This IST 297 Spring/Summer course (2+1 credit) serves as an international enhancement to other IST courses that are related to programming technologies, including Introduction to Application Development (IST 140) and Intermediate & Object-Oriented Application Development (IST 242). The objectives of this course include giving students hands-on experience of designing and developing mobile applications. Another important aspect of the course objective is to allow students to obtain experience with working with people with different cultural backgrounds in a project team setting, thus enhancing their communications and team-work skills.
The first half of the course prepares students with technical and cultural backgrounds that they need for the international component of the course. The on campus part of the course starts after Spring Break and ends in the final week of Spring. The class will meet once a week.The second half of the course (in Summer) is the study abroad component. A tentative schedule for the international trip for this course is shown in the itinerary.
Course enrollment and prerequisites
Course enrollment in this course will be limited to IST students who have taken the programming course (IST 242) and received a B or above grade. The total enrollment for this course is expected to be about 10 students. Selection of students for this international course will be based on knowledge and experience in networking technologies, demonstrated professionalism, and overall academic performance.
Expenses
Students will be responsible for all international program costs which include round trip airfare, local transportation, lodging and most meals except breakfasts and the welcome group meal. Penn State Abington encourages study abroad for this reason student costs for this program will be about $2,500. The real cost for the program is over $3,000. This travel cost is in addition to the cost of 1 credit summer tuition.
Passports and visas
A valid passport is required for international travel. United States citizens do require a visa to travel to China. Non-US citizens may require a visa in addition to their national passport and should consult their embassy for information.