Where Asia Meets The Heart of PC
The Center for South Korean and Asian Studies connects PC’s campus to the vibrant and diverse cultural and intellectual life of Asia. For domestic students, the Center provides a number of short-term and semester-long academic and research programs in Korea, Japan, and China, as well as the opportunity to study the languages of these three countries. For degree-seeking students from Korea and other Asian countries, the Center supports and facilitates admission to both our undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as short-term or semester-long programs on campus. With a devoted living-learning facility on campus, Carol International House, the Center facilitates cross-cultural dialogue and enrichment between American students and our friends from across Asia.
KOREA SCHOLARS PROGRAM
In the Korea Scholars program, students gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of Korean culture, history, language, and global influence. Korea Scholars immerse themselves in transformative experiences on-campus and abroad as they build relationships with other Korean students and engage Korean culture firsthand.
What You’ll Do as A Korea Scholar:
- Take a First-Year Experience course
centered on Korea’s contemporary culture. - Take a year-long Korean cyber-language course
taught by Korean instructors. - Live in a designated living-learning community
with your fellow Korea Scholars and students from South Korea and East Asia. - Spend three to four weeks at our sister school,
Hannam University, in Daejeon, South Korea. There, you’ll earn three to six credit hours learning about Korean culture while traveling around the country in the Korean Summer Studies Program. Round trip airfare is included.
To apply to the Korea Scholars Program, students must apply and be admitted to Presbyterian College. While in the student application portal, select the Korea Scholars Program link. Fill out the form and upload a one-page essay explaining why you’d like to be a part of this program.
JAPAN STUDY ABROAD
Join our five-week summer program based in Nishinomiya, Japan, just outside of Osaka. This region, known as Kansai, is Japan’s second-largest urban region, following the Tokyo metropolitan area. Kansai is home to a number of ancient capitals, and rich in historic architecture and cultural assets designated as national treasures, making the region ideal for learning about Japanese culture.
This summer program is a partnership between Presbyterian College and Kwansei Gakuin University (KGU) to allow students deeper cross-cultural comparisons between East Asia and Western society. Founded in 1889, KGU maintains academic standards that rank among the highest of all Japanese universities and colleges.
Trip Details
June 5 – July 10, 2024*
Nishinomiya, Japan
Estimated costs: $6,200-$6,700 including program costs, flights, and personal expenses.
*Students will need to leave the U.S. on June 4th to arrive by June 5th. Students are free to leave the program after July 10th. While not required, guided flights with PC faculty leaders on June 4th and July 11th are available for students to join.
Academic Classes
- Cross-Cultural Adolescent Psychology: This course will explore similarities and differences in adolescent psychosocial development across cultures. We will focus on the close connections that exist between adolescent development and cultural context by examining how teens around the world navigate their journey to adulthood. We will pay particular attention to the contextual issues of family dynamics, identity development, social norms, and peer relationships. Throughout the semester, we will draw on relevant examples from students’ personal experiences at home and while studying abroad.
- Dark Personality Traits Across Cultures: This course aims to provide a better understanding of personality traits that can lead to negative outcomes for the individual and society. We will analyze the thoughts, feelings, and actions linked to dark personality traits and how that may differ across individualistic and collectivistic cultures. Emphasis is given to consequences of dark traits in Western countries, like the United States, compared to Eastern countries, like Japan. This includes impacts to our own individual lives, romantic relationships, small group action, in our communities, and in society at large with relationships among nations.
Other Details:
- Students will take two courses for a total of 6-credit hours.
- PC students will learn alongside KGU and other international students joining the summer program. The courses are offered in English, so knowledge of Japanese is not required.
- Fieldwork, cultural activities, and a number of day trips are worked into your classwork to enhance your experience in Japan. Some of these visits could include trips to the cities of Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Nara, and Hiroshima.
- Students will have ample free time outside the classroom to explore the surrounding area and form lifelong memories and friendships.
- Students will stay in private dorm rooms on campus, including common cooking and recreation areas. Students also have access to KGU’s cafeteria as well as surrounding restaurants and cafes in walking distance or additional food and activity options through Japan’s easy-to-navigate bus and subway systems.
Faculty Exchange Program
The Faculty Exchange Program at the Center for South Korea and Asian Studies (CSKAS) connects our academic community with faculty from partner institutions across South Korea and Asia, fostering collaborative research, innovative curriculum development, and cross-cultural exchange. In recent exchanges, faculty members from both institutions have enriched classroom experiences and supported joint research projects, including PC’s Professional Writing course for Hannam University students and reciprocal language and culture studies. Notably, our faculty members and scholars from Hannam University and other partner institutions have engaged in mutual visits, guest lectures, and sabbaticals, enhancing cross-cultural learning and professional growth.
From Campus to Career
At Presbyterian College, our programs are carefully designed to align with our core values. With a holistic approach to education, our courses prepare students for successful careers and equip them with the skills and mindset to make positive change in the world.
A PC education offers students a transformative interdisciplinary experience that cultivates critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills—all power skills that serve as a solid foundation for success in any career. By exploring cross-disciplinary subjects students gain a well-rounded understanding of the world, encouraging intellectual curiosity and adaptability.
