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Q: What is the purpose of the Sejong Korea Scholars Program (SKSP)?

A: The SKSP was established by the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE) and the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center (APARC) to provide exemplary high school students across the United States with a comprehensive distance learning course on Korean history and U.S.–Korean relations. The SKSP enables students to develop a rich understanding of various aspects of Korean culture, art, literature, history, economics, society, and politics and the historical and contemporary relationship between the United States and Korea. The course also emphasizes the importance of learning about both American and Korean perspectives on historical and contemporary issues in U.S.–Korean relations.

Q: Who is eligible to apply to the SKSP?

A: All current high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors in the United States are eligible to apply. Students of diverse ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Prospective students may range from those who have exhausted every possible opportunity to learn about Korea and want to be challenged to a far greater extent than their high schools can provide, to those who have never had the opportunity to take a course on Korea but are intellectually curious about Korea and U.S.–Korean relations. Students who apply to the SKSP should be self-motivated, genuinely interested in learning about Korea and U.S.–Korean relations, and excited about interacting with other high school students across the United States.

Q: How is the SKSP coursework structured?

A: From February through May, students participate in an Internet-mediated course that provides a broad overview of Korean history, literature, religion, art, politics, economics, education, and contemporary society, as well as U.S.–Korean relations. Top scholars provide lectures, and engage students in dialog via live Virtual Classroom (VC) sessions. Students complete reading materials, assignments, and a final research project (due in early June).

Q: What makes the SKSP unique?

A: The college-level instruction provided by top scholars is unparalleled in other distance learning courses for high school students. The Virtual Classroom sessions also provide students with the occasion to engage in live discourse with these preeminent scholars. During the VCs, the discussion leaders often challenge students to engage higher-order thinking skills and to consider multiple perspectives. This unique opportunity to learn directly from such noted scholars is a distinctive element of the SKSP.

Q: What are the technology requirements for participating in the SKSP?

A: High speed Internet access, a Mac or PC computer, and a computer microphone.

Q: How much time should students expect to dedicate to the SKSP?

A: Students typically spend between 3–6 hours per week on the SKSP. This time is spent completing the course readings and homework assignments, and participating in the discussion forums and VC sessions. The VC sessions take place throughout the course (schedule to be determined) at 5:00pm Pacific Time. This is to accommodate all students across the United States, from Hawai‘i to the East Coast.

Q: Do students need to know the Korean language to participate in the SKSP?

A: Students are not required to know the Korean language to participate in the SKSP.