The Program

Exchange students can choose from a variety of undergraduate courses offered in English.  Almost all courses offered at Sogang are open to exchange students.  Students who are juniors or seniors can also take advantage of the graduate courses in the Graduate School of International Studies with prior permission from the appropriate professors.  According to their Korean proficiency level, students may choose to take regular courses lectured in Korean.  Korean Language courses are also available to students who wish to enhance their Korean language skills.

The Country and City

South Korea is a highly developed, stable, democratic republic bounded to the north by North Korea, and squeezed between the great regional powers of China to its west and Japan to its east and south.  It is a land of breathtaking scenery.  The capital, Seoul, lies in the northwestern part of the country along the Han River, not far from the northern border.

The larger Seoul national capital area which includes the major port city of Incheon, has over twenty-one million residents.  This makes it the third most populous metropolitan area in the world.  About one-half of South Korea's entire population lives in Seoul and its surrounding environs.  The city is the country's political, cultural, social, and economic center, as well as an international center for many financial and business organizations, and is considered one of the top 20 "world class cities".

The College

Sogang is one of Korea's most prestigious universities.  Founded by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), Sogang today has an enviable reputation as a dynamic center of academic excellence.  Less than 10% of Sogang's student body today is Catholic.  At 10,500 students, Sogang is one of the smaller elite universities in Korea.  Its campus is both compact and user-friendly and is situated in a very safe area of Seoul, close to other great Korean universities.

Sogang's School of Business is AACSB accredited and is widely recognized as one of the best in South Korea.  Sogang only accepts the top 1% of graduating seniors from the top South Korean high schools for their School of Business programs.  The school teaches between 20 and 25 classes in English every semester.

Special Academic and Extracurricular Programs

Sogang has a number of special academic and extracurricular programs that are open to exchange students (in addition to normal university courses):

• STEM Lab Internship: A semester-long lab research internship for STEM students.  Students will conduct lab based research under the guidance of a Sogang faculty member.  Internships are conducted for a maximum of 5 hours per week.  No prior knowledge of Korean is required.  
• Service Learning Program: There are a limited number of spaces available for this program.  Students will first participate in a one-credit service learning course consisting of 7 classroom sessions.  The course will focus on the communication skills necessary for community service, and understanding the characteristics and needs of the different groups you may be working with.  Students will then be placed in small groups (each group with at least one Korean student) to engage in community service work.  Students may be working with the elderly, the disabled, or with children or teenagers.  You must complete at least 24 hours of community service to successfully complete the course.  This is a good program for students who are looking for a more integrative experience.