School of Social Sciences

Global Exposure Opportunities

SOSS students will experience some form of global exposure, either from going on an exchange, an overseas internship, a study mission or participating in summer study programmes.

SOCIAL SCIENCE STUDY MISSIONS

Nothing beats seeing successful companies "live" in action. SMU students have embarked on overseas study missions for a host of site visits, networking sessions and presentations by specialists and experts in various Social Science fields. They connect the students by uniting theory and practice through their discussion and practical fieldwork experience.

Here are the various Overseas Study Missions organized by the School. Click on the image to read more about them.

PSYC307 Psychology Study Mission

Psychology Study Mission: Cultural Impact on Creative Industries (also a SMU-XO course) is offered in collaboration with the Institute of Creative Industries Design at the National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Taiwan. This course seeks to benefit students through four learning goals:

  1. Provide an advanced understanding of the theoretical and empirical work on the psychological science of creativity/innovation and relevant areas at both the individual and collective levels (e.g., creative cognition, the roles of bicultural identity and multicultural experience in creativity, multicultural teams).
  2. Receive hands-on experience in utilizing design thinking to generate ideas and design prototypes.
  3. Apply both theoretical knowledge and applied skillsets in a project that involves a business client in Taiwan’s cultural and creative industry.
  4. Engage SMU students in cross-cultural collaboration experience with Taiwanese students through working together on client-based projects.

“Embarking on this study mission without knowing what to expect, what I brought back home was far more than what I’ve imagined. Invaluable experiences, memories and friendships formed, ten days in Tainan has taught me much more than one semester in SMU.” 
– Sim Wai Leng, 4th year Psychology major

“This study mission is quite likely one of the best modules I have ever taken in SMU. Being the first psychology study mission, I suppose none of us knew what to expect; in some ways, going along with things as they came made everything a much more enjoyable experience. Undoubtedly, the line-up of activities arranged throughout the study mission all contributed significantly to a richer understanding of the relations between culture and creativity.”
– Bryan Choy, 2nd year Fast Track MPhil in Psychology

“The two-day workshop held in Singapore and nine-day study mission to Tainan was undoubtedly an eye-opening and enriching experience. The opportunity to learn from a host of academics and industry representatives as well as to thoroughly immerse in the local culture and lifestyle was invaluable.”
– Leung Yu Rong, 4th year Psychology major

“I was deeply moved by the confidence and willingness of the professors to guide us in the design thinking process. Because of that, I felt this strong motivation to do better, both in terms of our group work and personal development. I have always admired people who are creative, and this study mission gave me the tools and confidence to achieve that in the near future.”
– Ariel Teo Yi Jun, 4th year Psychology major

POSC307 Political Science Study Mission

This is a different kind of study mission: a student-led course that combines an Overseas Community Service Project with an opportunity to conduct fieldwork in a low-income rural area of southwest China. Uniting theory and practice, this advanced course combines critical discussions based on academic readings with practical fieldwork experience. Course components include pre-trip seminar-style class sessions, an Overseas Community Service Project (OCSP) component, and one class session during the field trip. Integral to the course is an approximately 18-days trip to a village in Guizhou province, southwest China. In Guizhou, in addition to designing and implementing service projects that meet unmet needs, students conduct primary research – interviewing farmers, officials, teachers and others. (Mandarin is not a requirement since research is conducted in pairs.)

SOCG306 Sociology Study Mission

The two-week study mission to Kashgar in China and Lahore in Pakistan via the Karakorum Highway, a major connection for the CEPC, was to expose students to some of the most important infrastructure development occurring in the 21st Century. The Corridor is a package exceeding $50 billion of road, rail, energy, and port projects, which is the crucial link between the land and maritime arms of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The group was to study the infrastructure projects and their social, environmental, and regional impact. The study mission gave students a better understanding of the micro-level impact of giant bilateral economic partnerships between nations. Before going to Pakistan, the students had a single unitary understanding of how CPEC affects both countries. Only until they were on the ground, did they realise that even within each country, the gains and losses of CPEC are distributed differently. The city benefits more, whereas the disadvantages is felt more in the outer provinces of Punjab. Those with highly valued social connections have it better than those without. Ultimately, the trip has provided the students with a small snippet of life in Pakistani and Chinese societies.

