California State University, Sacramento
Study Abroad Program
Study in Taiwan at Tamkang University
Tamkang University, a private institution, began to award bachelor's degrees in 1958 and in 1980 was elevated to university status. Our study abroad program is with the Tamsui campus, which lies on the outskirts of the city in Taipei County. Tamkang University has 11 colleges comprised of 49 departments and divisions, offering 45 bachelor's degrees, 43 master's degrees, and 16 doctoral degrees. Facilities include beautiful gardens, the Carrie Chang Fine Arts Center, 12 research centers, the Chueh-sheng Memorial Library with its 1400 computer hookups and spacious study carrels, a natatorium, the Reitaku International House, a Maritime Museum, a stadium, a basketball court, a volleyball court, tennis courts, and a skating rink. Computer rooms are open 24 hours a day.
COURSE
OFFERINGS
The participant fluent in Mandarin may take courses in the
following fields if appropriate prerequisite courses have been completed:
Chinese, History, Mass Communication, Information and Communication, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science & Information Engineering, International Trade, Banking and Finance, Insurance, Industrial Economics, Economics, Business Administration, Accounting, Statistics, Information Management, Public Administration, Management and Decision Making, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Russian, Management, International Business Management, Finance and Applications, and Construction.
Graduate students may take courses (in Mandarin) in American Studies, European Studies, Japanese Studies, International Affairs and Strategic Studies, Mainland China Studies, Latin American Studies, Slavic Studies, Southeast Asian Studies, or Education.
Tamkang University does offer some courses taught in English. The list of these courses, which change every year, can be found at the Tamkang University home page at http://foreign tku.edu.tw/TKUEnglish. Please note that some of the courses listed are graduate-level courses; however, undergraduate students may take these courses. For the student who would like to study the United States from a different perspective, the university offers a number of courses in American Studies in English. In addition, the following colleges offer a limited number of courses in English: Engineering, Business, Management, Foreign Languages and Literature, International Studies, Science, Education, and Technology. Study abroad participants may not take EMBA courses at Tamkang University.
CHINESE
LANGUAGE
All
students participating in this program will be required to
take Mandarin Chinese language for credit each semester at Tamkang
University. Three
levels of Chinese (basic, intermediate, and advanced) are
offered at the Tamsui campus. The two basic courses designed for
study abroad students are: Chinese Mandarin Conversation (2 credits
offered in both first and second semesters) and Chinese Reading
and Writing (2 credits offered in the second semester only).
The more extensive Chinese language program (9 levels) is offered through the Chinese Language Program within the Tamkang University Division of Continuing Education in the city of Taipei. Regular Chinese courses involve two hours per day, ten hours per week. Intensive language courses involve four hours per day, twenty hours per week. Each term of Mandarin Chinese lasts for eleven weeks. It is expected that students studying at Tamkang University for an academic year would take three terms of language, if taking courses through the Chinese Language Program. For semester students, only one term of language may be feasible. For the Chinese language courses taken through the Chinese Language Program, students receive a certificate and not credit, but study abroad students at the Tamsui campus are allowed to take one course per 11 week term and 3 courses per academic year through the Program free of charge, if they wish to do so. (Please note that to travel from the Tamsui Campus to the language learning site in the city of Taipei takes about 90 minutes and costs about NT$100 for the transportation one way. Thus, it is expected that most students will want to take their language classes at the Tamsui campus.) For more information on the Chinese Language Program, access the link from the Tamkang University (English version) website.
There is a third option for Chinese language learning at Tamkang University: classes especially designed for Japanese students from Reitaku University. These classes include: Chinese Writing, Chinese Classics, Chinese Conversation, Chinese Linguistics, and Chinese Computer Processing. Two credits are given for each course. It is to be noted that professors of these courses may offer explanations in Japanese when necessary. The study abroad participant should attend the first class to determine whether or not the course would be appropriate.
ACADEMIC
REQUIREMENTS
Applicants
should have upper division standing with a declared
major or classified graduate standing at
this university by the time of departure, good academic records,
and a 2.75 cumulative grade point average for undergraduates
and a 3.0 for graduates or better at the time of the
application deadline. Students will be required to have completed
one semester of
college-level Mandarin and an appropriate course related to Asian culture before
participating in the program. Completion of one year of Mandarin before participation
is encouraged. The applicant also should be prepared to accept the challenge
of study in a country with an educational system different from our own. Applicants
for fall participation must have taken the Writing Proficiency Examination at
this university by no later than the March test date and passed it. Applicants
for spring participation must have taken the Writing Proficiency Examination
at this university by no later than the October test date and passed it. In most
cases, the lower division courses of the appropriate field of
study must have been completed prior to participation in this program. Applications
will be accepted for one semester or one academic year. Students
are required to be full-time while studying in Taiwan and, thus,
take the equivalent of 15 units during each semester for undergraduates and 12
units per semester for graduates. Tamkang University full-time students take
15-25 credits per semester (1 credit = 1 contact hour in class per week for 18
weeks, including registration,
mid-term exams, and final exams).
