Program Dates: June 26, 2009 to July 14, 2009

Application Deadline: February 15, 2009

Type of Program: Faculty-led study abroad program

Prerequisites: JRN 110 or any equivalent beginning news writing course

Credits: 3-6 (three additional credits for an independent study)

I. Purpose of the Course:

This study abroad program is a six week, six credit course designed to enable journalism students to understand modern China and prepare sophisticated news stories about the country. The course is divided into three parts. The first is a one-week intensive introduction to Chinese media, history, politics and culture. It is delivered on campus the week before students travel to China. The second will be held in China, where students continue their study of China in the classroom and in the field. After another short orientation in Beijing, students will spend up to two weeks traveling along the fabled Silk Road through the heartland of China. Serving as the program's guide will be distinguished professors and graduate students of Tsinghua University, all fluent in English and knowledgeable about the Silk Road. Students will visit a different place every day, meeting people, seeing historic sites and viewing everyday Chinese life. At night, distinguished American and Chinese professors will help students understand what they've heard and seen. Students will be required to keep a daily journal and publish periodically a blog entry on the School of Journalism's Web site. Entries may include video, photographs and audio. The third part of the course is an independent study. Students will write a research paper, drawing on their experiences and research in China, on a major issue affecting China or its media. Research will be conducted in China and the paper will be written during a sixth week of the course, to be held back on campus.  Students will meet one-on-one with faculty throughout the course to develop the the idea for this final project.  

II. Required Texts And Materials:

The New Chinese Empire, Ross Terrill
Marco Polo: From Venice to Xanadu, Laurence Bergreen
Selected magazine and newspaper articles

 

III. Course Requirements and Policies:

Prerequisite: JRN 110, or equivalent beginning journalism class.

  

Decorum: Students are required to participate in all activities of the program unless ill or given advanced permission from the instructors. They will treat one another, their hosts and the people they meet along their travels with respect and dignity. Students must also keep themselves clean and presentable when meeting instructors and other people as a group. No antisocial or disruptive behavior will be acceptable. Anyone violating these rules will be sent home by the instructors. 

Plagiarism and cheating: Any form of plagiarism or cheating will result in a failing grade. Here is the University’s statement on academic dishonesty: “Plagiarism is the use of others’ words and/or ideas without clearly acknowledging their source. As students, you are learning about other people’s ideas in your course texts, your instructors’ lectures, in-class discussions, and when doing your own research. When you incorporate those words and ideas into your own work, it is of the utmost importance that you give credit where it is due. Plagiarism, intentional or unintentional, is considered academic dishonesty and all instances will be reported to the Academic Judiciary. To avoid plagiarism, you must give the original author credit whenever you use another person’s ideas, opinions, drawings, or theories as well as any facts or any other pieces of information that are not common knowledge. Additionally quotations of another person’s actual spoken or written words; or a close paraphrasing of another person’s spoken or written words must also be referenced. Accurately citing all sources and putting direct quotations – of even a few key words – in quotation marks are required. For further information on academic integrity and the policies regarding academic dishonesty, go to the Academic Judiciary Web site at http://naples.cc.sunysb.edu/CAS/ajc.nsf.

IV. Grades: Final grades are weighted as follows:

Participation: 10 %
Blog entries:  50 %
Final paper:    40% 

V. Class Schedule

(The schedule below is subject to change at any time by the instructors)

 Week 1  – The program will begin with an intensive one-week orientation at Stony Brook University, where students will read and discuss Chinese culture, history, politics and media. At the end of the week students willy fly together to Beijing.  

Week 2 – Students will spend several days at Tsinghua University, the program's host, where they will continue their study of China and meet their instructors and guides. By the end of the week, students will board a modern bus that will take them across the Chinese heartland. 

Week 3-4 – Students will travel along the Silk Road, stopping at a different city or historic site each day. They will record what they hear and see in a journal, periodically filing accounts of their trip to blogs published simultaneously by Tsinghua and Stony Brook. At night, students will attend classes in their hotel about the history, culture and politics of the places they are visiting. 

Week 5 – Students fly back to Beijing, where they spend a few days discussing and assessing the experience of their journey. They will begin the process of selecting a topic for a final paper and researching it. Students will return to Stony Brook by the end of the week. 

Week 6 – Back at Stony Brook, students will complete a 5-10 page final paper on an issue they encountered while in China.