DATES:
January 2 - 18, 2013*
Application Fee
$100
Program Fee
The Program Fee includes tuition and program expenses. Click on Program Fee for details.
International airfare and personal expenses are not included in the Program Fee and are the responsibility of the participant.
Application Deadline
October 5, 2012
Eligibility
This program is open to all undergraduate and graduate students with a cumulative GPA of 2.25, including students who do not attend George Mason University.
CREDITS:
Undergraduate: 3 semester credits in GOVT 398,
HIST 398,
GLOA 480,
ANTH 398,
or NCLC 399
Graduate: 3 semester credits in Government 739 or HIST 598
Housing
Individual rooms
CONTACT: Sarah Mournighan via email or by calling 703.993.2106 or toll free at 866.468.1243. The toll free number does not accept calls from the 703 or 571 area code.
Reserve your spot early!
Downloadable Documents
Syllabus available upon request
Faculty Info
Program led by:Study abroad this Winter Break in Vietnam on this faculty-led study tour with two professors, one from George Mason University and one from Vietnam’s Diplomatic Academy.
This program's participants will be lectured by some of Vietnam’s leading experts and will interact with students at the Diplomatic Academy and the Department of International Relations at Ho Chi Minh National University.
You will visit Vietnam’s most important political, cultural, and economic centers: Hanoi, the nation’s capital; Ho Chi Minh City, the southern economic hub; Da Nang; and the Mekong Delta.
You will also experience the sights and sounds of ancient Vietnam in Hanoi’s Old Quarters; the breathtaking view of Ha Long Bay, a world’s heritage site (pictured above on postcard); the ancient city of Hoi An; and the charming highland resort of Sapa (banner image above is a panoramic view of Sapa from Ham Rong taken by Antoine Fleury-Gobert) where some of Vietnam’s hill tribes make their home at the foot of the country’s highest mountain.
Vietnam is a major country in Southeast Asia. It sits on an important sea lane through which more than 50 percent of international commerce passes. It is located in an area where conflict and cooperation have major implications for the world. Together with China, it is experiencing a process of socialism transition, combining free market economy with an authoritarian system of government in the context of economic globalization and democratic transformation.
This course will examine Vietnamese culture and its influence on present-day society and politics. The process of economic renovation, political development, and Vietnam's foreign policy, especially its relations with the United States, will also be discussed.
The tour is a combination of theoretical study with field trips and discussions to allow students to experience and compare for themselves what has been written in books and discussed in the media; lectures by Vietnamese scholars and officials; and things that they can see with their own eyes.
In addition to the overall leadership and instruction of Professor Hung Manh Nguyen of the Department of Public and International Affairs, George Mason University, Professor Ta Minh Tuan of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam will accompany the group throughout the whole tour to explain and answer questions raised by students.
TENTATIVE PROGRAM ITINERARY:
Wednesday, January 2
Departure from the United States
Thursday, January 3
Arrival in Hanoi in the late evening
Photo of Hanoi Traffic
Friday, January 4
Lecture: Vietnamese History and Culture
Lecture on Vietnam's Economy
Pictured above: Hanoi's Old Quarter
Pictured above: Lake of the Restored Sword, Hanoi
Friday, January 5
Field Trip to Ha Long Bay and Sapa
Pictured above: Sapa Landscape
Sunday, January 6
Field Trip to the Bac Ha Market
Monday, January 7
Trek through the tribal areas and then return to Hanoi
Tuesday, January 8
Lecture on Vietnamese Government and Politics
Lecture on Vietnam's Foreign Relations
Wednesday, January 9
Briefing at the National Assembly
US-Vietnam Relations (Briefing at the American Embassy)
Exchange with students at Vietnam’s Diplomatic Academy
Thursday, Jan 10
Free time in Hanoi
Friday, January 11
Departure for Da Nang
Briefing on Danang, Central Vietnam's Dynamic Center
Pictured above: Ho Chi Minh City
Saturday January 12 - Sunday, January 13
Visit the ancient city of Hoi An and explore the sandy beaches
Monday, January 14
Depart for Ho Chi Minh City
Briefing on Ho Chi Minh City, the Southern Economic Hub
Tuesday, January 15
Lecture and exchange with students of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities
Visit the US General Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City
Pictured above: Floating market on the Mekong
Tuesday, January 16
Visit a City in the Mekong Delta
Wednesday, January 17
Free day in Ho Chi Minh City
Thursday, January 18
Depart for the United States
Academic Director
A former Fulbright Scholar and Social Science Research Council Fellow, Dr. Hung Nguyen is the author of several books, book chapters, and articles in journals, such as World Affairs, Asian Survey, Pacific Affairs, Amerasia Journal, and Journal of Asian Thought and Society. Outside academia, Dr. Nguyen has chaired several committees to reorganize the Vietnamese civil service, served as planning advisor to the President of the National Economic Development Fund, and then as Deputy Minister of National Planning of the Republic of Vietnam.
Dates: January 2 -18, 2013*
You should plan to leave the United States on January 2nd in order to arrive in Hanoi for the first day of the program. You can schedule your return to the United States from Ho Chi Minh City for the last day of the program or choose to travel independently.
Do not purchase airfare until you are advised by your Program Officer.
Program Fee: $3,740
The Center for Global Education Program Fee includes:
-
Tuition
-
Housing
-
Most Meals
-
In-country travel
-
Guest lectures
-
Pre-departure orientation
-
Emergency medical insurance, including medical evacuation and repatriation
Scholarships
Scholarships are available to George Mason students. George Mason students can click here to download the CGE Global Perspectives scholarship application. Mason students may also use financial aid to cover a program's cost. If you are not a George Mason university student check with your study abroad office or office of financial aid to learn more about how to cover the cost of your study abroad.
How to Apply
Consult the How to Apply section for detailed instructions. Start by completing the online application. Pay the $100 application fee.
Note that all supplemental documents are required by the application deadline. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Contact the Program Officer for further application forms and instructions specific to your program.
*CGE reserves the right to make changes to a program in light of currency fluctuations, changing security and safety conditions, or any other unforeseen circumstances.