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Program Dates: Late May to Late June 2008
Application Deadline: November 1, 2007
Type of Program: Faculty-Led Maymester Abroad Program
The goal of this Maymester Abroad program is to equip students with an understanding of the state-of-the-art media and their integration into advertising campaigns by focusing on the Asia-Pacific area as a center of dynamic innovation.
In today’s fast-changing media environment, advertisers are faced with the challenge of seeking alternatives to traditional media that are not as effective as they once were. Meanwhile, emerging digital media ranging from blogs to social networks, online games, cellular phones and podcasting have gained growing attention as viable advertising avenues. The development and reach of these new media are very much global in scope. As such, this rapidly evolving media landscape is a reality with which students of communication must be prepared to contend.
Asia is leading the trend in media innovation. Countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including Korea, Singapore, China, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan, are well known for their swift and wide adoption of the latest media. Since many Asian countries are already incorporating various new media technologies into advertising, the offering of this course is ideal in terms of timing and location. The 2008 program will be held in Singapore; future programs may be held in other Asian Pacific locales.
Professor Lee's research interests include cross-cultural consumer behavior, multicultural marketing communication, and consumers in a technology-mediated environment. Her work has been published in Journal of Advertising, Journal of Advertising Research, Journal of Business Research, Psychology & Marketing, Journal of International Marketing, International Journal of Advertising, Journal of Computer Mediated Communication, Journal of Current Issues and Research in Advertising, and various book chapters and conference proceedings. She co-edited the 2005 book Diversity in Advertising. Dr. Lee was the recipient of American Academy of Advertising Research Fellowship in 1992, 2002 and 2004, respectively. She has been a visiting professor at DDB Needham, Chicago and at D'Arcy Masius Benton and Bowles in New York City. Between 1998 and 2001, she was Executive Director of the Office of Survey Research at The University of Texas at Austin.
Courses: International Advertising (ADV 334) and a spring semester pre-departure component course, International Learning Seminar (UGS119).
Credit: In-residence credit is earned. Spring registration (students register for both in-residence courses for the spring semester, even though the study abroad component is held in the early summer).
Eligibility: The program is open to undergraduate students of The University of Texas at Austin who have successfully completed at least 60 hours of credit by the start of the program.
This course would be especially useful to students in communication, business or liberal arts disciplines who would like to gain in-depth knowledge of state-of-the-art media and advertising practices and develop the cultural understanding and skills that are germane to working in the global environment.
The International Advertising Maymester Abroad Program takes place immediately following the spring semester. Participants in this program are required to successfully complete the program’s pre-departure component, International Learning Seminar (UGS119), during the spring semester.
The International Learning Seminar (UGS 119) prepares students for the cultural experiences of studying and living abroad. Students are introduced to academic, cultural and personal aspects of foreign study through lectures and activities coordinated by the seminar professor as well as presentations by Maymester Abroad staff. This one-credit hour seminar meets for two hours each week during the first half of the semester with readings and regular assignments each week. Attendance is mandatory.
Classes in the International Advertising course (ADV 334) begin once students are abroad. The course is divided into four parts. Part I deals with foundation issues such as what cross-cultural communication entails and examines the operation of global communication organizations. Part II provides an overview of the new media landscape with attention toward the issue of media convergence, audience behavior, and how advertisers cope with these challenges. Part III of this course focuses on in-depth analyses of various new media platforms that have received the latest attention from advertisers in Asia. This analysis is also contrasted with the situation in the U.S. Part IV, the last part of the course, serves as a summary by engaging students to contemplate the role of media in future advertising practice. Issues such as the effectiveness of traditional media, the growing role of new media and the strategies to bring about the synergistic effect from the interplay between them, and how today’s media landscape changes the way communication professionals think about message placements in Asia and across the globe are discussed.
Class sessions will be conducted as a seminar, and students are expected to come to class prepared to contribute meaningfully to the class discussion. Discussions, exercises, guest presentations, and fieldtrips will all contribute to the classroom experience.
Students pay spring 07 tuition & fees (flat rate tuition applies for undergraduate students), airfare, and a Maymester Abroad program fee.
The program fee includes accommodation, some meals, field trips, a Lonely Planet guidebook and international health insurance. Once registered, tuition & fees refunds will be applied according to University policy.
Program fee (includes $500 deposit): $3,700
Round trip airfare: $1,600
Some meals: $250
Local transportation: $150
Books and supplies: $75
Passport and ISIC card: $130
Total estimated program expenses: $5,905
Students’ spring financial aid awards may be applied toward the cost of studying abroad. Spring semester financial aid packages can be recalculated based on the additional costs of the program, but arrangements need to be made in the fall, prior to spring aid disbursements. Students not currently using financial aid who are interested in applying for it, are encouraged to do so.
Various scholarships are specifically designated for international study, including IEF, and Co-Op Goes awards. However, additional scholarship opportunities are also available. Please refer to the funding information for study abroad for further information on financial aid and scholarship opportunities. It is important to begin planning as early as possible since some scholarships have to be applied for one year in advance.
Questions regarding financial aid for study abroad as it applies to this program should be directed to Eduardo Contreras in the CGEO.
The deadline to apply for admission to the International Advertising Maymester Abroad Program is November 1, 2007, but there are a number of steps to complete before that date. Please refer to the Step by Step Guide to Study Abroad for students in the College of Communication.
Please refer to the FAQ section of the Maymester site.
A special information session on Maymester Programs in China and Singapore will be offered on Tuesday, September 25, from 2 to 3 p.m. in CMA 5.160.
For study abroad advising/course/degree planning, see your academic advisor.
For more information on this Maymester Abroad program, please attend an information session, or contact Eduardo Contreras in the CGEO.
For Maymester Abroad registration information: Eduardo Contreras in the CGEO.