Engage in historical role-playing to analyze international issues
Explore international events through in-depth study of specific moments in history
The Immersive International Studies Summer Institute explores key international events through a vibrant and engaging curriculum. Active learning is incorporated to develop an understanding of international issues as well as a diverse skill set, such as persuasive speaking, critical thinking, research skills, problem-solving, teamwork, expository writing, and leadership skills.
The program allows for the exploration of key international events through an in-depth approach to specific moments in history in order to gain a complex understanding of the issues of that time. The program offers two tracks, Track A – Korea at the Crossroads of Civilizations: Confucianism, Westernization, and the 1894 Kabo Reforms; and Track B – Defining a New Nation: India on the Eve of Independence, 1945.
The Immersive International Studies Summer Institute is offered under the auspices of the UCLA International Institute, which serves as the focal point for international research and teaching at UCLA. Through its multidisciplinary centers and programs dedicated to the study of world regions and global issues, the Institute fosters learning about and active participation in the contemporary world. The academic programs offered through the UCLA International Institute focus on the modern and interdisciplinary study of many of the world’s regions (Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East) and important international thematic issues (international development, global health, and globalization) facing the world today.
Immersive International Studies Summer Institute Program Overview
Students will participate in person at UCLA, experiencing all that our campus has to offer during their summer program.
For participants in the Immersive International Studies Summer Institute, living in on-campus housing is optional. Students who wish to live in UCLA residence halls alongside other program participants may sign up for housing at the time of registration. The total cost for housing, which includes room, board (two meals per day), student supervision, and evening and weekend activities, is an additional $702.
For more information on UCLA housing precollege programs, please see the Housing for Minors page.
The Immersive International Studies Summer Institute awards credit for the following UCLA coursework:
- International and Area Studies 10 – Explorations in International Studies (2 Units per track)
Track A – Korea at the Crossroads of Civilizations: Confucianism, Westernization, and the 1894 Kabo Reforms
Students who participate in the 1894 Korea module will be immersed into Chosŏn Korea as appointed members of the Deliberative Council who are tasked with the responsibility of overhauling the government, economy, and society. Councilmembers belong to different factions and all are involved in the arguments around questions of how best to resist foreign aggression and preserve Korean independence. Students must stay true to their character and faction, but this is more than a simulation as students will determine how their version of a modern Korea will look.
Students will tackle questions such as:
- How can Korea retain aspects of Confucian civilization while learning from the experiences of China and Japan to adapt some aspects of Westernization in order to strengthen itself as a sovereign power?
- How can Korea reconstruct itself from the top-down to address some of the political and social fissures that have formed in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries?
Track B: Defining a New Nation – India on the Eve of Independence, 1945
Students who participate in the Defining a Nation module will be immersed into India’s historical struggle for sovereignty and identity, exploring the time period when the British viceroy invited key religious and political leaders to Simla, India to decide the fate of an independent India. Taking on roles of actual and unnamed characters such as Mohandas Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, a Sikh leader, member of rural Hindu India, and others, students will decide the fate of post-British India. Students must stay true to their character and faction, but this is more than a simulation as students will determine how their version of India will look.
Students will tackle questions such as:
- How can a democracy be installed in a modern context?
- How can various religious and social groups coalesce into a single nation?
- Will power transfer to the India National Congress, which claims to represent all Indians?
- Will the Muslim League succeed in partitioning Pakistan from India?
- How can vulnerable minority groups gain protection from stronger groups in a democratic India?
To participate in the Immersive International Studies Summer Institute, students must meet the following qualifications:
- 14 years of age or older as of June 20, 2022
- Enrolled in grades 8 – 12 during Spring 2022
Students who do not meet the eligibility requirements will not be considered and are encouraged to explore other opportunities.
Registration for the Immersive International Studies Summer Institute can be done conveniently online with the following steps:
- Access the Summer Institute Online Registration Form starting February 15 at 8am Pacific Standard Time (PST). Read all terms and conditions, then scroll to the bottom and select “Yes, Continue to Registration.”
- Provide responses to all required questions on both pages of the registration form and then “Submit”.
- Once your form is submitted, you will be redirected to the retrieve registration page, where you can select “Pay Now” to proceed with payment of the $350 non-refundable registration fee*. Continue with the payment instructions to reserve your space in the program.
