Study Abroad in China | May 13 - 27, 2017
Learn about selected contemporary problems in social welfare and social work in China, experience cross-cultural interaction with Chinese social work students, and visit important historical and culture sites.
This is a three credit, two week spring/summer intersession course. Many activities will focus on the recent expansion of urbanization throughout China and associated social challenges. The entire two weeks will be spent in and around the city of Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province.
Major Activities
Visiting Social Service Agencies
Our students will meet Chinese social work students studying at Xihua University and accompany them to their field internships to learn more about how professional social workers in China are addressing social problems. We anticipate that part of each day will include these visits, and students will reconvene as a group at the end of each day to share their experiences.
Learning About the Great Sichuan Earthquake
We will spend part of our time learning about the great 7.9-magnitude Sichuan earthquake of 2008 whose epicenter was approximately 50 miles northwest of Chengdu. Somewhere between 70,000 and 100,000 people were killed and as many as 11 million were left homeless as a result of the earthquake. Thousands of children died when their school buildings collapsed because of shoddy construction. Students will learn about the ongoing social transformations and witness the effects upon the way in which social services are delivered as a result of the earthquake.
Intercultural Learning
We also include several excursions of a cultural nature. Activities include but are not limited to visiting the world-famous Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Mount Qingcheng, one of the most important Taoist centers in China, Dujiangjian, a 2,200-year-old water diversion and irrigation system, the archeological site of the 3,000 year-old city of Jinsha and its museum, and other ancient Taoist and Buddhist temples and monasteries with preserved artwork and statues.
Program Cost
$950 (covers housing, student insurance, some local transportation, and some meals). Students will be responsible for tuition/fees, airfare, and some meals.
For more information, contact Dr. Tim Page (tpage@lsu.edu) or Ms. Zibei Chen (zchen18@lsu.edu).