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Orientation (FSt 2929)
After spring semester 2008 the University of Minnesota Duluth will no longer offer the Foreign Studies courses, Fst 2929 and Fst 4949, required for the Foreign Studies Minor. Students who have not completed both courses by the end of Spring 2008 semester will not be eligible for the minor. See the UMD catalog and speak with your advisor to select an alternate minor offered at UMD. Students who have completed both courses by spring semester 2008 must complete all other requirements to earn the minor by graduation. |
Orientation to Foreign Studies helps student prepare for their study abroad experience prior to departure and adjust to living and studying abroad during their first weeks at the study abroad site. Prior to departure students are required to read two texts and complete three on-line assignments. In order to receive credit for the orientation course students studying abroad in fall term or for the academic year must complete the three pre-departure assignments by July 1 while students studying abroad beginning in the spring term must complete these assignments by December 1. In the first weeks at the study abroad site students are required to complete an additional assignment.
We strongly recommend you word process essays and "think pieces" required by some assignments. This will serve two purposes. First, you will then have a copy of the assignment should something go wrong with the on-line transmission. Second, on-line time can be expensive or difficult to come by at some study abroad locations. Your word processed work can be copied and pasted rapidly thus allowing you to get the work transmitted at little cost and when on-line access is available.
Two textbooks are required. One is a relatively brief book that addresses general issues most students studying abroad encounter when adjusting to life in a foreign culture. The other is a "country book" which is focused on life in and the history and culture(s) of the study abroad country the student has chosen.
The pre-departure assignments have been designed to help students become better acquainted with the people and life at the study abroad site as well as to develop realistic expectations of the experiences they will encounter as they adjust to life abroad. The assignments to be completed at the study abroad site are designed to get students involved in the life and culture(s) in their chosen country. Students find the assignments interesting, valuable, and not overly burdensome.
You can go to the FSt 2929 course page to begin work on the assignments. https://www.d.umn.edu/~tbacig/FS2929/