A space in the program is not reserved until a valid payment of the $350 non-refundable registration fee* is made. If you are not prepared to pay after submitting the registration form, you may retrieve your registration at another time to make payment; however, this risks losing a space in the program if it reaches capacity prior to payment being submitted. An email with instructions to retrieve registration with your five-digit registration number will be sent within an hour after submitting your registration.
*The registration fee is required for each program and is not refundable under any circumstances including, but not limited to, drop for non-payment and withdrawal, even if you withdraw from the program before it begins.
If the program is full, you will not be prompted to make payment. If the program offers a waitlist and your application is accepted from the waitlist, you will be notified by email with instructions for how to submit payment. Please note if the payment is not submitted within 24 hours of receiving the email, you will be moved to the end of the waitlist.
If registering after May 1, full payment of the program fee and non-refundable registration fee will be required to reserve your space in the program. Additional fees, such as the document fee and IEI fees, will be assessed after enrollment.
For questions and assistance, please contact us at info@summer.ucla.edu.
UCLA Summer Sessions Summer Scholars Support
Qualified students attending grades 8th – 11th in Spring 2022 in the state of California may be eligible for Summer Scholars Support, a need- and merit-based scholarship offered by the UCLA Summer Sessions Office. A limited number of full and partial scholarships are available to support enrollment in SCIP/eSCIP, one Summer Course, or a Precollege Summer Institute.
Summer 2022 deadline to apply: April 1.
Track A:
July 11, 2022 – July 15, 2022
Track B:
July 18, 2022 – July 22, 2022
The schedule and syllabus are subject to change. Enrolled students will be given updated materials closer to the program start date.
Fees and Payment Info
The program fee includes the unit fees for the UCLA coursework offered as part of the program and thus varies by UC student status. In addition to the program fee, students are assessed other campus and administrative fees during the summer. This is a summary of fees that commonly apply to the selected student type.
Actual tuition and fees are subject to change by the University of California. Visit the fees, payment, and financial aid section for important disclaimer, as well as more details on fees, payment instructions, and information on delinquency, refunds, and financial aid.
**OPTIONAL HOUSING FEE** = $702
Students living in on-campus housing will be charged an additional housing fee.
| Program Fee | $825 |
| Registration Fee | $350 |
| IEI Fee | $61 |
| Document Fee (for first-time Summer Sessions students) | $50 |
Meet your instructors
Dr. Jennifer Jung-Kim
LecturerLeading the UCLA Immersive International Studies Summer Institute 2022 is Dr. Jennifer Jung-Kim, who has a PhD in Korean history from UCLA. She is a lecturer in the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures, Program in International and Area Studies, and the Honors Collegium Program at UCLA, teaching interdisciplinary courses on Asia as well as upper-division courses on Korean history and culture. She is honored to have been a recipient of the 2021 UCLA Distinguished Teaching Award. Dr. Jung-Kim is a strong advocate of Reacting to the Past, having co-written the 1894 Korea game and served on the Reacting Advisory Board. She teaches historical role- playing games because students enjoy and retain what they learn in a proactive, immersive environment.
Immersive International Studies Summer Institute FAQ
Yes!
Track A: Korea at the Crossroads of Civilizations – Confucianism, Westernization, and the 1894 Kabo Reforms
- Readings TBD
Required and recommended readings will be available in PDF format on Canvas.
Track B: Defining a New Nation – India on the Eve of Independence, 1945
- Defining a Nation: India on the Eve of Independence, 1945 (ISBN 978-0-393-93728-2), which be purchased from Norton. The book is also available on Amazon.
- Be sure to read these parts before the first class:
- “The Train to Simla, June 1945”
- Appendix A: Hindiusm and the Bhagavad Gita
- Appendix B: Muhammad and the Qur’an
- “Unfinished Journey: From the Mughals to the British Raj and Beyond”
Appendix C (Major Documents)
-
Bhagavad Gita, Books 1-4, 11, available here.
- Be sure to read these parts before the first class:
The third edition of the required text is pending, and updated purchase info or a PDF will be available in Spring 2022.
Aside from the readings before the program starts, there is minimal homework during the week because students will have ample time in class to write their assignments under the guidance of the professor. If a student needs more time, he/she will be able to complete the assignment at home in the evening.
No.
Students are encouraged to bring a computer, iPad/tablet, or at least a smartphone with some editing capabilities each day.
Students will receive a Pass/No Pass (P/NP) upon completion. To receive a “Pass” notation, students must earn a letter grade of C or better. See University Credit, Grades and Transcripts for more information about academic credit.
Still have questions? Check out the general Summer Institutes FAQ.