Description

Examine economic and social development in the cultural context of Vietnam, one of Southeast Asia's most fascinating and rapidly changing countries.

After emerging from decades of war and isolation, Vietnam today is experiencing tremendous growth and, over the last decade, has boasted one of the strongest economies in Asia. Concurrent with this growth, the country has been wrestling with critical issues such as sustainable resource management, intense urbanization, changing family and marriage patterns, and integration with global networks and institutions.

Students in the Vietnam: Culture, Social Change, and Development program examine these trends firsthand. Through interdisciplinary coursework, field study, and complementary educational excursions led by academic and community experts, students learn about Vietnam's history, social characteristics, and recent economic development trends. Intensive language study and a meaningful homestay further facilitate deep cultural immersion and cross cultural learning.

Field study outside the program base is an essential component of this program. In most semesters, program participants are able to examine Vietnam's different cultural contexts and development processes in four distinct regions: Southern, Central, and Northern Vietnam as well as the Central Highlands. Topics for inquiry in a field-study context include:

•Examining the challenges of sustainable development and current strategies for rural development in the Mekong Delta and the Red River Delta
•Exploring the effects of war, development, and tourism on Vietnam's rich but increasingly fragile heritage through travel to Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, the ancient streets of Hoi An, and the old imperial citadel of Hue
•Studying key social issues including internal migration, domestic violence, and community outreach toward Vietnamese suffering from HIV/AIDS, in An Giang (Mekong Delta region), Ho Chi Minh City, or Hanoi
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam's commercial and cultural center, serves as the program base and is where students begin their thematic coursework, field study seminar, and language instruction. As the country's most populous metropolitan area, Ho Chi Minh City serves as an exceptional location to examine Vietnam's rapid pace of urbanization.

Highlights

Students in the Viet Nam: Culture, Social Change, and Development program examine these trends firsthand. Through interdisciplinary coursework, field study, and complementary educational excursions led by academic and community experts, students learn about Viet Nam's history, social characteristics and recent economic development trends. Intensive language study and meaningful homestays, in two distinct regions, further facilitate deep cultural immersion and cross cultural learning.

Field study outside the program base is an essential component of this program. In most semesters, program participants are able to examine Viet Nam's different cultural contexts and development processes in four distinct regions: Southern, Central and Northern Vietnam as well as the Central Highlands.

Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam's commercial and cultural center, serves as the program base and is where students begin their thematic coursework, field study seminar, and language instruction. As the country's most populous metropolitan area, Ho Chi Minh City serves as an exceptional location to examine Viet Nam's rapid pace of urbanization.

Degree Level

Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Subject Areas

Cost in US$:

Please inquire for more information

Experience Required

no

This Program is open to

American and Worldwide Participants.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Home-stays

Participants Travel

Independently or in Groups

Scholarships are Available

Please inquire

Application Process Involves

• Essay
• Letters of Reference
• Physical Exam/Health Records
• Written Application

Typically The Application Process Time is

3 weeks

Post Services Include

• Alumni Network
• Exit Debriefing Abroad
• Job and Internship Network

SIT Study Abroad's Mission Statement

A pioneer in experiential, field-based study abroad, SIT offers semester, summer, and academic year programs for undergraduate students in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East, as well as comparative programs in multiple locations.

Programs focus on critical global issues in specific geographical and cultural contexts using an interdisciplinary approach. Studying with host country faculty and living with families, students gain a deep appreciation for local cultures and become immersed in diverse topics ranging from the politics of identity to post-conflict transformation, from global health to environmental policy. 

Year Founded

1932