▲I conducted two interviews with students from the MCH 11th graduating class, who are learning at major universities in Korea.
First, I interviewed Kim Hyorim, who is majoring in International Studies at Kyung Hee University. This is the content of the interview.
△What motivated you to go to the international department?
Kim Hyorim: Since I was young, I attended an American international school in China. I liked to meet friends from various countries and discuss problems by sharing different ideas. I was also interested in global issues including human rights, politics, and culture in each country. Therefore, I hoped to enter an international department where I could make use of my relatively confident English and learn various things about the field.
△In MCH, which activity helped you to enter International Department?
Kim Hyorim: I did a lot of activities in MCH, such as MOSP MWM, MIMUN, writing a business plan, Essay contest, and so on. I think all the activities I did helped me to enter University. But in my case, I wanted to enter International Studies, focusing on the global economy, so writing a business plan that establishes a share house for adolescents who no longer receive protection from institutes was the most helpful. I noticed a problem for adolescents who were not properly protected by the government because of their age, and I thought that these problems can’t be solved by welfare system and support level available at that time. So, I wrote a business plan that establishes a share house for them in detail. It was difficult but it helped me to enter college by trying to link the specificity and will to implement it with human rights issues.
△How are classes conducted at your school?
Kim Hyorim: In International Studies, the major classes are separated into Economics and International Relations, and all the classes are conducted in English. In Economics class, I learn macroeconomics, microeconomics, blockchain, business and so on. Relatively there are a lot of lecture classes in Economics. In international relations class, I learn politics, international law, international negotiations, comparative study about region, international security, and so on. Also, there is a high proportion of discussion, essay writing, and presentation in class. For economics, the test is a problem-solving process, and for international relations, paper writing, teamwork, presentation, and discussion.
Secondly, I interviewed Kim Heeseo, who is a sophomore at Yonsei University's UIC. (Underwood International College)
△What do you learn in UIC? Please inform us of UIC’s curriculum.
Kim Heeseo: UIC is a department-level program, so students choose their majors when they become sophomores. Therefore, freshmen mainly take general education classes or introductory courses for their majors. Unlike other departments, there are specific mandatory general curriculum exclusively for the School of International Studies. These include Critical Reasoning, Research Design and Quantitative Methods, World History, World Literature, World Philosophy, Freshmen Writing, Scriptures, Christianity, and Modern Society. You can choose these courses according to your graduation requirements. From the second year onwards, the focus shifts to major-specific classes. UIC offers five major disciplines: Comparative Literature and Culture (CLC), International Studies (IS), Economics (ECON), Political Science and International Relations (PSIR), and Life Science and Biotechnology (LSBT). However, LSBT is the only science major within the UIC, and the university admission process for this major is separate from the others.
△What is people’s future path after graduating UIC?
Kim Heeseo: Future career depends on students’ major. I think the advantage of Underwood Department is that students can advance into various fields depending on their major. But, most students choose Economics or International Studies, so it is true that there are many graduates working in the field related to those majors. Some graduates are employed by companies such as Naver and Kakao, others are taking professional tests such as CPA, and some are working for the United Nations International Organization.
△What activities in MCH will help students enter UIC?
Kim Heeseo: Every class in UIC is conducted in English, so you should prove your excellent English skill in the entrance interview. I did Language Assistant activity, TED speaker activity and so on. But you should show your interest and prove about Underwood majors. In my case, I wanted to study international studies at the time of application. So I participated in international ambassador, MYRC, and several exchange activities with Taiwanese students.
△What precautions should students take when preparing to enter UIC?
Kim Heeseo: UIC is different with the Department of English Language and Literature and not the Department for learning English. English is only a basic knowledge for taking classes at the Underwood Department. In addition, interviews at UIC are conducted in an independent way that is different from interviews for entering other universities or entering other major subjects in Yonsei University. You should prepare for other department interviews while also practicing UIC interviews.
[More information can be found on the university's website.]
We caught up with Ryu Jin from Michuhol Foreign Language High School 10th graduating class and Lee Jiyu from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies 11 to learn more about Hankuk University of Foreign Studies' Scandinavian Studies program.
I asked two people the same question, and this gave me more information. (Questions about school or information were grouped together to organize responses around commonalities, and questions that asked for personal responses were separated into two separate responses.)
△Are there any special events or activities for non-Korean students?
