College of Integrative Studies

Thailand and Singapore share many economic and cultural cross-border interactions with strong people to people ties. Business between the two countries has played an integral role contributing to the two countries’ bilateral economic growth and cooperation as ASEAN members. In any interaction (social or business), language is an important and effective tool to break the ice and build better relationships between individuals and organizations. The focus of the course is to strengthen the student’s knowledge of basic Thai in the four language skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing with an emphasis on applying these skills in a business setting. The course will provide students opportunities to learn, practice and sharpen their skills of oral presentation in both informal settings, such as social interactions (e.g., engaging in small talk) and also formal settings, such as giving a business presentation or participating in an interview. Students are expected to have basic knowledge of Thai language.

The course content is jointly developed by professors from the six local universities and will be delivered using a blended learning approach. Singapore is both a city and a country contained in a small geographical space located in Southeast Asia. It houses a diverse population in terms of race, language, religion, class and nationality. It possesses no natural resources, but has a highly educated labour force. Its economy has experienced significant growth rates, particularly in the late 70s and early 80s, coupled with low unemployment. 

Like most other more developed economies, it now confronts a range of socioeconomic issues (rapidly ageing population, declining fertility rates, widening income inequality, rising costs of living) amidst increasing global competition, technological advancements, and security threats. At the same time, Singaporeans have become more of a people with a stronger national identity, a greater propensity to participate in the decisions that affect the destiny of the country, and a wider range of views and voices on the future direction of Singapore, the challenges it confronts, and the strategies and means by which to achieve their preferred goal(s) for themselves, their children, and the country.

This course provides students with Business Korean speaking, listening, reading and writing skills necessary to communicate in a business environment, such as during job interviews, interacting with colleagues, and making simple business calls. The students will learn the business knowledge required for the different business situations, and improve their job skills based on the basic Korean Communication skills. Students are expected to have basic knowledge of Korean language.

This SMU-X overseas course integrates academic learning with experiential projects provided by international organizations. It challenges students to apply their disciplinary knowledge and skills to real-world problems through interdisciplinary methods. The course collaborates with corporate, non-profit, and government-sector organizations abroad for project design and content delivery. Students will receive mentorship from both faculty and practitioners of these partner organizations, guiding them to develop practical and implementable solutions. Although the course demands significant effort and time from students, its journey and outcomes can be highly rewarding. All SMU-XO courses meet the Global Exposure requirement.

With a focus on project-based experiential learning and cross-cultural understanding, SMU-XO courses aim to:

• Enhance awareness of interdisciplinary connections and differences, encouraging knowledge integration to address issues or challenges.
• Foster a deeper understanding of business opportunities and challenges in various global markets and economies relevant to students' interests.
• Familiarize students with informal networks and emphasize leveraging SMU-related networks in a global context.• Provide global exposure to cultivate culturally sensitive global citizens.
• Encourage adaptation to new environments and leadership development.
• Promote creative and critical problem-solving skills.
• Support sound decision-making in complex situations.
• Enhance collaborative and productive teamwork.

This course focuses on Southeast Asia, but may include South Asia, East Asia, and Oceania. The partner organization will have a need for strategic planning and communication, whether they have never conducted such planning or need to update an existing plan. In addressing that need, students will develop a communication strategy within the social marketing and strategic communication frameworks based on fieldwork in the host community.

The first half of the semester involves lectures about key issues in sustainable development, social marketing, and strategic communication. It also involves discussions with representatives from the partner organization, partner organisations, and communication practitioners who can guide preparation for the fieldwork. During recess week, and with the support of the partner organisation, students will interview, document, and observe members of the host community as part of formative research in formulating a communication strategy. This immersive experience will provide students with new perspectives on some of the challenges facing people and the planet. It will be an opportunity to put theory into practice and, hopefully, have a positive impact in the world.

In the second half of the semester, students will refine their communication strategies and develop communication collaterals. They will also reflect on the long-term sustainability of the strategy and how to evaluate its effectiveness. The semester ends with the presentation of the communication strategy before a panel composed of the course instructor and representatives from the partner organisation and other interested individuals.

This course will introduce students to the application of interdisciplinary working. Creating an interdisciplinary Major can be imagined as a puzzle whereby all the pieces are aligned around a central theme. Your module choices will form the foundational knowledge blocks for a critical question or line of enquiry which will be addressed through your final Capstone or Senior Thesis. Interdisciplinarity as a practice and method will help join all the strands together, allowing you to rise above siloed approaches to fully unpack and understand the complexity of the various dynamics at play within your chosen area of study. This course is a practical approach to interdisciplinary work through the visioning, creationing, and implementation of an interdisciplinary project. The course is worth 0.5 CUs and will run every other week.