Finnish University Network for Asian Studies

Asian Programme Study Guide

Students of member universities of the University Network can take courses for free
Students of other universities can apply to the course as self-paying independent students
Polytechnic students can take courses of this Programme for free if their school endorses the study fee (see the letter of confirmation for polytechnic students)
also other persons who are interested in Asian Studies can apply to the programme as self-paying independent students. With regard to non-Finnish citizens who apply to the Programme as self-paying students, the Network Board makes the decisions on admission case by case.

The Programme is not recommended for first-year students.

The Application period for the Programme is annually around October and November. Exact deadlines and dates are announced on our website www.asianet.fi.

Application to study as a non-degree student

Application for non-degree studies>>>

Instructions on how to fill in the application for non-degree studies:

a) Fill in the personal information.

b) The Application section:

I am applying for the right to study in the following discipline, write "Finnish University Network for Asian Studies"

c) Module/Course

write "Asian Programme and year"
If you intend to complete the full minor (25 credits) then write the names of the modules you want to study (A,B,C,D or E ). Please note that in order to complete the Asian Programme, you will need at least 25 credits AND four complete modules. The upper limit for non degree students is 26 credits (=250 €), if you want to study more, you will have to pay 50 € per ECTS for anything beyond that
If you apply to a single course, or module, write the name here

d) Tick the spring semester option and add the year in "I am applying for the right to study from"

e) Remember to sign your application!

f) Send the application directly to the Network:

Samu Kolehmainen
University Network for Asian Studies
20014 University of Turku

You will receive the invoice after you have been accepted to the Asian programme. You can not start your studies before the invoice has been payed.

g)After you have paid the invoice you should send the copy of the receipt to the Network (the one that you can print from online bank is fine. You will not get the keyword to the Moodle course site before the Coordination Unit has received the receipt. You can scan the receipt and send it to samkol(a)utu.fi or post it by regular mail to this address:

Samu Kolehmainen
University Network for Asian Studies
20014 University of Turku, Finland

LETTER OF CONFIRMATION FOR POLYTECHNIC STUDENTS

Polytechnic students whose school has promised to pay the study fee, need to submit a confirmation letter on acceptance (puoltokirje) from their own unit. In the letter the unit endorses the student's study fee in the Asian Programme. This letter should be sent to the Network University Teacher before the end of the application period.

(All university students are exempt from the Letter of Confirmation.)

SIGNING UP FOR THE MODULES AND COURSES

University Students:

When a student is accepted to the Asian Programme s/he is also automatically signed up to the modules or courses s/he applied. There is no need to sign up separately for the modules or the courses.

Note: In the online courses of Modules A and B there are two possible choices and the student should choose one. Students should sign up to the course of their choice as instructed in the module's Moodle page.

If you wish to change your choices, please make your request to the Network University Teacher directly.

Polytechnic Student:

When a student is accepted to the Asian Programme s/he is also automatically signed up to the modules or courses that his or her Polytechnic has endorsed. There is no separate signing up for the modules or the courses.

If you wish to change your choices, you have to seek approval first from your own unit/deparment. If you want to take more courses, a new confirmation letter from your unit/department is required. Such requests must be made immediately to the Network University Teacher with details of those changes. Please also make sure that your Polytechnic sends the new confirmation letter to the University teacher immediately.

CANCELLATIONS

University Students:

Students are asked to inform the coordination unit's University Teacher in case they are unable to take the modules or courses they have been accepted into.

Polytechnic Students:

The students are asked to inform the coordination unit's University Teacher and their own unit/department in case they are unable to take the modules or courses they have been accepted into. Please note that Polytechnics are obligated to pay also those courses that are not completed.

WORKING AND TEACHING METHODS

The Asian Programme consists of distance learning courses, literature exams, web courses and essays. (more detailed course descriptions on the course pages)

Lectures

Asian Programme lectures are available only in the online Moodle learning environment.

Most of the lecture videos are in Flash format, which can be viewed with a web browser and Adobe Flash Player, which is usually installed in most of the computers. You can download the latest version of the Flash Player on Adobe's web page.

Some of the videos are in MPEG4 format, which can be viewed with QuickTime . Make sure you have the latest version installed.

Most of the computers in the university computer labs should be adequate for viewing the lecture videos.

If you cannot find a suitable computer or encounter any problems please contact your local IT support at your own university.

It is advisable to bring your own headphones if you use computers in a computer lab. If you are not sure where to plug in the headphones, again, please contact the local IT support. (Usually headphones are plugged in either to the speaker or to the headset/output socket located on the rear of the CPU).

Online courses

In the online courses of modules A and B students should choose one of the given topics. Students should sign up to the course of their choice according to the instructions given on the module's Moodle site.

