RIP
YALE-PKU UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM
Fall 2006-Spring 2012
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What does "PKU" stand for?Peking University. Peking is the former name of Beijing, so sometimes it is also referred to as Beijing University. In fact, the Chinese translation of Peking University is 北京大学 Běijīng Dàxué.
What was the "PKU" program?
Among program participants and Yalies who have heard of the program, the "PKU" program is the shortened name of the former Peking University-Yale University Joint Undergraduate Program.
Was it a study abroad program?
Yes and no. The program took place on Peking University campus in Beijing, China, so it obviously was not at Yale. However, one of the distinctive features of the program was that it sent Yale professors over to Peking University to teach Yale classes to students in the program. The classes themselves were actually Yale classes that could be found in the Blue Book and selected by Online Course Selection (OCS) just like back at Yale. No transfer work was involved. At least I hope not, because I didn't do a thing.
So it was just Yalies and their professors?
No. Yalies got first pick of whatever classes they wanted to take. After Yalies chose which classes to enroll in, the rest of the spots in a class were opened up to PKU students at large. If the class was a seminar, attendance was capped around 18 students total. If the class was a lecture, the cap hovered around 40 students. And ALL the classes were in English.
There were also a few classes offered by PKU faculty (also taught in English) that still counted as Yale courses and were actually added to OCS for Yale students to select. In total there were about 10 classes offered, including whatever mandatory Chinese language class you landed in. The classes were taught in blocks, so it was one two-hour class a week for every class (excepting Chinese language), with a 10-minute break between the two hours.
Where did you live?
We lived in a dormitory in the southwest corner of campus, imaginatively called Building 42. There was a small wing of the building whose first two floors were dedicated to our use. Each floor had its own common room complete with a few Ikea couches, some tables and chairs, computers, a TV/DVD player, water cooler, fridge, and microwave. To enter either the first- or second-floor side hallways (boys and girls, respectively) you had to swipe your ID to unlock the doors. Same for the private bathrooms across the main hallway. It was four toilets and four showers to a floor, which in China was a major luxury, and seemed to be built specifically for the program. Most Chinese students have to walk to a public shower building in another part of campus... even in winter.
Who did you live with?
Each Yalie had one roommate who was a PKU student, and who additionally was enrolled in YuanPei College, a sort of honor college within PKU. We all lived right next to each other in the same hallway.
Did you do anything fun?
We had a group trip (just Yalies+program directors+professors) at the beginning of the semester to another part of China. My semester we went to Xinjiang, which you can read about on my main blog. There were also organized excursions every Friday because there was no class on Friday. These organized excursions were optional, but highly encouraged. Our program director also organized Master's Teas with notable people from different professions. Finally, there was a fund for each Yale student to go have "cultural experiences" that would be reimbursed, like going to museums. The funds even extended so far as to reimburse students for organized trips to cultural areas of China.
Job opportunities?
There were a couple Yale jobs here, one being editor of the student newsletter (me), the other being a student coordinator (basically a Master's Aide on steroids). People also tried to get an independent internship or job. Some have landed banking internships while others brought in cash tutoring in English.
Anything else you feel the need to say?
Nope, that's about it. For anyone interested in my experience or doing something similar, feel free to badger me with questions; I love opportunities to advise people needlessly.
