Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Bryan]

Has anyone on this forum ever done that?

I'm going on an exchange for a year. I want to know how you found the intensity and the rigor of Korean university classes? My international liaison adviser told me to expect less work, especially since the classes I will be taking will be taught in English, so the curriculum will be lightened for the Korean students since they will be studying in their second language.

I will not be taking any classes in computer engineering, nanotechnology, or anything Korea is internationally known for. My classes will be in business, language, and Korean culture studies.

Expect an easy time? Honestly, I'm looking forward to a lightened homework load since I want to get a lot of good judo training in while I'm here.

On the other hand, I have a friend who is doing a Korean literature major at Ehwa or something and she is doing homework 24/7. She's often online at 4AM (Seoul time) just finishing up her homework.

[mekku]

CAKE!!! let me repeat.....cake!

well, if you're going to Keimyung Uni that is. I was on an exchange there from Mar-June 2005 and had probably the best time of my life.

School could not have been any easier!! Seriously! The Korean teachers expected pretty much nothing (except the taekwondo nazi)- they were more then willing to help you with answers, let you ask your neighbor for answers, let you not show up to class more then should be allowed, and accept general incompetence and laziness without complaint.

I took Korean language (least expectations from the teacher out of all classes), history, taekwondo, and something about culture. If you show up most the time and put in a bit of an effort, you'll do fine there.

They expected almost nothing but half a try- it didn't even matter how well you did when you tried.

Classes were short and only a few a day. Korean was at 8am which slightly sucked but it wasn't a huge deal to miss it. We were free for the day by 11am or 12pm and could wander and have fun to our heart's delight. If you do go to Keimyung, the location was great. There was a great arcade, Baskin Robbins, decent shopping, good sushi, lots of places to play pool, and just a huge variety of stuff to do right outside East Gate.

There was a group of about 20 white exchange students while I was there. Eight of us were friends and hung out pretty much 24/7 for the five months and we were in complete agreement that it was the easiest semester of our entire lives. It wasn't "real" school. If I could- I would do it all over again!

[PRagic]

You'll work hard if you're in a good internatinoal grad school (Yonsei, Korea, SNU, Ewha, Hanyang...), but they want you to be able to experience the country and not just study 24/7.

Most of the business profs at these schools are top US business school grads, the text are the same as you'd be using in the U.S., and the students come from all over the world, not just Korea.

Come on over and enjoy your time. It's a great opportunity.

[danby_ll]

I studied at Ewha last year for a semester. The work was 100 times easier than my university back home.

I didn't take Korean classes. I was taking classes in English with Korean students (and some other international students). The Korean students in my classes spoke fluent and near-perfect English for the most part, as the majority of them had gone to middle/high school in English-speaking countries.

The grading system....pathetic. I was registered for one class that I ended up going to 2 or 3 times at the beginning of the semester. We were supposed to hand in an article review every class. There was also a presentation and a final exam. I did none of them. I was willing to take the F because I wanted more time to have fun in Korea. At the end of the semester, I got my marks back - that professor gave me a C+. ????

[Giant_midget]

First of all, being an exchange student is just about having fun and meeting some people, and the school knows that.

Secondly, in the business class you can probably expect a lot of work, but its more quantity than quality. And as for culture, this is just another name for easy credit. The language class can be as hard or easy as you make it.

Last of all, as an exchange student it is impossible to be failed. If your actual grades transfer back to your home Uni, then you have to put in some effort, otherwise if it is just pass/fail - you are on easy street.

[chossmonkey]

this sounds like something that i may be interested in after teaching for a year. where could i get more info on it?

are you allowed to teach privates while you do this?

[SeoulFinn]

I studied at the "best" and when I compare it with my own uni, it felt like I was in a day care center! And this was at graduate school.

But the parties were good and I met some really awesome people, students and professors. I miss my time at the "best".

[nomad-ish]

[Bryan]

[Bryan]