OVERVIEW

South Korea, known globally for its vibrant culture and technological advancements, is also a leader in the energy sector. This course offers a unique opportunity to explore Korea's energy industry and culture beyond the popular “K-wave”. By combining industry visits, cultural experiences, and academic learning, students will gain a valuable understanding of the global energy landscape and prepare themselves for the challenges and opportunities of the future. 

Program Highlights:

• An asynchronous online summer course with a mandatory 10-day in-country residential travel component to South Korea;
• Immersive, hands-on examination of the unique social, political, and economic dimensions of South Korea’s energy landscape;
• Guided tours of prominent research and business entities in the South Korean energy sector, including renewable energy villages, hydroelectric and nuclear power plants, atomic energy research institutes, and semiconductor manufacturers;  
• Visits to sites of social, cultural, and historical significance, including the Changdeokgung Palace, the Bulguksa Temple, the Jeonju bibimbap and street food market, and more;
• Special guest lectures from local energy experts and influential Korean cultural figures.

FACULTY MEMBER

Sueyon Seo (East Asian Studies)

COURSEWORK

• Course Title: EAST 0315 : Beyond the K-Wave: A Deep Dive into Korea's Energy Industry
• Credit: Participants will earn one unit of credit, equivalent to four semester hours. 
• Prerequisites: None
• Language of instruction: The language of instruction for this course is English. However, the in-country portion of this course will offer students of Korean the opportunity to apply their language skills through interactions with the local community.

DATES

*June 16, 2025 – July 11, 2025

 *Please note that program dates and itinerary are tentative and will be finalized in Spring 2025. 

ITINERARY 

*The online post-travel coursework will involve both asynchronous and synchronous components.  Asynchronous work will consist of independent work on written assignments and a final project.  Synchronous work will consist of one real-time Zoom session for final project presentations, which will be scheduled at a mutually convenient time for all participants.

HOUSING

In South Korea, students will be housed in hotels in multiple occupancy rooms with a shared bathroom.  Housing arrangements are subject to change as the program is finalized. 

Please note that all participants are required to stay in program-arranged housing. Independently arranged housing will not be permitted.

All breakfasts and approximately half of all lunches and dinners will be provided and paid for by the program.  Students will be responsible for paying for all other meals out-of-pocket.

PROGRAM COST

Brown Global Summer Program participants are billed for Brown Summer Session Tuition and a Global Housing, Meal & Activity Fee that covers housing, program activities, and some meals while in-country.  The tuition and fees for Summer Session 2025 will be published on the Student Financial Services website.  The estimated Global Housing, Meal & Activity Fee for this program is $3,500.

This program also has anticipated expenses, including airfare, that will not be billed by Brown.  We will be uploading detailed estimates of the unbilled expenses for this program in the coming weeks on this website.

SUMMER GRANTS

Brown undergraduates who receive financial aid during the academic year may be eligible for a Summer Grant towards their Summer Session charges. Eligible students will be contacted by the Office of Financial aid in late February/early March with information about their eligibility.

TIMELINES 

Please make note of the following deadlines for Summer 2025 programs.  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

• Saturday, February 1: Preferred Application Deadline
• Saturday, March 1: Final Application Deadline
• Friday, March 7:  Admissions Decision
• Saturday, March 15:  Commitment Deadline
• April 1 - April 15: Students Purchase Flights

VISITING STUDENTS 

Visiting students from other (i.e., non-Brown) colleges and universities are welcome and encouraged to submit a visiting student application to any Brown Global Summer Program.  

As part of the application process, visiting students must also submit an official academic transcript to demonstrate that they meet the following two eligibility criteria:

• Active enrollment as a degree-seeking, undergraduate student at the time of program delivery (i.e., graduating seniors are not eligible)
• Good academic standing

Instructions for submitting an official transcript as a visiting student are provided in the online application for each program.

CONTACTS

Chris Van Booven, Assistant Director of Global Programs