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.
Disciplinary and multidisciplinary knowledge: Students will be exposed to the different interdisciplinary theories and methods used in different disciplines to think with, and work through, complex challenges.
Intellectual and creative skills: Students will engage with classic and contemporary research methodologies and theories with a view to designing their own interdisciplinary approaches to study and thereby formulate their own problem statements and analytical frameworks to interrogate particular themes.
Global citizenship: Students will exposed to contemporary complex challenges that impact societies on local, regional, and global scales.
Disciplinary and multidisciplinary knowledge:
Students will become familiar with the culture and language of Korean, business etiquette and behavioural norms in Korea, to ensure greater adaptability to doing business in Korean and more generally, in a fast moving, globalised world.
Intellectual and creative skills:
Students will be able to express themselves in business Korean using formal forms and honorific forms, write their resume and cover letter, and interact with native speakers during interviews, telephone conversations and via emails. This will help equip them with the foundation to learn and master the language at
higher levels later on.
Interpersonal skills:
Students will be able to communicate with Korean speaking people, as well as understand the nuances in verbal and non-verbal interactions in this unique culture. This helps to enhance their ability to engage and connect with people from Korea, as well as other North Asian cultures, in the business context and otherwise.
Global citizenship:
Students will be able to understand and appreciate the culture of Korea, and the history, geopolitical, business etiquette and economic background that has contributed to the current spread of the Korean cultural phenomenon. This allows them to appreciate the differences and similarities of cultures, but also the interconnectedness of global cultures and economies and how language and culture can be powerful connectors
- Well-informed individuals who are able to develop new frameworks and perspectives in understanding different facets of Singapore society and life in Singapore;
- Critical and knowledgeable individuals with a good grasp of the issues and challenges confronting Singapore;
- Thinking and active individuals who are able to harness the acquired knowledge and skills to develop strategies and policies that would be beneficial to all Singaporeans in the Singapore they envision for the future.
- Have a sound understanding of the manner in which a country's social, economic, political and cultural context affect the daily operation of the constitution;
- Have developed a critical awareness of contemporary challenges faced by constitutions;
- Be able to identify possible responses that State organs, agencies and others may take in ensuring the effective protection of constitutional rules and rights;
- Be comfortable in tackling the previous objectives from a comparative perspective.
By the end of the course, students will have produced an actionable deliverable which was proposed as the course challenge by the course industry partner.
Through the online lectures, interview clips and face-to-face discussions, this course invites students to:
1. Critically reflect on Singapore's post-independence history, and its impact on Singapore's future development trajectories;
2. Contemplate the kind of Singapore they envision for the future.
3. Understand the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that can help or hinder Singapore achieving their vision(s) for the country.
4. Deliberate upon the range and nature of strategies and policies that will enable Singapore to achieve their vision(s) for the country.
Students suggested various outreach strategies to effectively reach out to youths of different ages and social economical status to counter radicalisation.
Students developed and implemented an action plan to encourage other youths to take interest in various Singapore's challenges.
Through the online lectures, interview clips and face-to-face discussions, this course invites students to:
1. Critically reflect on Singapore's post-independence history, and its impact on Singapore's future development trajectories;
2. Contemplate the kind of Singapore they envision for the future.
3. Understand the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that can help or hinder Singapore achieving their vision(s) for the country.
4. Deliberate upon the range and nature of strategies and policies that will enable Singapore to achieve their vision(s) for the country.
Through the online lectures, interview clips and face-to-face discussions, this course invites students to:
1. Critically reflect on Singapore's post-independence history, and its impact on Singapore's future development trajectories;
2. Contemplate the kind of Singapore they envision for the future.
3. Understand the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that can help or hinder Singapore achieving their vision(s) for the country.
4. Deliberate upon the range and nature of strategies and policies that will enable Singapore to achieve their vision(s) for the country.