Also the online courses are organised in the Moodle learning environment. They may include lecture videos, readings, group discussions etc.

Essays

Instructions for essays are given on each module's own Moodle site.

EXAMINATIONS

All exams are so-called home exams (explained in more detail later).

Lecture and book exams are organized three times,and the student may choose the most suitable date. Students do not need to sign up for the exam.

Students are not required to take all three exams, one passed exam is enough. However, if the first examination fails, it is possible to take the exam on an other given exam date.

The same applies if the student wishes to improve her/his grade.

If the student does not pass any of the three examinations, s/he can redo the whole course again the next time it is available.

Please check each module's own Moodle site for more detailed information about the examinations and how they are arranged.

"Home Exam"

In the home exams, the questions are available in the morning of the examination date at 9.00 am (Finnish time) on the module's/course's own Moodle site or, they are sent to students by email.

The examination can be taken wherever and whenever the student finds appropriate within the time period stated in the examination instructions.

Students submit their answers by either using the upload tool on the module's Moodle site or by regular mail.

Answers that are submitted by regular mail should have the postal stamp of the exam date. It is advised to check that the postal stamp is dated correctly and clearly. In some exceptional cases (you are abroad, for example), it is possible to return the exams by e-mail (contact the responsible teacher for permission).

Answers arriving late are failed automatically.

Examinations are done individually; any cooperation is strictly prohibited if not otherwise mentioned in the instructions of the specified course. Copying and plagiarizing is strictly prohibited and when discovered leads to failing automatically.

Grades

All the courses are graded from 1 to 5, where

0 = failed
1 = fair
2 = satisfactory
3 = good
4 = very good
5 = excellent

A Grade Point Average (GPA) is given to those students who have completed the whole Programme (minimum 25 cr).

There is no GPA for the separate modules A, B, C.

Plagiarism

Asia Network's Policy on Plagiarism

(from the CEAS Writing and Research Guide http://aasia.utu.fi/files/CEAS-WritingResearchGuide.pdf )

Derived from the Latin word plagiarius (”kidnapper”), plagiarism refers to the act of presenting another author’s work as your own. Although some plagiarism is intentional cheating (e.g., copying text from the internet and presenting it as your own work), some is unintentional and a result of poor documentation and citation practices.

The easiest way to make sure you do not commit plagiarism is to follow the established citation practices. […] When you feel that a phrase used by another scholar is significant enough to be repeated verbatim, you can do so by quoting it directly and referencing it appropriately. Make sure that you don’t overuse quotations in your text, though.

As a general rule, you don’t need to reference facts that are common knowledge or widely shared cultural references. But if you are discussing particular interpretations of such material, you should document your sources.

Rules applied when plagiarism is suspected

If a teacher suspects plagiarism in a student's work he or she will show it to a colleague for a second opinion. If they feel that plagiarism has occurred, the teacher will contact the student.
The student will not be given a grade for the exam/work in question, unless he/she can show that it is properly cited, or represents his/her own ideas.
In the case of grave or repeated plagiarism, the teacher may take other punitive measures in accordance with the rules of his or her Faculty. The usual punishment is a failed grade for the whole course.

STUDY MATERIALS

Most of the study materials are available on the course's Moodle site. Study materials may also include books, and articles which are available in library databases.

Literature

Universities and Polytechnics have been asked to acquire all examination books mentioned in Asian Programme course requirements.

Please bear in mind that all books might not be readily available in all libraries.

If you cannot find a specific book in your local university, check the availability in other university libraries. It is possible to borrow books through interlibrary services.

Very often you can also buy the books from online bookstores.

Others

Other study materials, for example lecture outlines, are distributed to students either through email or the module's/course's own Moodle site.

STUDENT ADMINISTRATION

The University Network's coordination unit or the university organizing the course, will apply for a local student number when necessary. This will not incur any expenses to the student.

REGISTRATION OF CREDITS

Note: Students must seek approval from their own university for transfering of the Asian Programme before the Programme starts.

University of Oulu:the credits of the module A are registered automatically, because this module is registered to University of Oulu.

University of Tampere: the credits of the module E are registered automatically, because this module is registered to University of Tampere.

University of Turku: All credits are registered automatically.

University of Jyväskylä: the credis of the module D are registered automatically, because this module is registered to University of Jyväskylä.

All the students (except students of the University of Turku):

Students' credit are sent to each university's Asian Programme contact person two times a year, at the end of each semester as soon as all the grades have arrived to the coordinating unit.

Students should pick up their transcripts from the contact person and then handle the credit transfers by themselves. Credits are not automatically transferred to the student register and the students are responsible for transferring the credits at their own university/department.

