International Summer Programs
The University of Southern California is again offering several programs abroad during Summer Session 2016. The purpose is to create opportunities for USC students to learn in an international environment. Each program features intensive courses from two to 10 weeks in duration, and many programs visit more than one country.
Experienced USC faculty serve as instructors, tour guides and coordinators, sharing with students the unique excitement of learning at an overseas location. Excursions to important cultural and historical sites supplement classroom lectures. Housing is prearranged for students in university dorms, hostels, inexpensive hotels or with local families.
These special programs offer travel and study opportunities at reasonable cost; programs planned for International Summer Session 2016 are listed below. Interested students should call the contact person indicated for further information about a specific program.
Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism
Journalism – Graduate Internship in the United Kingdom, Brazil, China or South Africa
Journalism master’s degree students may spend eight weeks at internships in London, Hong Kong, Rio de Janeiro or Cape Town during the summer following their year of graduate study at USC. Students apply to Annenberg International Programs in the fall semester of their degree program. From mid-May to late July, they enroll in an ASCJ course while working full-time at internships with prominent media organizations. For more information and for course titles and numbers, contact Annenberg International Programs at (213) 821-1276, email ascintl@usc.edu and refer to annenberg.usc.edu/international.
Program dates: May 16-July 24 (for Cape Town, Hong Kong and London); June 18–August 20 (for Rio de Janeiro)
Total number of units: 4
Strategic Public Relations – Graduate Internship in the United Kingdom, Brazil, China or South Africa
Strategic Public Relations master’s degree students may spend eight weeks at internships in London, Hong Kong, Rio de Janeiro or Cape Town during the summer following their first year of graduate study at USC. Students apply in the fall semester of their first year. From mid-May to late July, they enroll in an ASCJ course while working full-time at internships with prominent public relations organizations. For more information and for course titles and numbers, contact Annenberg International Programs at (213) 821-1276, email ascintl@usc.edu and refer to annenberg.usc.edu/international.
Program dates: May 16-July 24 (for Cape Town, Hong Kong and London); June 18–August 20 (for Rio de Janeiro)
Total number of units: 4
Communication, Public Relations and Journalism – Undergraduate Summer Study in London, Paris, Istanbul, Rome and Prague
The International Communication Studies (ICS) program provides undergraduate students an opportunity to study a range of approaches to public communication and media across Europe.
Students divide the five-week course into stays in Los Angeles, London, Paris, Istanbul, Rome and Prague. In addition to regular class meetings, students discuss the interplay of current world issues and international media practices with communication practitioners from international news and public relations media, government institutions, private industry and global organizations.
Students enroll in JOUR 482 Comparative Media in Europe. For further information and course section number, contact Annenberg International Programs at (213) 821-1276, email ascintl@usc.edu and refer to annenberg.usc.edu/international.
Program dates: June 6-July 10
Total number of units: 4
Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
International Summer School in Cambridge, England
The USC-Cambridge Pembroke King’s Programme (PKP) in Cambridge, England offers students an exceptional opportunity to experience life as an undergraduate in one of the oldest and most distinguished university cities in the world. The USC PKP is geared toward students who have demonstrated academic excellence and a continuous love of learning.
The PKP provides students an excellent opportunity to study British literature, art, history, economics, creative writing, political science and international relations, and to examine the background of modern Britain and its rich and diverse cultural heritage.
Students apply in the fall and if admitted must make a financial commitment to the program in January and then attend orientation meetings during the spring semester in preparation for the intellectual and cultural environment they will experience in the lectures and specialized seminar courses at Cambridge.
Students may earn 9 undergraduate elective credits by taking three courses over eight weeks and completing both a final exam and a comprehensive essay in each course. The program is open to qualified undergraduates with a GPA of 3.7 or higher. For further information, visit the Office of Oveseas Studies website at dornsife.edu/overseas and look under short-term programs, or contact Vito Grillo at (213) 740-3636.
Program dates: late June to end of third week of August (eight-week program)
Total number of units: 9 units of elective credit
Chinese — Beijing, China
The East Asian Languages and Culture Department operates the USC Chinese Summer Program in Beijing. This program gives students the opportunity to improve their language skills, learn about China’s culture and history, and gain valuable international experience by living in one of the world’s most rapidly progressing cities. Students complete one level of Mandarin during the four-week program or two levels of Mandarin during the eight-week program. All students receive USC course credit and can seamlessly transition to the next level of Chinese upon their return to USC. Smaller class sizes provide greater personal attention and enable students to improve their Mandarin ability even more quickly. In addition to daily classes, the curriculum includes one-on-one speaking sessions with trained local teaching assistants. Homework consists of useful assignments like interviews with locals to improve speaking skills.
