International Study (China)
The Communication program at JHU tries to offer an opportunity for intensive international study each summer. Though details change from year to year the courses usually involve doing the reading before the students leave, spending two weeks abroad in class about 4 hours a day plus field trips, and then completing the research project or major paper when students return.
Information about last year's trip to Bologna.
Summer 2009
*We have enough students to run our Summer 2009 course. The deadline for applications has been extended to March 27 at 5:00pm.
For summer 2009 we are planning to run our course, Communication in China. The course will be held at the JHU SAIS campus in Nanjing, China.
Note: Students may not take a 12-week course in the summer session 2009 if they go to China. The only exception to that rule is for students taking thesis course in summer 2009. Thesis students may go to China but should not expect to finish their theses in one semester. We will try to run one second-session, six-week intensive course for summer students who go to China and need a second summer course.
Note: We recommend that only degree candidate students sign up for this trip. Provisional students will benefit from completing 480.302 and 480.600 before signing up. Provisional students who sign up for the China trip do so at their own risk. Provisional students who do not meet the grade requirement of their status will not be allowed on the trip. Refunds for expenses incurred for the China trip by provisional students who do not meet the terms of their provisional status will not be refunded. Degree candidates have priority over provisional students.
Note: This trip needs 10 people to run. Do not buy your plane tickets or make other non-refundable investments in the trip until you receive word from JHU that the course has enough enrollments to run.
**Updated April 2, 2009
Course
480.690 Communication in China
This course offers students a valuable opportunity to examine first hand the evolution, characteristics, and political implications of China's new communication reality. Special focus will be given to three major areas, namely, China's new media order (online media included), China's public relations practices including for example, Olympics PR, earthquake crisis management, etc.), and political communication. In addition to a brief but comprehensive overview of China's multifaceted transitions in mass media and communication areas over the past two decades, students can broaden and deepen their understandings of the related issues through on-site visits to China's leading newspapers, PR agencies, and government sectors.
NOTE THE DATE AND TIME OF THE INTRODUCTORY MEETING HAVE BEEN CHANGED.
There is a mandatory introductory meeting on Wednesday, April 29 from 6:00 pm to 8:15 pm. This will be the first meeting of the class and Professor Wu will be here.
The dorms will be open from Saturday, May 30 through Sunday, June 14. Class will meet for ten of those days: Monday, June 1 to Friday, June 5 and Monday, June 8 to Friday, June 12. On the morning of Friday, June 12 the students will take a required trip to Shanghai and the course will end there. As a result, students may want to consider flying in and out of Shanghai. There will be a voluntary additional day of field trips in Shanghai on Saturday the 13th. There will also be an additional day of voluntary field trips in Nanjing on Saturday, June 6.
Class will be held for 3.5 hours a day. From 1:30 to 5:00 pm. On field trip days, the class sessions may be longer.
We recommend students arrive no later than Saturday, May 30 to give themselves time to adjust to the time change before class begins. When class is not in session students will be free to travel as they wish.
There will NOT be computers available to students at the Nanjing center. Students should plan to bring a laptop to complete work that will be due during the two-week stay in Nanjing.
Professor
Xu Wu is a Professor of Communication at Arizona State University and the author of the book Chinese Cyber Nationalism: Evolution, Characteristics, and Implications. He has also published several articles on international public relations and communication in China. Before his career as a professor, Wu worked as a national correspondent and news editor at the New China News Agency in Beijing. He also ran his own media consulting agency.
As an expert on Chinese cyber nationalism and crisis communication, Dr. Wu has been interviewed and quoted widely by world media, including New Yorker, Reuters, The Guardian, Chicago Tribune, International Herald Tribune, BBC, Al Jazeera, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, AFP, Strait Times, Los Angeles Times, and leading Chinese media outlets, such as CCTV, Xinhua News Agency, Oriental Outlook Weekly, Global Times, etc. Dr. Wu contributes regularly to China’s leading newspaper, Global Times (for more info: please see: http://cronkite.asu.edu/faculty/wubio.php)
Field Trips
We are anticipating that there will be several field trips in Nanjing that will include a trip to the headquarters of Xinhua Daily (the official & one of the largest newspapers in China), the foreign communication office of Jiangsu Provincial government and at least one major local PR agencies in Nanjing.
In addition the professor will organize a day-long trip to Shanghai on Friday, June 12. There students will get a chance to visit: Ogilvy PR's Shanghai office, Oriental Outlook's headquarter (Oriental Outlook is a news magazine that is equivalent of Newsweek or US News in U.S.), and Sunybund PR Agency (this is a fast-growing privately owned PR agency in Shanghai).
