PROGRAM STRUCTURE

The Global Immersion Program consists of three main components:

1. on-campus sessions
2. a four-week study tour
3. a written assignment due at the beginning of the second-year fall semester

Since the GIP is offered for academic credit, students are evaluated on attendance at on-campus lectures, active participation during the four-week study tour and the quality of written work. Grades are given on a credit/no-credit basis.

On-Campus Sessions - During the second half of the spring semester, each session meets weekly for a total of five sessions. Led by faculty area specialists, the lecture series covers the history, political systems and social structures of the chosen region of study. Assigned readings and videos serve to augment classroom discussion.

During this period, students participate in additional co-curricular sessions to minimize the culture shock that is inevitable when traveling in an unfamiliar environment. They are provided with information on business etiquette, language, and cultural expectations. They also receive information on social and recreational opportunities to help plan free time. Prior to departure, briefings on necessary immunizations and other health issues are conducted by professionals from the Penn Student Health Service. Special meetings also are scheduled to discuss personal security and safety while traveling abroad, utilizing the experiences of fellow students who have recently returned from these areas.

Study Tour - The centerpiece of the GIP is the four-week study tour that begins immediately following spring final exams, and concludes during the first week of June. Each study tour consists of several basic features:

Academic Overview - Wharton arranges for experts at a partner school of management to provide an overview of key issues facing the region's business community. The purpose of these lectures is to provide participants with up-to-date information and to prepare them for subsequent meetings with senior executives. One of the highlights of the immersion experience is testing this information against real-life situations encountered during the program.

Company/Government Meetings - This feature of the program is designed to get students out of the classroom and into the "real world." Through face-to-face meetings with company executives, they observe how managers run their companies, how market forces influence their decisions, and what they perceive as current and future problems. By visiting both production facilities and corporate headquarters, they see how management decisions directly affect operations and personnel.

Cultural Events - Throughout the study tour, there are numerous opportunities to learn about culture and its influence on society. These might take the form of planned group events such as a city tour or an excursion to a significant historical area. Receptions with Wharton alumni and students allow participants to interact with their counterparts on a less formal basis and develop a valuable network of contacts. The importance of unplanned, informal cultural activities cannot be overemphasized, since they provide exposure to social norms without the constraints of prescribed expectations.

Written Assignment - Upon return to campus in the fall, student participants meet in a final wrap-up session to evaluate their experiences. The program concludes with a 10-page paper on conclusions from the study tour that is turned in at this time. (Second-year students are exempt from this requirement and do not receive academic credit.)