Vancouver, Vancouver Island, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore - Asian Migration and the Making of Islands

ACAM 390A | 3 credits

Program overview

This course is led by Henry Yu, Faculty of Arts

  • Course dates: May 13, 2024 – June 28, 2024 
  • Travel dates: Approx May 30 – June 19, 2024
  • Format: In-person* 
    • *In Vancouver, classes will be hybrid (Zoom and in-person field trips)
  • Location(s) visited: Vancouver, Hong Kong, Penang, Malaysia; Singapore 
  • Approximate program fee: $3500 - $4000* (Go Global fee, tuition, food and flight [from Vancouver to first destination] are not included) 
  • Funding available (click through to learn more about each award) 

Upcoming Information Session

  • TBD

Apply by December 5, 2023

 Application instructions here

Apply Now

About the course 

This program allows students to conduct interdisciplinary academic research while exploring the histories, cultures, foodways, heritage, and geographies of Asian migration around the Pacific. With field trips to sites across the Lower Mainland and Asia, students will explore themes including race, Asian migrants and Indigeneity, foodscapes, and cultural heritage in colonial islands. Students will learn in traditional and non-traditional classroom settings locally and abroad to explore best practices in ethical community‐based research and knowledge sharing to rethink the history of BC and the Pacific and learn about the intertwined histories of Asian migrants in the making of islands. Students will be asked to present a project at a community showcase in June 2024.

Program eligibility  
General Global Seminar requirements

To participate in a Global Seminar, students must:  

  • Be in good-standing in their faculty (as defined by home faculty) 
  • In the year leading up to the Global Seminar, have full-time student status (as defined by home faculty)  
  • Have completed 2nd year requirements before the start of the program (i.e., eligible for 3rd or 4th year standing)  
  • Have at least a 70% academic average in your last full-time academic session before applying  
  • Maintain a 70% academic average leading up to the program  
  • Meet any program specific requirements listed below including pre-requisites before participating 
Program specific requirements
  • This is an interdisciplinary program: All are welcome! However, priority is given to ACAM students. Students not in ACAM will undergo an interview for competitive selection. 

Final selection will be done by the lead faculty program directors. Spots in the program may be limited.  

Students who wish to participate in the summer after graduating may be eligible on a case-by-case basis. 

Experience and conditions in the Field

The course will begin with two weeks of lectures, field trips, and group activities in Vancouver. The teaching team will invite community leaders from Chinatown, Punjabi Market, local museums and heritage organizations and other spaces to provide guest lectures to the class. After three weeks in Asia, UBC students will travel back to Vancouver to complete their research projects. Students will have time to produce their thesis media project and paper for a community showing at the end of June. 

Please note that the course schedule and itinerary are subject to change. 

Accommodations

Dorm and hostel-style accommodation while abroad. 

Program fees and costs
Approximate fees: $3500-$4000*

*The final fee depends on the number of students in the seminar. All Global Seminars only run if there is a minimum number of students enrolled.  

Program fees include:
  • Accommodation  
  • Program- related travel in-country; (e.g. buses)  
  • Excursions and entrance fees  
  • Some group meals  
  • On-site guest lectures
Not Included:  
  • Go Global Fee 
  • Flights* 
  • UBC tuition for credits   
  • Visa/country entrance fees   
  • Health or travel insurance  
  • Most meals 
  • Personal spending money**   

*For this program, you are responsible for purchasing your flight from Vancouver to the first destination of the course, as instructed by the teaching team. Other flights will be included in the cost of the program 

**Some examples of personal costs included: mobile communication, personal transportation that is not related to the learning outcomes of the program, additional meals that are not already identified as part of the Program Fee, immunizations, Visas, etc.   

Arts Research Abroad (ARA) Funding 

This seminar is designated as an Arts Research Abroad (ARA) course. ARA courses will provide an award which will cover up to 50% of program costs and flights for eligible students. In cases of demonstrated financial need (determined by Enrolment Services), ARA may fund up to 100% of the program costs and flights. 

All eligible Arts students selected for this program will be automatically considered for the award. No application is required. To see more details about eligibility requirements, please visit Go Global Awards. 

If selected to receive ARA, the program fee listed above will be reduced by 50% or 100%, depending on the funding you receive.  

For example: 

Students selected for ARA 50% will have program fee reduced from $3500 - $4000 to $1750-$2000. In addition, 50% of your flight will be covered (assessed based on the value of a roundtrip flight from YVR to destination during time of travel). Typically, students will need to pay for the flight first and be reimbursed through an award early in the summer term. 

Please note that not all Arts courses have ARA designation.

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