Shanghi is a 3-4 hours to drive from Nanjing. Since the trip will be on Friday students who want to make their own arrangements to stay over in Shanghi after the class are welcome to.
Participation on field trips is mandatory and there WILL be extra costs outside of tuition for the trips. While we do not know the exact cost of field trips you can expect it to be in the range of $200. You should plan to work out payment for field trips with the professor in China.
Accommodations
There are a limited number dorms available in the Hopkins-Nanjing Center. They are available on a first-come first-serve basis. You may stay with a fellow student or your partner or a friend in the dorms. If you make such an arrangement the student is responsible for the full cost of the dorms. In addition, your partner or friend is NOT allowed in class or on field trips. Students will be allowed to arrange alternative accommodations on their own. All of these are next-door or very near to the Center:
Jingli Hotel
http://www.sinohotelguide.com/nanjing/jingli/
Jin’s Inn (Dafangxiang location)
http://www.jinsinn.com/en/memberinn/nj_dafangxiang/index.asp
Xiyuan Hotel
http://www.hotelwebclub.com/english/xybg.htm
Dorms:
"Student's dormitory rooms have . . . two single beds, carpeting, telephones, desks, closet space, and a full bathroom with western fixtures. Hot water is available in student rooms throughout the day. The dormitory is connected into the Center's LAN providing 24-hour access to the library's electronic library resources and to the Internet for those with their own laptop computers."
The cost for the dorms is a flat rate $360 for 15 nights. The Dorms are open beginning Saturday, May 30 and check out is Sunday, June 14. Students may not arrive early or stay late.
If you wish to double up in the room the cost will be $180 per person. Students are in charge of finding a roommate. We will not be assigning roommates to students. If you plan to share a room with someone, please make sure your partner is fully paid up by the deadline and you are compatible.
When you check-in to the dorms you will have to pay RMB 60. RMB 40 of the 60 will be a deposit for the dormitory door key and cafeteria card, which also function as a key card for the East building entrances. This deposit will be given back to you when you return those keys at check-out. The other RMB 20 will be credited to a cafeteria card, so that you can eat in the dining hall during the first weekend. When that initial RMB 20 runs out, you may put more money on your card at the service desk where you checked in.
Cost
In anticipating your costs you should budget for the normal cost of tuition for the course. In addition there will be some additional costs for the field trips in the range of $200. Students will have to pay for their own room and board, their own plane ticket, and their own visa.
Registration
There are 18 slots available for the course and registration for the course will be on a first-come-first-serve basis. However, registration priority will be given to degree candidates. If all of the slots are not taken by degree candidates on the last day of registration, provisional students will be allowed to attend. Registration will keep two lists. One for degree candidates and one for provisional candidates.
Tuition for the course will be the same as any other Communication course. However, there will be a $500 non-refundable* deposit required to reserve your spot. The $500 deposit will be applied toward your tuition. Full payment will be due before normal summer registration begins.
The first day to reserve your spot will be at 9:00 am on Monday, January 26, 2009. Your deposit must be accompanied by a registration form that will be available beginning January 26 at 9:00 am. You will be required to indicate if you want dorm-room accommodations on your registration form and if you are sharing the room.
Do not follow normal registration procedures for this class. You will have to fill out a special registration form. The form should be dropped off or mailed (no fax or online) to 1717 Mass. Avenue, Suite 104, Attn: Communication in China. To secure a spot in the course, download the
Registration Form and Waiver Form
(available beginning January 26 at 9:00 am)
and return with the $500 non-refundable* deposit to:
Johns Hopkins University Advanced Academic Programs
1717 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 104, Washington DC 20032
ATTN: Communication in China
* Deposits will only be refunded for two reasons: 1) If we don't have enough people to run the course or 2) If all of the slots are taken by degree candidates, provisional students for whom there is no room will get a refund. Refunds will NOT be granted for any other reason.
Full and total NON-REFUNDABLE payment for both the dorms and tuition is due on Friday, March 27th by 5:00PM. Students should pay the balance to their ISIS account.
Registration will be taken on a first come first serve basis with priority given to degree candidates over provisional students.
We need 10 people to register for this course before it can run. We will notify all students if there are enough people to run the trip. Do not purchase plane tickets or make other investments in your trip until you hear that there are enough participants to run the trip.
Important dates
- January 26, 2009 (9:00 am)-Registration forms available-Begin taking deposits
- DEADLINE TO HOLD A SPOT HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO MARCH 27, AT 5:00PM
- March 27, 2009 (5:00 pm)-Last day to receive final payment for tuition and dorm
Facilities
The Hopkins-Hopkins Nanjing Center:
The Hopkins-Nanjing Center is located in the heart of Nanjing with convenient walking access to many Chinese and international restaurants. In addition, the many sites of Nanjing, including the ancient city wall and the large, open-air market are located within a short taxi ride.
