Global Fairfield: Asia and Oceana Opportunities

Global Fairfield offers students a variety of semester-long and short-term options in these regions of the world. Students study at programs with our approved partners and will earn transfer credit.  For additional information, please click on the links below in the various program descriptions.

SOGANG UNIVERSITY - SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA

Semester

Sogang, our Jesuit international exchange partner, is one of the most prestigious universities in South Korea. It offers a rich academic variety and is committed to an innovative hands-on learning experience. Currently coursework is approved in areas such as History, Korean, International Studies, Psychology and Religious Studies. Sogang University has a robust catalog of courses and we would be interested in diversifying subject areas not currently represented.

Sogang University’s garden-like residential campus is located in downtown Seoul, a metropolis of 11 million people. With one of the largest populations in the world, students who want a learning environment much different than Fairfield can live and study in this capital city, the center of economic, political and cultural activities.

Summer Session 

The Sogang International Summer Program (SISP) is a 4-week program for students who wish to broaden their academic experience with coursework in International Business, Psychology, Korean Language and Culture and History. It is also a great opportunity to explore Korea and engage in cultural exchanges with students and faculty members from around the world. Students may combine intensive classwork with exciting field trips and various extracurricular activities alongside Sogang University students. *Sogang holds both AACSB and ABET accreditations in their respective schools. 

AIFS BUSINESS PROGRAM – SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

Under the oversight of our AIFS global partner, Dolan students studying Data Analytics, Economics, International Business or Finance have the prestigious opportunity to study at The University of Sydney, ranked among the best universities in the world. Students attend either the Spring Friendly (January to May) or Semester 2 (July - November) study abroad program. 

Students earn 15 credits in both semester programs by completing a 3-credit internship and three additional (4 credits each) University of Sydney business and core courses. During the Spring Friendly Study Abroad Program students begin the semester with a month-long full-time internship while the University is on “summer break”. They complete the additional coursework when their semester begins. The fall semester program incorporates the internship and coursework in a traditional 15-week semester. The internships are with local companies in Sydney, and are a great way for business students to develop international business experience and cross-cultural skills. We are pleased to report that several students were asked to continue with their placement company after they completed their internships and some have been offered job opportunities with the company back in the States. 

FAIRFIELD GLOBAL CENTER WITH JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY- TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA 

Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies has partnered with James Cook University(JCU) in Townsville, Australia on a customized nursing semester abroad with clinical placements. Egan Nursing juniors spend their Fall semester (July – Nov) studying a prescribed curriculum of courses with direct equivalencies of Fairfield’s campus courses. Completing these content courses geared specifically towards health and wellness practices in Australia gives the students a unique international perspective not many university graduates have and employers are noticing. This semester option is limited to 20 juniors. *At this location students earn Fairfield credit and grade

SCHOOL FOR FIELD STUDIES SEMESTER AND SUMMER PROGRAMS (SFS) 

The SFS model offers students a comprehensive and balanced education, firmly grounded in both research and real-world application. Their centers have established a long-term presence in the countries where they operate, fostering meaningful relationships with the communities which enable them to study diverse ecosystems over extended periods.

• Students conduct research in the field and get to experience all the excitement and challenges of field data collection. 
• Students work directly with a Ph.D. faculty member from project design to final written report. 
• Each SFS Center has an ongoing strategic research focus which allows the work to expand beyond the scope of one-off projects. 
• Students join scientists around the world working to understand our environment and how it is changing. 
• SFS research is influenced by the local communities. 
• SFS provides valuable data to community leaders, local environmental groups, and government agencies, allowing them to make informed and sustainable policy decisions. 

SFS Semester Programs:

North Queensland, Australia - Tropical Rainforest Studies

Students are immersed in the rich biodiversity of the rainforest and learn about ecological resilience in the face of environmental threats like climate change. Over the semester they explore the multitude of environments that exist in Northern Queensland and the complex relationships between them – rainforests to dry forests, savannahs to wetlands, and mangroves to coral reefs. In the final weeks of the semester students are out in the field conducting an extensive research project. At this location students live, work, and study at SFS’s most remote Center – a 153-acre rainforest property surrounded by UNESCO World Heritage Forests. This location is best for students studying anthropology, biology, chemistry, environmental studies and sociology. 

Paro Valley, Bhutan - Himalayan Environment and Society in Transition 

Based in Paro, the program explores the challenges of protecting biodiversity and maintaining traditional rural lifestyles in this time of transition. This program focuses on conservation and environmental issues firsthand against a backdrop of vibrant culture and Buddhist philosophy. 

Siem Reap, Cambodia - Environmental Justice and Mekong Ecologies

From the ancient temples of Angkor to the jungle highlands, from the urban center of Siem Reap to the shores of the Great Lake, this program gives a first-hand look at how people are dealing with threats to their ecosystems and livelihoods. This program focuses on themes of community livelihoods, natural resource access and management, and the ethics of conservation and development while exploring diverse perspectives on environmental management issues. Student will learn to conduct community-based data collection and understand the complexities of human-wildlife conflicts. 

SFS Summer Programs:

Summer in Bhutan with SFS – Forests in the Land of the Thunder Dragon  This program has students exploring the rich biodiversity, forests, culture, and dramatic mountain views of the Bhutanese Himalayas. Students will spend six weeks studying issues of conservation, forest management, and development, visiting ancient shrines, and surveying big cats and forests in one of the most fascinating countries in the world.  Summer in Cambodia with SFS - Elephants of Southeast Asia This program explores several of the remote regions of Southeast Asia where elephants roam. In Cambodia, the lush Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary is the “home base”, where students will study the behavior, ecology, and welfare needs of the endangered Asian elephant. Then in Thailand, delve into human-wildlife conflict and conservation pressures and examine elephant management practices near KuiBuri National Park.  North Queensland – Australia - Marsupials of Australia This SFS location is in a land of strange and fascinating wildlife, where students observe tree-climbing kangaroos, egg-laying mammals, flightless birds, giant lizards, and the many other iconic animals that live in Australia’s ancient rainforests and dry savannas. Students learn how each of these species has developed special adaptations to Australia’s unusual habitats and consider the policies and actions needed to preserve these precious ecosystems.  North Queensland – Australia - Farming for the Future Students spend their summer untangling the complex web of providing food for a global population and discuss ways of implementing sustainable agriculture in the face of environmental change. This program provides examples from the agricultural landscapes in both northern Queensland and on the Indonesian island of Bali. Topics such as matters of soil health, economic livelihoods, ethnobotany, economies of scale and meat production and distribution are covered. The program takes students to regenerative farms and the Cairns Botanic Gardens to learn how to identify multiple common tropical food plants in preparation for field excursions.  For additional program details or to set up a meeting on how these programs can support your work, please contact Callie O’Neill (coneill@fairfield.edu), Curriculum Administrator and Program Manager. Please reach out to Patricia Pivarnik(ppivarnik@fairfield.edu) to arrange a future classroom or club visit.