Lee Jiyu: As a foreign university, there are many activities and opportunities to experience various countries. Recently, there was a cultural expo at my school, where international students had booths to introduce their countries and cultures. For example, in the Scandinavian Studies department, we have a tandem, mentoring, and tutoring program every semester. It's a program to exchange language and culture with international students and exchange students from Sweden and other Scandinavian countries. In my case, I met a Swedish friend through Tandem, and we had a great time meeting again during my trip to Sweden. In addition, there are many beneficial activities such as the Swedish Embassy Student Exchange Program, special lectures on Nordic companies, and overseas trips to work and start a business in the Nordic region, which are held regularly. If you take a look at the Instagram of the International Student Association called ISO, I personally think that the programs organized here are well equipped with the identity of a foreign university! If you are interested, my Instagram ID is @hufsisoseoul.
△I remember your Japanese grades were very high, did you find it easier to learn specialty languages?
Ryu Jin: Japanese and Swedish are two very individual languages that are hard to find commonalities between. I learned Swedish for the first time after entering university, so I had to put in a lot of effort to get used to the differences in the beginning. Judging by the number of years I've been studying Japanese, I feel more familiar and easier with it, but since I started majoring in Swedish, I've had the experience of becoming more and more familiar with my major language.
Lee Jiyu: I was a Japanese major at Michuhol, but now I'm studying Swedish as a Scandinavian language major. I don't think my Japanese studies have directly helped me with my Swedish studies because the scripts are different, but I've been studying hard and utilizing the experience of studying my major language at Michuhol, and I think that has definitely helped. For friends who are interested in specialty languages, I think the level of difficulty will vary depending on what specialty language you want to learn and what languages you have been exposed to so far. In the case of Swedish, for example, the basic English alphabet has å, ä, and ö, and there are many similarities with other Western languages (French, German, etc.), so if you have been exposed to these languages, you will have an advantage. I found English and Swedish to be similar, so it was relatively easy to learn.
△What makes Specialty Languages unique?
Ryu Jin: First of all, I love the Swedish language. However, since most of my classmates were introduced to the language after entering the university, it took me a while to get used to it. Being able to go through the process with my classmates and bump into each other is a great advantage, as it makes you feel like a family. As I mentioned in point 1, there are activities that you can't easily experience unless you are a foreign specialty language student.
Lee Jiyu: Personally, I think the most appealing aspect is that we learn a language that others can't easily learn, and there is a sense of pride that comes from that! I also think it's good that the group is small because of the nature of the department, so we have a strong bond with each other, and I can imagine myself in the future by looking at various examples of wonderful seniors who have gone before me. Last but not least, there are a lot of events and activities related to the country of our major, so we can have a variety of experiences! Right now, I'm going to the Swedish Embassy next week because I've been invited :)
△What is your double major?
Ryu Jin: I am 'double majoring' in EICC (English Interpretation and Communication). It's important to note that a double major is a program that allows you to earn two degrees side-by-side upon graduation, while a minor is a program that does not allow you to earn two degrees with the same qualifications.
△What happens to my timetable, etc. when I double major?
Ryu Jin: Declaring a double major or minor usually occurs after the end of the second semester of your freshman year, and you begin taking classes in your major in the first semester of your sophomore year.
You can register for classes according to the number of credits you need to complete your double major. The major requires 54 credits, and the double major requires 42 credits to graduate. You can apply for a double major at the end of your freshman year, and if you are selected, you can start taking a double major from your sophomore year. Each department has different requirements for applying for a double major (credits, interview, application, TOEIC/TOEFL scores, self-test, etc. In the case of credits, it may vary depending on the year, so you should check the course syllabus for that year.
If you have more questions about the double major, please refer to the "Course Catalog" on the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies website!
△Do you have any final thoughts?
Ryu Jin: In closing, I'd like to thank you for your interest in the specialty. My story isn't the answer, it's just an example, and if you can bring your own personality and story to the table and work hard for the rest of the year, and if you have the passion and sincerity that boils from the bottom of your heart for specialty languages, that's all you need to apply! I wish you all the best!
[More information can be found on the university's website.]
Shin Jiho (1-5)¹ | Staff Reporter
Jung Haneol (2-6)² | Staff Reporter
1) 10512shinjiho@gmail.com
2) haneol06@naver.com