Built specifically to house this institution, the modern facility includes 90 dormitory rooms for students, a library, a cafeteria, communication options, an auditorium, lounge, classrooms, fitness and recreational facilities, and administrative offices. Unlike most buildings in Nanjing, the entire Center is air-conditioned in summer. Its laundry room is equipped with American washers and dryers.
Library:
The Center's library stacks contain more than 85,000 English and Chinese volumes and 400 periodicals and newspapers. Wired and wireless access to the World Wide Web is available throughout the Hopkins-Nanjing Center. Students can print in the library.
Hours:
Mon-Thurs: 08:00 am-Midnight
Fri: 08:00 am-6:00 pm
Sat: 10:00 am-6:00 pm
Sun: 1:00 pm-Midnight
Cafeteria:
The cafeteria serves inexpensive meals throughout the semester, but offers no meal plan. The cafeteria serves only Chinese food. Food and drinks are purchased on a pay-as-you-go basis by swiping your cafeteria card. The cafeteria cannot accept cash payments. There is also a microwave oven available for student use.
Hours:
(Chinese) breakfast: 07:30-08:15 am
Lunch: 11:20 am-12:15 pm
Dinner: 5:30-6:15 pm
Telephone:
Local calls can be made from dorm rooms. Long distance calls can be made using phone cards purchased in the alley next to the Center. Most students choose to use online telephone services such as Skype for all long-distance calls, as the online rates are much cheaper than phone card rates.
Travel
Students will make their own travel arrangements to and from China. We will need 10 people to enroll in the course before it has final approval. DO NOT buy your plane tickets or make other non-refundable investments in the trip until you receive word from JHU that the course has enough enrollments to run. The university is not responsible for refunds, penalties, or other fees that may be incurred or lost for changes or cancellations of airfare. You may want to fly in an out of Shanghai as the course ends there. You can take a train from Shanghai to Nanjing.
Visa:
Visas are needed for travel to China and it will be the student's responsibility to secure the appropriate visas. It is best to work with a travel agent who can handle the visa application or allow sufficient time (4-6 weeks) to work with the Chinese embassy.
You should arrange to come in on tourist (L) visas, not (scholar) F visas since you will not be taking courses recognized by the Ministry of Education. From the point of view of the government you will be tourists who are taking unofficial courses of their own design, and therefore don't qualify for student (X) or scholar (F) visas. You should not list "study" as the purpose of your visit, since that would confuse the authorities by making them think that you were going to attend a government-authorized CHINESE-RUN educational program (which is what the student and scholar visas are for).
Travel Agency:
Embassy Travel (http://embassytraveldc.com) or 202-775-8477 can arrange airfare to and from China as well as within China. The travel agency also will arrange for the visa needed and work directly with the Chinese embassy for a $30 service fee in addition to the cost of the visa ($50). Click on "China visa" on the website. Although Johns Hopkins University has successfully worked with Embassy Travel in the past, this acknowledgement does not represent endorsement by Advanced Academic Programs or Johns Hopkins University. Embassy travel will make arrangements for the visa even if they do not make your airline arrangements.
Health and Travel Insurance:
Well before departure check with your doctor to see if you need any immunizations before traveling. Immunization information can also be found at the sites for the Center for Disease Control http://www.cdc.gov/travel/vaccinat.htm and the World Health Organization International Travel and Health http://www.who.int/ith/en/.
Participants should make sure their health and accident insurance covers them while traveling abroad. Additional coverage can be purchased through a variety of travel insurance options. To compare policies and for further information, visit the travel insurance comparison site at http://www.insuremytrip.com/
In addition, Johns Hopkins is a member of SOS, which covers JHU students and offers medical assistance and emergency assistance. Please note that SOS is not a health insurance plan.
24-Hour Worldwide Assistance and Emergency Evaluation Services available for Johns Hopkins University students:
International SOS is the world's leading provider of medical assistance, international healthcare, security services and outsourced customer care.
Member # 11BSGC000019
For more information on SOS, or to print out a member card, visit: http://www.jhu.edu/~purchasing/travel/intl_sos.pdf
Cards will also be available at the introduction meeting or can be picked up at the AAP office, 1717 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 104 . For details, contact Denise O'Sullivan at dosullivan@jhu.edu or 202-452-0983.
Nanjing China
Located along the Yangtze River, Nanjing is a former capital of China and the current capital of Jiangsu Province.
For more information look at:
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/nanjing.htm