Each week students will go on one or two excursions to see China’s most famous attractions, including the Great Wall, Peking Opera and Olympic sites. Excursion fees are included in the program tuition. The co-curricular activities also include language exchange, Tai-Chi class, singing at a karaoke club and more.
The USC Chinese Summer Program in Beijing immerses students in the Chinese language and culture, allowing them to experience a new lifestyle in a completely different part of the world and significantly improve their Mandarin ability.
For further information, contact Dr. Nansong Huang, the program director, at nansongh@usc.edu or visit dornsife.usc.edu/BeijingSummer.
Program dates: May 25-July 22 (there will be five-day break between the first course and the second course from June 22-26)
The program offers six Chinese Language courses from EALC 106 Chinese II through EALC 404 Advanced Modern Chinese III.
Students can enroll in either one or two courses.
Chinese — Taipei, Taiwan
The Taiwan summer study aboard program provides students with the unique opportunity to experience the vibrant city of Taipei while joining a four- or eight-week Chinese language program at the top-ranked academic institution, National Taiwan University (NTU), in Taiwan.
The course curriculum includes an array of courses for students with various levels of Chinese. The program offers intermediate courses for students to enhance communicative skills. For advanced students, the film class is a great way to learn idiomatic expressions and deepen the understanding of the culture. The program also offers business-oriented advanced courses that focus on experiential learning and co-curriculum activities, through which they can acquire practical skills as well as various professional opportunities. Students who are business majors and minors are particularly encouraged to apply, since meeting with Chinese businesses is a key element of the business Chinese summer courses. The program will offer unique courses for students who have family ties and interest in furthering their understanding of the cultural heritage of Taiwan. The smaller class sizes in this immersion program provide greater personal attention and enable students to improve their Mandarin ability.
In addition to regular classroom activities, each week the program will have one or two excursions that allow students to experience the exciting city of Taipei, including visits to the National Palace Museum, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Taipei 101 and Shilin Night Market. There will also be longer field trips to other parts of the island.
For more information, contact John Chang, the program director, at johnwcha@usc.edu.
East Asian Studies Center – Global East Asia Problems without Passports Program (PwP) in China and Japan
The East Asian Studies Center’s “Global East Asia as PwP” summer international program offers USC undergraduate students a unique opportunity to study abroad in China or Japan in a research-oriented, 4-week summer course. Students will engage in USC faculty-guided, on-site research through multiple exciting excursions to noteworthy locations in the destination country. Research topics will vary depending on the course: China will focus on global consumerism and Japan on international understanding of identity. This 4-week program is divided into two weeks on campus and two weeks abroad.
Application to the program is required. This summer study abroad course offers students 4 units of upper-division USC credit, an opportunity to study and conduct research with USC faculty members in an East Asian country and a platform to share their experiences through an outreach activity.
This program is designed to expand undergraduate interest in East Asian studies. Most of the major expenses associated with the travel abroad portion of the course will be covered: basic lodging and some meals as well as local transportation and entrance fees related to the course. Students are responsible for the tuition, course materials, international airfare and expenses during the first two weeks of the program at USC. Dornsife College and departmental financial support is available.
Program dates: China May 16–June 12 (four-week program); Japan May 16–June 12 (four-week program)
Total number of units: 4
| EASC 360 | Global East Asia | 4 |
| China | 552-25801 | |
| Japan | 234-25803 |
For more information, please contact the East Asian Studies Center at (213) 740-2991 or easc@usc.edu, or visit usc.edu/easc/gea.
French — Dijon, France
The Department of French and Italian offers a summer program in the city of Dijon, France, where students have the opportunity to study the French language in a beautiful, culturally rich setting. Dijon is the ancient capital of the former Duchy of Burgundy and is renowned for its lovely old streets, monuments, churches and fine cuisine. The program begins on Sunday, June 5, concludes on Friday, July 1 and is centered at the Université de Bourgogne campus in Dijon.
During the program, students live with families near the city center, which effectively immerses them in the French culture and language. Classes are taught both by French instructors from Dijon and USC faculty. The latter lead small-group sessions designed to help students achieve even greater fluency in French.
Cultural visits and excursions further enhance awareness and understanding of French history and culture. Opportunities for daily interaction with townspeople and students from other countries are plentiful. The 4-unit program is offered at the undergraduate level. The cost of field trips is included in tuition fees.
