Classes in Korea 1

Okay, looking back on previous posts, I've concentrated on general things like what to pack, preparation for your experience, places to see, etc. Now, I want to take some time to cover what, as you still being students first and foremost, should be your main focus while in Seoul- classes.

I’ll try to describe what classes are like in a Korean university, however, I do want to point out that this will be based on my own experiences at my own host university and your own host university courses may be different.

Classes at my Korean university were different from my classes back in the Midwest in several ways:

•First, class selection and registration will be on shorter notice.

•Course grades are based on small number of assignments.

•Books are SO MUCH CHEAPER!!!

1.      At my home university, and your own university may be the same, I knew what classes were going to be offered and could register for them several months in advance. At my host university, the course guide was not published until about two weeks before the semester started and you only had about several days to register for the class at semester start. My advice for you would be to look at your host university’s previous course catalogs and get a large list of potential courses pre-approved at your home university before you leave. This will give you flexibility and less headaches when it comes time to register, for reasons I’ll cover in a later post.

2.      The grades for my courses at my home university were, for the most part, decided on just a midterm, final, and, sometimes, a group project. This is very different from my home university where most of my class grades were based on several exams, assignments, team projects, and quizzes. Overall, at your host university, you will have less room for error and as such DO make sure to study intensely for your midterm and final.

3.      For those of you that are American, you are probably aware of how much we are gouged on the price of textbooks. Well, good news. I found that books for my classes were very cheap in Korea. My host university had their own book shop where I could get the majority of my books and not one cost me over $30. Additionally, sometimes you may be directed by your professor to get a course specific photocopied book that will only contain what is covered in the class for even cheaper.

These are only a few of the differences in regards to classes in Korea, however, in the interests of not throwing walls and walls of text at you, I’ll stop here. I will make sure to come back to this topic on a periodic basis with more information, so stay tuned.