students learn all the sounds and tones in Mandarin Chinese, basic vocabulary, frequently used characters, pinyin (the standard Mandarin Chinese transcription system), and information about Chinese language, culture, and society. Our intimate class format maximizes interaction between teachers and students, creating a learning environment that facilitates both individual and collective learning processes. During the nine week program, the class meets every weekday, from 9 AM to 12:30 PM.

For more information please visit: http://www.virginia.edu/summer/SLI/chinese.html

                  Chinese-Language Teacher Training Programs

Startalk 2009

The 2009 program application is online at http://xrl.us/UVaStartalk

Startalk 2008

                                        Japanese Language Study

Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies

The University of Virginia joins Harvard, Stanford, and about a dozen other top universities in running the Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies, a well-regarded consortium study abroad program based in Japan's historic capital city. The consortium arrangement entitles the university to select two to four undergraduate students each year to participate in the program, either for one semester or a full academic year.

The program requires students to have two full years of college-level Japanese language coursework as a prerequisite, and it works to improve students' language abilities through small-group instruction tailored to each students ability level. A few courses are taught in Japanese, but most of the courses (on Japanese politics, foreign relations, society, and culture) are taught in English. The KCJS program, unlike some other study abroad programs in Japan, facilitates daily use of the language outside the classroom by placing all students who want to take advantage of this opportunity with host families.

The deadline for applying for admission to the KCJS is January 15 on the local level. Additional information on the program can be found on the KCJS website of Columbia University.

Other Japanese programs

The Japanese Language Program recommends a select number of programs outside the University of Virginia to augment language study here.  Students wishing to get credit for Japanese language study outside the university should consider one of these programs first.   

Summer 

1. Summer Session of Asian Studies at Sophia University

2. Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies

3. Waseda-Oregon Summer Japanese Program

4. Princeton in Ishikawa Summer Intensive Program of Japanese Language

5. Middlebury Summer Japanese School

6. Hokkaido International Foundation Summer Japanese Language Program

Semester/Year 

1. Rikkyo University

2. Sophia University

Students who are interested in learning more about study abroad in Japan, including details on financial aid opportunities are encouraged to visit the Bridging Project website.

                               Tibetan Language and Culture

Intensive Summer Tibetan at the University of Virginia

Students are offered two years (12 U.Va. credit hours) of Tibetan in an intensive, atmosphere. The program focuses on modern spoken and written Tibetan according to the Central Tibetan dialect and oriented towards producing hearing and speaking proficiency. Students learn both print as well as cursive script, a unique aspect of the program. In addition, it utilizes new multimedia materials being developed by the Tibetan Language Learning Resources from original film shot in Tibet. The last unit of the summer will offer a bridge to classical literary Tibetan on the basis of mastery of modern Tibetan

The University of Virginia Fall Program in Lhasa

This fall semester study abroad program is a unique opportunity offering an innovative and immersive experience for students interested in learning Tibetan culture, religion, and language by spending a semester in Lhasa, the traditional center of Tibetan culture. It is the only program offered in Tibet for American undergraduates which combines formal classroom instruction in a modern University with extensive ethnographic touring of areas surrounding Lhasa. The program is based at Tibet University in Lhasa.

The program has four courses - Tibetan Society and Places which involves regular 2-7 day trips into the Tibetan areas outside of Lhasa, Tibetan Buddhist History which introduces the basics of Tibetan Buddhism and history, the City of Lhasa which involves students in textual and fieldwork research on Lhasa; and a Tibetan language course.  All course content is in English, except for the Tibetan language class.

                         Chinese History and Culture Study Programs

Shanghai Gateway

The UVA China Gateway Program is specially designed by UVA faculty to complement the university curriculum. This program will allow students to earn UVA credit and grades, not simply transfer credit. Participants study Chinese language, history, society, and culture. Courses utilize local guest speakers and include field trips. A member of the UVa faculty will accompany the group. With three elements - language, history, and culture, followed by twelve days of travel to Beijing, Xi’an and Chengdu, the program is ideal for students who have never before traveled to China. For further information please visit the “Find a Program” link at UVA’s International Studies website:

https://www.studyabroad.virginia.edu/

University of Virginia International Studies Office