Program dates: June 5 to July 1 (four-week program)
Total number of units: 4
Application deadline: Rolling applications; first come, first served. Applications and other materials may be picked up in the Department of French and Italian, Taper Hall 155. For further information, contact Dr. Colin Keaveney, Department of French and Italian, Taper Hall 155-G, keaveney@usc.edu.
All of the following courses are offered in Dijon:
| FREN 150 | French II | 4 | 099-34350D |
| FREN 220 | French III | 4 | 099-34352D |
| FREN 250 | French IV | 4 | 099-34354D |
| FREN 300 | French Grammar and Composition | 4 | 099-34355D |
| FREN 310 | French Pronunciation and Conversation | 4 | 099-34356D |
| FREN 330 | Writing about Literature | 4 | 099-34357D |
| FREN 490x | Directed Research | 4 | 099-34359D |
International Relations — Brussels, Belgium
The School of International Relations offers students the opportunity to study and intern for five weeks in Brussels, Belgium. Students take a course on the contemporary issues in European foreign and security policy while interning at an international organization. Students enroll in IR 491x Field Study (4 units), which can be used to fulfill an IR major or IR minor requirement. Students intern full-time for the first week, after which their schedule will consist of class in the morning and internship in the afternoon.
This program is open to IR and IR-related majors with a minimum 3.0 GPA. Applications for this program are available in VKC 301 and the School of International Relations Website.
Program dates: May 30–July 1
International Relations — Paris, France
The School of International Relations offers students the opportunity to study and conduct research for six weeks in Paris, France. Students take a course on European policy modeling and contemporary challenges to the European Union focusing on the particular case of France. The course will focus on weekly topics such as: the confederalization of Europe, the EU and France, citizenship and immigration, “going green” European style, doing business in Europe, and “green” as business in Europe.
In addition to completing course requirements, students will have a choice of participating in three policy task forces focusing on real world problems in business, the environment and immigration.
Students enroll in IR 490x: Directed Research (4 units), which can be used to fulfill an IR major or IR minor requirement.
This program is open to IR and IR-related majors with a minimum 3.0 GPA. Applications for this program are available in VKC 301 and the School of International Relations Website.
Program dates: June 6-July 22
Italian — Rome, Italy
The Department of French and Italian offers students the opportunity to study Italian while living in one of the most exciting cities in the world, Rome. No previous knowledge of Italian is required. Excursions, visits to local museums and sites, and many cultural and social events are planned and included in the cost of tuition.
Students live with an Italian family. The seven-week program is offered at the undergraduate level. For additional information, contact Dr. James M. Fortney, Department of French and Italian, Taper Hall 155H, fortney@usc.edu.
Program dates: May 19–July 8
Students have the option to take either one intensive Italian class or ITAL 499 (a Problems without Passports course and 4 units) or both classes for a total of 8 units. The PWP course will explore Italy’s lost generation of youth from political, economic and social dimensions.
| ITAL 120 | Italian I | 4 | 709-34450D |
| ITAL 150 | Italian II | 4 | 709-34452D |
| ITAL 220 | Italian III | 4 | 709-34453D |
| ITAL 224 | Italian Composition and Conversation | 4 | 709-34455D |
| ITAL 499 | Italian Youth: The Lost Generation?(PWP) | 4 | 709-34459D |
Spanish — Madrid, Spain
The Department of Spanish and Portuguese hosts a seven-week program in Madrid. Students improve their knowledge of Spanish language and culture and earn 8 units of credit while living in one of Europe’s most exciting cities. They take two courses, live with a Spanish family, attend lectures in Madrid’s museums, visit the Basque Country and take day trips to the monastery of El Escorial and the historical cities of Córdoba, Segovia and Toledo.
Courses are held Monday through Thursday.
The program is open to qualified undergraduate students who meet the prerequisites. Major and minor credit is available. For additional information, contact the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, (213) 740-1258.
Program dates: May 23–July 8
Total number of units: 8
Enroll in two of the following courses:
| SPAN 260 | Advanced Spanish: Arts and Sciences | 4 | 099-62208D |
| SPAN 261 | Advanced Spanish: Society and the Media | 4 | 099-62204D |
| SPAN 311 | Advanced Spanish Through Contemporary Issues: Oral Emphasis | 4 | 099-62218D |
| SPAN 341 | Advanced Conversation and Culture | 4 | 099-62232D |
| SPAN 465 | Cultural Perspectives of the Iberian Peninsula | 4 | 099-62360D |
| SPAN 490x | Directed Research | 4 | 099-62368R |