Note: All students should go through their transcripts as soon as they receive them and check the information thoroughly. If there are any mistakes they should contact the Network University Teacher immediately.

Those students from University of Turku who wish to complete the so called Integrated Minor in East Asian Studies, please read the following leaflet >>>

TRANSFER OF CREDITS AND COURSE EXEMPTIONS

The university where the student is registered decides on the transfer of the credits as well as possible course exemptions. Students must seek approval for the credit transfer or course exemption at their home university prior to the enrolment in the Asian Programme.

Note: It is not possible to combine the Asian Programme courses with the MA level courses the Network provides to receive a larger minor than offered in the Asian Programme. Note that the courses in the Asian Programme are BA level basic courses and the MA level courses are advanced level courses meant to be part of an MA degree.

COSTS OF STUDIES

The Asian Programme is free for all the network member university students and for those polytechnic students whose polytechnic endorses their fees. It is very important that the polytechnic students ask their school to confirm the endorsement of their studies before the end of the application period.

Those polytechnic students whose school does not pay the study fee, can participate in the Programme as self-paying students.

Other persons who are interestedin Asian studies can take courses as self-paying independent students. The study fee is 250 euro for 4 Modules (max 26 ECTS). The fee for a single course/module is 50 euro/ECTS.

With regard to non-Finnish citizens who apply to the Programme as self-paying students, the Network Board makes the decisions on admission case by case.

STUDY GUIDE

This study guide is only available through the internet at www.asianet.fi, and can be printed from here. No other kind of study guide will be provided. It is recommended that the students print their own copies.

pdf version>>>

ASIANSTUDIES – MAILING LIST

All students of the Asian Programme are automatically included in the asianstudies mailing list. It is the main information source and communication channel during the Programme. All contact persons and course organizers are also members of the list.

Because the mailing list is the most important communication channel throughout the course, please inform the University Teacher if there is a change in your e-mail address.

You can unsubscribe yourself from the Asianstudies-list by clicking the link below each email (http://lists.utu.fi/mailman/listinfo/asianstudiesXXXX. You can find detailed information about how to unsubscribe from the list from AsianstudiesXXXX Subscribers.

(XXXX refers to the year you are attending)

CONTACT INFORMATION AND LOCAL ARRANGEMENTS

The coordination unit of the Finnish University Network for Asian Studies is located at the Center for East Asian Studies at the University of Turku .

Address:
Finnish University Network for Asian Studies
c/o Centre for East Asian Studies
Arwidssoninkatu 1, building 10
20014 University of Turku

University Teacher Samu Kolehmainen
samkol(at)utu.fi
tel. +358 2 333 8897
fax. +358 2 333 6270

Coordinator Outi Luova
outi.luova(at)utu.fi
tel. +358 2 333 5017
fax. +358 2 333 6270

Local Arrangements in Universities and Polytechnics

The Asian Programme contact persons are responsible for transmitting possible course materials, and for other arrangements within the member university or polytechnic.

University Network's OnlineTeaching:

BA LEVEL ASIAN PROGRAMME:

A: Cultural History in East and Southeast Asia (in Finnish)

B: Society and Politics in East and Southeast Asia

C: Business in East and Southeast Asia

D: Language and Communication in East and Southeast Asia

E: India in World Politics

Study Guide

Course Organisers

Asian Programme Contact Persons in universities and polytechnics

-----------------------------------

MA level courses

Asia in Western Eyes:
Cases of Imperialism and Orientalism in Thought and Action

Business Strategies in the Asian Emerging Economies

Chinese Economy

Chinese Society and Politics in Transition

Futures of Asian Cities

India as a Business Environment

Indonesian Politics

Introduction to Chinese Contemporary History

Introduction to Chinese Law

Japan in and out of Asia

Korea in International Relations

Moulding Japanese Society, 1945 - 1975

Political Economy of Korean Development

Politics in East Asia

Sino-Indian Issues

Study Guide

Contact information:

Coordination unit:

Silja Keva, University teacher, coordinator

tel. +358 2 333 5017
fax +358 2 333 6270
e-mail: silja.keva(at)utu.fi

Samu Kolehmainen, University teacher

tel. +358 2 333 8897
fax +358 2 333 6270
e-mail: samkol(at)utu.fi

c/o Centre for East Asian Studies
Arwidssoninkatu 1, building 12
20014 University of Turku, Finland

Goals
Structure of the Programme and timetable
Student Selection
The Letter of Confirmation for the Polytechnic Students
Signing up for the Modules and Courses
Cancellations
Working and Teaching Methods

Student Administration
Registration of Credits
Transfer of Credits and Course Examptions
Costs of Studies
Study Guide
Asianstudies mailing list
Contact Information and Local Arrangements