Asian Scholars Program

The Asian Scholars Program is an academic and professional development program at the University of Missouri. Through quality classes and independent research, scholars will gain more extensive skills in the areas of international academic presentations and research collaboration. Scholars will gain experience in their fields of study through MU faculty-guided research, and the opportunity to audit university courses in their relevant areas of specialty. Through diverse programming, participants will achieve a higher level of international proficiency, thus making them more valuable assets in their home countries.

Components

  • Global leadership courses (Monday–Thursday, 9 a.m.–noon, three hours per week per course*): These courses focus on practical, usable skills that will enhance global competency and cross-cultural communication. Professionals and experts in the community lead these courses in a way that furthers the idea of living English while the scholars are in America. Examples of courses include:
    • Professional communication courses: Exploring English; Speaking and Pronunciation; Vocabulary Development; Listening Comprehension; Writing (Intermediate and Advanced ); Professional Presentations (Intermediate and Advanced); Idiomatic Business English; Conversational and Situational English; Discussion and Debate; Persuasion and Negotiation
    • Topic-specific courses: Diversity, Demography and Democracy; Leadership Skills; American Film; Current Events in the U.S.; U.S. Media; Current Global Issues; Travel and Tourism; Parent, School and Community; Music Genres; Local Government and Citizen Involvement; Humor; American Education; Community in America’s Heartland; History of Missouri; Trends that Shape America; Defining Moments in the 20th Century U.S.; American Recreation and Sport; Black Swans
  • Global leadership seminars (weekly): Dynamic guest speakers present on current issues and topics of interest. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of worldwide topics and enhance their global awareness.
  • Professional site visits (Fridays): In order to learn more about best practices and how a variety of sectors have an impact on the quality of life of Missouri citizens, scholars will have the opportunity to visit offices and agencies to gain a better understanding of American business and government practices. Examples of site visit locations include Missouri state offices and agencies, city of Columbia “quality of life” tour, metropolitan areas, tourism, city revitalization projects, balanced regional development projects and multinational corporations (e.g., Boeing, Anheuser-Busch, Harley Davidson, Monstanto, Black and Veatch).
  • Independent research and course auditing: Scholars will receive guidance for their research, including connections with specialists in their field, information on conferences and journal publication resources. Scholars will have the opportunity to audit MU courses as non-registered students, which provides all of the knowledge and instructions without the requirement of exams or papers.
  • Accent modification program (weekly): Participants may choose to attend one-on-one sessions with an MU graduate specialist in the Department of Communication Science and Disorders. This high-quality program is designed to improve pronunciation of spoken English.
  • Conversation partners program (weekly): Visiting scholars can be paired with a native English speaker, and the partners learn about each other’s cultures through one-on-one conversations and outings.

*Scholars take at least four classes from the professional communication and topics courses per semester.