CALENDAR
First
semester: Students should plan on arriving at Tamkang University a
couple of days prior to the orientation for study abroad students,
which usually takes place during the second week of September. Classes
usually begin soon thereafter. Final examinations take place around
the second week of January.
Second semester: Students should plan on arriving at Tamkang University around February 10 as classes begin during the second week of February. Final examinations take place around mid-June.
WEATHER
Taiwan
is located in a subtropical climate area and is humid all year
round. The temperature in Tamsui is often about 30°C (86°F)
in summer and rarely below 10°C (50°F) in winter. For the Tamsui
area, students should be prepared for frequent rain in winter.
FINANCIAL
RESPONSIBILITIES
Students
accepted to the program will pay the usual California
State University, Sacramento fees, remain eligible for financial
aid (except
work/study), if otherwise qualified, and receive resident credit just
as if they were attending classes at this university. (Please
note that equivalency of courses falls under the jurisdiction of the
academic department.) Tamkang University has agreed to waive non-resident
tuition, making this a particularly attractive opportunity for participants.
Students will pay for their travel to and from Taipei, room and
board, books and incidentals. In addition, each student must have the
required insurance during his or her stay in Taiwan. Expenses for a
semester in Taiwan are estimated at the following: usual undergraduate
fees - $1,927 (graduates would pay the graduate fee), airfare - $1,195,
insurance - $350, housing at the International House - $350,
food - $1,800, incidentals for 5 months (including books, local transportation,
clothing, entertainment) - $1,600. Total $7,222. The estimated
expenses for an academic year are about $13,249. This estimate is given
for planning purposes only and is subject to changes from currency
fluctuation, inflation, and fee changes. Keep in mind that the costs
to obtain a passport, student visa, and a residence permit for Taiwan
are not included in this estimate.
SCHOLARSHIPS
The
participant may apply for a scholarship from TKU if he/she has the
minimum grade point average for the program. Receiving a scholarship
is not guaranteed and must be applied for after arrival at the
Tamsui campus. The scholarship amounts to approximately NT$7000 (about
U.S.$230) per month for 5 months for the semester participant and for
10 months for the academic year participant. Announcements concerning
which students will receive scholarships will be made in October and
March. Recipients of the scholarship must undertake 20 hours of volunteer
service at TKU.
For information on other scholarships for study abroad, you should register for and attend a scholarship workshop in the Office of Global Education.
HOUSING
AND MEALS
Most
students will want to apply to live in the TKU Reitaku International
House at the Tamsui campus due to the low cost of only about NT$12,000 (about
US $350) per semester. This cost does not include food. The International House
is closed during the summer vacation (roughly from July 1 to mid-September);
however, study abroad students who are studying at TKU for an academic year
and remaining in Taipei for the winter vacation (roughly from mid-January to
late February) may stay at the I.H. Mentors and caretakers are not available
during this period of time.
Facilities at the International House include a television set and
table tennis on the first floor (basement);
coin-operated laundry facilities;
2 refrigerators, a microwave, and 5 computers in the building. Every
room accommodates 4 students (one Taiwanese student and 2 or 3 international
students).
At the Tamsui campus there are several eating places: the Kuan-hai (Sea View) Restaurant (Chinese food); the Delicious Foods Square at the basement of Sung-Tao Hall which offers many kinds of food; the House of Hampton on the first floor of the library (Western foods, afternoon tea, internet connection); and the Fast Foods Restaurant (hamburgers, sandwiches, and drinks). There are also many restaurants near the campus. There are also a post office, an ATM, and a health clinic on campus.
If staying at the Tamsui campus, students can reach Taipei by bus (discount pre-paid passes are available) or by Mass Rapid Transportation (a 20% off discount pre-paid pass is available).
For off-campus housing, the cost of renting a room or apartment can vary from NT$8000 to NT$30000 per month.
YOU SHOULD CONSULT THESE RESOURSES FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
You should consult these resources for further information:
The Office of Global Education home page: http://www.csus.edu/oge/
The home page of Tamkang University (English version): http://foreign.tku.edu.tw/TKUEnglish/
From this website, you can find “Courses Taught in English” and
information on the “Chinese Language Program.”
The home page of the Office of International Exchange and International Education at Tamkang University: http://www2.tku.edu.tw/~oieie/english.htm. The “Handbook for Exchange and International Students” is located on this website. A map of the Tamsui campus also is located at this website.
For course information (in Chinese): http://esquery.tku.edu.tw/acad/
For more information about Taipei and Taiwan, visit: http://english.taipei.gov.tw/TCG/index.jsp (Taipei City Government) and http://www.lonelyplanet.com
To obtain an application or to speak with a study abroad advisor, please call the Office of Global Education at 278-6686 or go to Lassen Hall, Room 2304. Applications, references, and transcripts should be sent to the address below. The deadline for materials to be received is March 1 for the first semester (September - January) and October 1 for the second semester (February - June). Please note that there is an interview process for this application, also.
Monica G. Freeman
|
Janis Silvers
|
last update 7/08
