Faculty-led Program in Taiwan (Prof. Chen)

This course provides an opportunity for personal and professional growth by developing an understanding of one’s personal values, attitudes, motivations, behaviors, and development. This self-awareness is cultivated through the examination of culture, race, ethnicity, and the multiple assumed identities of individuals residing in the United States.

Dates & Deadlines

App Deadline: December 15, 2024
Program Dates: May 21, 2025 to June 4, 2025 (Dates tentative)

To get started for Summer Break-Taiwan 2025, schedule a meeting with an advisor using the link below.

Schedule First Steps Meeting

Interested in studying abroad in the summer of 2025 or later? Please fill out the waitlist form below and the study abroad center will notify you when applications for future terms open. If you are still deciding where or when you want to go abroad, you can also schedule an informational meeting with our office to learn more about the programs we offer and find one that works best for you!

Study Abroad Waitlist Schedule Info Meeting

Unsure where to begin? Visit our Application Process page to learn more!

Course Leader

Olivia Chen, Associate Professor

Department: Family, Aging, and Counseling
Phone: 319-273-4314
E-mail:olivia.chen@uni.edu
Campus Address: LAT 241

Dr. Chen grew up in Taiwan and is a native speaker of Mandarin Chinese and the Minan dialect. She has visited Taiwan frequently over the last five years. Dr. Chen is eager to demonstrate to her students how various environmental, cultural, social, economic, and religious/spiritual factors are interconnected and influence people's lives. She is looking forward to taking students on a cultural adventure in Taiwan.

Academics

COUN 6256: Mulitcultural Counseling (3 credit hours)

In this course, graduate students will travel to Taiwan during the first two weeks and complete the remaining course requirements during the second half of the class. The Study Abroad Center will enroll participants in the course. Please contact the program’s course leader for more information on academic requirements.

Course Prerequisites: Must be a graduate student in degree-seeking standing or unclassified.

To view the tentative syllabus, click HERE. (link to syllabus pdf) (link to tentative calendar)

NOTES:

Students planning to participate in the spring commencement ceremony in May can enroll in this summer term program, however, their degree will not be conferred until the end of the summer term and is contingent on the successful completion of the program and all required coursework.
Students attending colleges and universities other than UNI are welcome to participate in this program. If you are not currently a UNI student, but would like to participate in this program, please contact the UNI Study Abroad Center prior to starting your program application.

Itinerary

Tentative Program Dates: Wednesday, May 21 - Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (Dates do not include travel to/from destination)

Sample itinerary is subject to change.

Day 1: Students arrive in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan. They will travel to their housing on their own via public transportation. Don’t forget to explore the 24-hour convenience stores—Taiwan has the second highest density of convenience stores in the world. These stores cater to all aspects of life—food, clothing, housing, transportation, education, and entertainment—and you’re sure to fall in love with them.

There will be a group dinner in the evening (pay on own).

Day 2: In the morning, take a tour led by the course leader to familiarize yourself with Taipei. We will enjoy Xiao Long Bao for a group lunch at Din Tai Fung (pay on own), which was named one of the top ten gourmet restaurants in the world by The New York Times and awarded a Michelin star. The afternoon is free to explore the city and experience Taiwan’s fascinating shaved ice shops and tea culture. An evening debrief meeting will be scheduled at the hotel or a coffee shop.

Day 3: In the morning, meet with counseling students and faculty at the collaborative university in Taipei. Begin forming groups and share your I-Statement, along with your cultural genogram and drawing, within your group. The afternoon is free to explore the area around the collaborative university. Don’t miss the opportunity to ride the Maokong Gondola and wander through the scenic streets of Maokong, where you’ll find tea shops, street food, restaurants, temples, hiking trails, and great views. You can also spend the afternoon at Taipei Zoo.

Day 4: Tour sites and towns along the northeastern coastal areas, such as Jiufen, Yehliu Geopark, and/or Longdong, depending on the weather, to explore how environmental, cultural, social, economic, and religious/spiritual factors are interconnected and impact human lives. Debrief meetings will be held during the trip.

Day 5: Visit the Garden of Hope Foundation, which is devoted to preventing and eliminating gender-based violence and co-creating a gender-friendly society through various services and initiatives.

As a board member of Global Network of Women’s Shelters, the Garden of Hope Foundation represents the Asia region (currently comprising 21 member organizations across Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, and South Asia) and is dedicated to strengthening policies and regulations related to women affected by violence, and bringing global attention to the progress and regional issues in the development of women's rights in Asia. In 2012, the Garden of Hope Foundation launched an Asian Girls Campaign. To date, this campaign has funded over 100 empowerment programs for girls across Asia, inspiring nearly 100,000 teenagers in various countries to initiate advocacy actions to protect girls' rights.

Students will explore how to pursue social justice by engaging in public education and advocacy efforts.

Day 6: In the morning, meet with K-12 school counselors in Taiwan to learn about the role of school counselors, comprehensive school counseling programs, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), and the referral system in Taiwan. In the afternoon, visit a college counseling center and/or a mental health institution to explore help-seeking behaviors of diverse clients and cultural issues.