“Throughout my time in Pakistan and Xinjiang, many a times we encountered barriers in communication during our attempts to glean more about their stories. It was difficult at times, but the effort put into bridging these gaps are always worth it. In a world where difference in tongues often divides and denies potential to understand and learn from each other, I guess sometimes we can always count on a smile to cut across these boundaries, and with the right amount of heart, to always be universal..” 
– Lee Ying Sham, 4th year Sociology major

“When I told friends and family I was going to Pakistan, they responded to me with shock, disbelief, worry, and general confusion as to why I would want to take a trip to a chaotic, dangerous, developing country. The impression many of us have of Pakistan is exactly that; however learning about its socio-political context and nuances in culture, religion, and history revealed how diverse, complex, and exciting the country is. Actually being in Lahore, speaking to locals and walking its streets, was an invaluable and rich experience, well worth the effort of a graded study mission. I learned how proud Lahoris are of their country and city, how resilient they are in all that they have been through.”
– Tifanis Eu, Sociology major graduate

“When you hear about Pakistan through a seminar or a video, perhaps through the news, perhaps through seeing that BBC clip of the 'bizarre' Wagah border ceremony - it doesn’t quite hit you that you’re actually going to the place you’ve heard about all this time. We left Changi Airport with this very unreal expectation of being in mortal peril once we touch down, and we presumed a highly conservative society that we would have to abide by. Plus, it didn’t help that our parents had that constant look of shock and worry as we told them very measuredly of our impending trip – yes, we’re going. But that’s only what we or they might have thought - just like how tourists to our small island would be wary of our ‘draconian laws’ or be worried that we are a ‘fine’ city. There is a softness and nuance to these aspects that we locals are well aware of, and co-exist with. Similarly, it was only when we were on the road in Pakistan buying chai from a small tea shop, politely thanking the uncle who had a huge smile from the fact that you chose to visit Pakistan at all, did we realise the same perceptions we were wary and worried about were far from an accurate depiction; far from a fair presumption. There is a vibrancy to life in Pakistan that we just don’t get from news or texts. The students are like us - with aspirations for their future, and woes about their exams. The food is divine, and Pakistanis take their appreciation for their many cuisines as seriously as we do ours. The people we met were friendly, and welcoming, and hospitable - certainly very real and personal in a way we’d expect our local neighbours across the block to be..”
– Jay Wee, Strategic Management and Public Policy majors graduate

OVERSEAS INTERNSHIPS

SMU's internships gives our students maximum benefits – exposure to real working life, personal real-world perspectives, insights into your career choices, and the chance to build valuable business networks. All our students complete a minimum of ten weeks of internship. Internships can be done in Singapore or overseas.

More than half of students have done between two and six internships, attesting to the value these experiences bring. Our interns don't just learn; they value add with innovative ideas and solutions. Many of them are talent-spotted and offered jobs by their intern companies even before they graduate.

The Dato' Kho Hui Meng Career Centre is the principal point of contact for employers wishing to recruit SMU interns. For more information, click here.

To read more about our students' overseas internship experiences, click here.

OVERSEAS EXCHANGE

SMU aggressively pursues international exchange agreements with reputable universities around the world. With a rapidly growing network of partner universities, we are able to offer an international exchange experience for the majority of the student population who wish to study abroad. This is a unique opportunity rarely found in other tertiary institutions. Students are encouraged to participate in such programmes for the invaluable exposure to different cultures, education systems and work practices.

The international exchange programme is open to students who have completed two regular terms at SMU. Undergraduates may fulfill a term or a year of their degree overseas. Academic results achieved by undergraduates during the exchange programme will be credited towards their degree at SMU. Students remain enrolled full-time at SMU while they are studying abroad. Where required, some financial aid may be made available to needy students.

For further information please visit the SMU Exchange Programmes.

To read more about our students' overseas exchange experiences, click here.

SUMMER STUDY PROGRAMMES

Short-Term Study Programmes held during the Summer and Winter terms allow students to immerse themselves in the experience of studying and living abroad for a shorter duration. Students may select from programmes offered by our partner universities across Europe and Asia or choose to embark on a customised SSP with SMU peers.

For more information, click here.