Beijing University Opens Internet College Course in Korea

Beijing University will open `online courses (www.beida-online.com)` in Korea in March next year, going online for the first time outside China.

The course introduced jointly by Beijing University and Seoul Digital University (www.sdu.ac.kr) is drawing keen attention in that it allows students to obtain a bachelor`s or master`s degree without having to go to China.

Students, after finishing courses, will be conferred the same certificate of degree as issued in China, with only `a remote course` marked on the paper. The school will admit applicants from Dec. 12 through Jan. 31 next year. For further inquiries, students can call Beijing University Online Admission Center by 02-2128-3162~5.

The bachelor`s degree program will teach two subjects (law and administration) for four semesters or two years, and the master`s degree three subjects (administration, application sociology and human resources management) for three semesters or one and a half years. The former will cost $1,375 per semester (total $5,500) and the latter $2,667 per semester (total $8,000).

Applicants are required to already finish a two-year college or at least the sophomore course at a four-year college to join the bachelor`s degree program, or complete a four-year college for the master`s program.

Admission will be granted after document evaluation without an additional test. Those joining the bachelor`s program must take a scholastic aptitude test before finishing courses. And students in the master`s program will be required to take tests for each subject and a standard national test, and submit a thesis.

If they fail to get the minimum score set for each semester, students will have to pay tuitions to enroll in classes until they get the score. They will be allowed to stay in school for up to 6 years. This means students must have a certain level of Chinese proficiency to finish the courses.

“We have decided to open the online programs first in Korea since it is the world`s No. 1 in terms of Internet penetration and applications,” said Jui Choin Jin, Deputy President of Beijing University on Dec. 12. “Professors teaching at Beijing University in China will deliver lectures and we plan to extend the programs.”

yshwang@donga.com