Day 7: Visit the Taiwan Tongzhi (LGBTQ+) Hotline Association and/or the Taiwan LGBTQ Family Organization. Same-sex marriage has been legal since 2019, making Taiwan the first and only country in Asia to legalize it. In the morning, learn about the history of LGBTQ rights and the cultural themes commonly encountered in counseling.

The afternoon is free to explore or work on Group Assignment #1 within your UNI small group.

Day 8: Take a walking tour led by a tour guide through the historic Dadaocheng area, an early commercial and trading center of the Taipei city as far back as the late Qing period. Specifically, we will explore Dihua Street, the go-to place for all of your Lunar New Year shopping. The street has lovingly preserved its old world charms over the years. We will also visit century-old Xiahai Chenghuang Temple and Mazu temple to learn about local history, various religious practices and spiritual beliefs.

Debrief meetings will be held during the trip. Students will reflect the impact of spiritual beliefs on clients’ and counselors’ worldviews and have time to complete the Spiritual Journal Reflection.

Day 9: Work on Group Assignment #2 with students from the collaborative university to evaluate strategies for identifying and eliminating barriers, prejudices, and processes of intentional and unintentional oppression and discrimination. Present Assignment #2 alongside students from the collaborative university. Following the presentation, debrief on the experience of working with people from various linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Discuss your thoughts on your individual diversity plan, which outlines the tasks you will undertake to enhance your multicultural competencies throughout the program.

Afterward, the afternoon is free to explore. You can join the instructor for a tour of a traditional market to observe local life and enjoy dinner at a night market (pay on own).

Day 10: Free day to explore. This is your opportunity to travel to another city, or you can join the instructor at her favorite places and shops!

Day 11: Visit Yilan City to learn about and experience the native Taiwanese cultures, specifically the Atayal tribe. Debrief meetings will be held during the trip. Students will reflect on their understanding of the impact of heritage, attitudes, and beliefs on cultural identity development.

Day 12: Take a water and cultural tour of Guishan Island (Turtle Island), go whale watching, and try stand-up paddleboarding.

Day 13: Take a tour of rice and tea farms, a winery, and explore Yilan City. Debrief meetings will be held during the trip.

Day 14: Tour on National Palace Museum, Taipei 101, Rainbow Village , etc. to know local history and lives. Debrief meetings will be held during the trip.

Day 15: Departure; group travels to airport on their own via public transportation.

Participant Info

Meet your Advisor:

Jamie is a full time study abroad advisor who will help you throughout the application process to Taiwan, including documentation, finances, scholarships, and more. From your first steps meeting until you take off for your new adventure, Jamie will help you every step of the way.

Important information to review:

Study abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be challenged by new experiences in new environments and cultures. UNI study abroad programs are designed to prioritize educational opportunities for students. Students are encouraged to embrace the adventure of exploring how housing, meals, and daily routines differ abroad.

Entry and Exit Requirements

Review and follow the travel recommendations of the U.S. State Department for travel to Taiwan

Housing & Meals

Students will stay in hotels arranged by the Study Abroad Center while abroad. The cost of these hotels are included in the “Program Cost” line item of the program cost estimate. A few meals are built into the “Program Cost” (example: all breakfasts at hotels and 2 additional group meals in Taiwan). Students will pay for the remaining meals out-of-pocket while traveling and are encouraged to try the local foods.

Program Costs

Estimated Program Cost: $6,982*

*estimated total cost of participation, actual amount depends on type of housing accommodation selected, actual airfare purchase price, personal spending habits, and other factors

Estimated Total Program Cost	$6,982
Estimated U-bill Charges	$4,271
Estimated Out-of-Pocket Costs	$2,711

Taiwan Cost Estimate 2025 (PDF)

Cost of Studying On Campus at UNI*

*per semester, estimated, will vary per person

Tuition & Fees	$4,864
Room & Board	$4,824
Books	$400
Personal Expenses	$878
Transportation	$320
Total	$11,325

Source: https://admissions.uni.edu/cost-aid

‌Eligibility Requirements to Study Abroad

The Study Abroad Center reserves the right to determine participants' eligibility to study abroad. Students must have a completed study abroad application, including supportive recommendation form(s). Additionally, students must meet all of the following in order to be eligible to study abroad:

Have a cumulative 2.5 GPA or higher at the time of application and maintain this cumulative GPA prior to departure and throughout the study abroad process
If your cumulative GPA is lower than 2.5, submit the following to the Study Abroad Center (103 East Bartlett):
- Letters of reference from two academic contacts (e.g. academic advisor and former or current professor) supporting your pursuit of study abroad. If you are attending a faculty-led study abroad program, one of the letters must be from a course leader. However, if the program has two course leaders, only one of the letters can be from one of the course leaders.

Must be over the age of 18 years old
Must meet the course prerequisites (participation in the program is dependent upon meeting these)
Must be in good standing with the university
UNI's partner institutions may require additional eligibility requirements to be met, these vary from institution to institution. Please consult with the Study Abroad Center staff to discuss these additional requirements, if applicable.
Applicants traveling to a region of a country or a country with an overall Travel Advisory Level 3 (Reconsider Travel) or 4 (Do Not Travel) will not be eligible.