Students began the new study abroad program to India, which Georgia State recently created, according to the university’s website.
These students will learn about India’s politics, history and culture during one mini-mester and then spend another mini-mester in the country starting Oct. 10.
Dr. Rashid Naim, director of undergraduate studies for political science and founder of the new program, said the program was divided for two main reasons:
“The first reason is being overseas for a semester is a lot more expensive and many students have challenges with being able to afford studying abroad. The second reason is that it would be a waste of time to take students to a country that they know little or nothing about,” Naim said.
The estimated cost for six weeks of food, transportation and housing is $3,200 for the new program but could be less, according to Georgia State’s website.The semester qualifies for financial aid opportunities such as the Hope Scholarship because the mini-mester format allows students to take a full course load.
“Most people choose to go to Europe because they feel it is similar to America and India is very far away. India is very different. It is the largest democracy in the world and there is a different culture almost every hundred miles,” Naim said.
Naim also said the original list of countries Georgia State focused on for study abroad programs did not include India but believes it’s important for students to get an authentic learning experience in the country.
“We will be taking students to different parts of India. They will go to see historic sites, as well as areas where students might not be comfortable going, like poverty stricken areas,” he said.
Georgia State will create strong ties with a number of other universities during the program, according to Naim.
When students arrive to India in the second mini-mester, they will have three universities to study at: Jawaharlal Nehru University, Aligarh Muslim University and the University of Calcutta.
“We have signed formal memos of understanding between Georgia State and those universities for student and faculty exchange,” Naim said.
Tashe Dunlap, Georgia State international studies major, said she will be one of 10 students studying abroad in India. She has taken one of Naim’s classes and has always been interested in going to the country.
“India has the largest democracy and has so much diversity. I really want to have a first hand look at what I see in the books. It will give me a better perspective on what I have already learned here,” Dunlap said.
Naim said if the new study abroad program is a success, there is potential for Georgia State to create an additional program for students to travel to Turkey in 2016.
