Education Abroad & Exchange - Tunghai University

Tunghai University

At-A-Glance
Eligibility / Requirements	2.75 GPA + One Intensive Mandarin
Open to Non-UMA?	Yes
Fall, Year	March 1
Spring	October 1
Documents	Fall Budget Estimate, Fall Budget Letter, Year Budget Estimate, Year Budget Letter, Summer Budget Estimate, Summer Budget Letter

Overview

Taiwan lies 100 miles off the southeast coast of China. The Island is 250 miles long and 90 miles across, and has a total population of approximately 20 million people. Taipei, Taiwan's largest city, has a population of more than two million. Traditional temples stand alongside high-rise buildings and modern boutiques. Taichung, where Tunghai University is located, has a population of about half a million people and lies 62 miles south of Taipei.

The Chinese tradition values education as one of life's most worthwhile pursuits. In Taiwan, the first nine years of education are mandatory and free. High school and college are optional and competitive. Following the high rate of economic growth in recent years, education has developed rapidly, and today the budget for education accounts for more than 14 percent of total government expenditures. In Taiwan there are 16 universities, 11 four year colleges and 77 junior colleges, both public and private.

Tunghai, which means "Eastern Sea," is located in the central part of Taiwan, an area known for its agreeable climate. The campus occupies a 340 acre site, a gift in part from the city of Tunghai, which lies five miles east of Tunghai University. Situated on Ta Tu Hill, the University buildings look across a green expanse of cultivated farmland to the city and the magnificent mountain ranges beyond. Tunghai has four colleges; Arts, Sciences, Engineering and Management. Over the past few years enrollment at Tunghai University has grown to about 10,000 students.

Founded in 1955 as a Christian university, Tunghai has in several respects been a pioneer in higher education in Taiwan. From the beginning it has stressed the importance of a liberal educational program and has required all students to do some basic work in the arts, sciences and humanities. Students are not required to participate in religious activities.

Program Information

Through the Chinese Language Center, the University of Massachusetts conducts semester and year-long studies at Tunghai University. All courses are taught in Chinese by the faculty of Tunghai University. The philosophy of UMass and Tunghai University is that students in their second or third year of language study need an immersion experience in Chinese language in order to progress beyond the "intermediate plateau" often encountered by those studying Chinese. In addition to the major focus on language, students can request an independent study on a topic of their choice in which a Tunghai faculty supervises the reading and translation of pertinent readings. Advanced students can also audit regular Tunghai University courses see course information section). Participants are required to enroll full-time in the program; up to 30 semester credits may be earned for the year upon successful completion of course work.

Course Information

The UMass program focuses on the Chinese language. Classes are taught in the Chinese Language Center, which is air-conditioned. Class sizes generally range between 5 and 10 students. All classes in the UMass program are conducted primarily in Chinese.

Students will be assigned to either an Intermediate or Advanced class based on a placement test to be given soon after arrival. Textbooks consist of a variety of texts developed by the Mandarin Training Center in Taipei and the Tunghai Chinese Language Center. While all regular Tunghai courses can be audited by UMass exchange students, it is very strongly recommended that choices be limited to courses offered by the departments of Chinese, History, Political Science, Music, Philosophy, Economics, Sociology and the College of Management. (Individual arrangements must be made to receive credit for such course work.)

In Chinese society, not attending class is seen as an insult to the instructor and the host institution, therefore faithful class attendance is expected of all students. The program stresses that all students should have enough self-discipline and be responsible enough to attend classes every day and complete course work. The program is designed so that the students will also have ample time and opportunity to take advantage of extra-curricular activities. Excursions to various parts of Taiwan are offered during the course of each semester.

Credits

Upon successful completion of the program, students ordinarily receive 15 University of Massachusetts credits per semester (this may vary depending upon participation in optional courses). Students will also receive grade in each course and these grades will appear on the official transcript from UMass. If you are a UMass student, grades will not be computed into your grade point average. Tunghai University will send transcripts directly to UMass. After these transcripts have been reviewed by the Department of Asian Languages and Literatures and the International Programs Office, participants can request an official UMass transcript be sent to their home institution, pending the submission of the necessary form and Registrar's Processing Fee.

Eligibility

Students are accepted at both the intermediate and advanced levels. Intermediate level assumes successful completion of one rigorous year (5 or more hours per week) of college-level Mandarin Chinese before the program begins; Advanced level assumes successful completion of two years of college-level Chinese. Ideally applicants will have a cumulative average of 2.75. Applicants should be current undergraduates or recent graduates. Students who already hold a bachelor's degree can attend as non-degree graduate students, however, only undergraduate credit may be earned.

Housing

All students participating in the UMass program will reside in the student dormitories. The Chinese roommates are selected by Tunghai University and may change at mid-year. Most rooms are shared by four people, one UMass and three Chinese. Although having four in a room makes living conditions a bit tight, having Chinese roommates has been greatly appreciated by past participants.

Rooms are furnished with beds, desks and wardrobes. The dormitories have bathrooms, showers (hot water is provided at various times of the day), washers and dryers, study areas, newspaper rooms, TV rooms (some with cable access), exercise rooms, and mini-marts for snack foods.