Explore Mongolia’s search for balance between environmental conservation and natural resource development on the doorstep of China and Siberia.
16
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Mongolian
English
Aug 29 – Dec 11
Mongolia
Russia (Siberia)
Ulaanbaatar
Climate & Environment
Geopolitics & Power
A young democracy nestled between authoritarian Russia and China, Mongolia is undergoing rapid socioeconomic and cultural change. Live with a nomadic family in a ger, the iconic shelters made of felt and wood, ride horses for transportation, and experience the nomadic lifestyle on Mongolia’s starkly beautiful grassy steppes. Travel to the capital of Ulaanbaatar to meet with key experts and discuss the impact of mining on Mongolia’s social, economic, and environmental future. Along the way, learn about the traditions and livelihoods of Mongolia’s nomadic cultures and the effects of ecotourism and climate change on their communities. Learn Mongolian and speak with Mongolian students while exploring urban landscapes, remote Buddhist monasteries, and some of the most pristine natural environments in the world. See the cities of Siberia and meet Russian students. Trek through the East Gobi Desert, vast mountain ranges, and forest steppes of a country both protected and restricted by its dramatic environment. Take an excursion to Russia’s East Siberian region and ancient Lake Baikal, the deepest lake in the world.
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Over three to four days, explore Mongolia’s second-largest city, Erdenet, home to one of the world’s largest copper mines. The Erdenet Copper Mine once accounted for a quarter to one-fifth of Mongolia’s gross domestic product and was a major driver of the nation’s economic development. Travel through the city and meet with Mongolian students as university schedules allow and, depending on conditions, visit the Amarbayasgalant Monastery, one of the largest and most beautiful Buddhist monasteries in Mongolia.
Journey through Dornogobi Province and visit a reconstructed monastery linked to the famed Buddhist thinker, Danzan Ravjaa (1803-1853), whom many locals believed to be a living god. Discover the meditation caves used by lamas of the monastery for tantric meditations and retreats 150 years ago. Witness religious practices at Khan Bayanzurkh, the most famous Gobi mountain associated with Mongolian religious beliefs and rituals. In Sainshand, see the expanding mineral industry and speak with government officials.
Examine the impact of economic development and ecotourism on the management of natural resources among transborder ecosystems. Understand the influence of geographic and political factors on food security and development in East Siberia and Northern Asia. Study how transborder waters, such as Lake Baikal and the Selenge River basin, are monitored; meet students in Russia; and visit natural resource sites in national parks and educational and research institutes in the Siberian cities of Ulan-Ude and Irkutsk.
Alongside Islam, Christianity, and Shamanic practices, Mahayana Buddhism is experiencing a rise in popularity. Understand the re-emergence of religion in Mongolia, following the transition from Communist government to democracy in the early 1990s, with a variety of lectures and guided explorations of religious centers and sites.
Witness the environmental challenges and threats Mongolia faces in an era of increased globalization with field excursions to Mongolian natural habitats combined with lectures and seminars. Speak with policymakers, environmental non-governmental organizations, activists, and leaders of grassroots movements opposed to destructive mining practices.
Please note that SIT will make every effort to maintain its programs as described. To respond to emergent situations, however, SIT may have to change or cancel programs.
Upon successful completion of the program, students will be able to:
The following syllabi are representative of this program. Because courses develop and change over time to take advantage of dynamic learning opportunities, actual course content will vary from term to term.
The syllabi can be useful for students, faculty, and study abroad offices in assessing credit transfer. Read more about credit transfer.
Geopolitics and Development Trends – syllabus
(ASIA3010 / 3 credits)
This interdisciplinary course focuses on Mongolia’s path to political and economic development and the country’s current strategies for external relations and internal growth strategies. With special attention to Mongolia’s location between China and the Russia, this course discusses government policies for international investment and the shifting political discourses about domestic investment that form the background of Mongolia’s development trajectory, including food safety and security and academic and economic cooperation with Mongolia. Educational excursions are an integral part of this course, and lecturers are drawn from local universities, research institutes, and NGOs and private entities both in Mongolia and Siberia, Russia.
Pastoralism and Natural Resource Management – syllabus
(ASIA3020 / 3 credits)
This interdisciplinary course, with required readings and relevant educational excursions, focuses on Mongolia’s nomadic population and the impact of political, social, and economic transformations and national resource management policies, ranging from wildlife to resource extraction to water quality and conservation, on Mongolia’s social, cultural, and physical environments, including ecological zones of Lake Baikal region in East Siberia, environmental challenges facing populations in each zone, and their interrelationship across international borders. Lecturers are drawn from local universities, government agencies, and NGOs and private entities both in Mongolia and Siberia, Russia.
Beginning Mongolian – syllabus
(MONG1003–1503 / 3 credits)
Intermediate Mongolian – syllabus
(MONG2003–2503 / 3 credits)
Advanced Mongolian – syllabus
(MONG3003–3503 / 3 credits)
Emphasis is on speaking and listening comprehension in Mongolian, plus reading and writing skills, through classroom and field instruction. Classes are conducted by trained Mongolian language instructors. Students are placed in beginning, intermediate, or advanced classes based on in-country evaluation, including oral proficiency testing. Language training starts immediately after students arrive in Mongolia and continues during field excursions.
Research Methods and Ethics – syllabus
(ANTH3500 / 3 credits)
Through a carefully designed sequence of field projects, workshops, and related lectures, this course prepares students for either an independent research project or an internship. Knowledge will culminate in each student’s successful completion of an individually designed and executed Independent Study Project or internship at the end of the semester.
In addition to taking the above courses, students will also need to enroll in one of the following two courses:
Internship and Seminar
Internship and Seminar – syllabus
(ITRN3000 / 4 credits)
This seminar consists of a four-week internship with a local community organization, research organization, business, or international NGO. The aim of the internship is to enable the student to gain valuable experience and to enhance their skills in an international environment. Students will complete an internship and engage in a weekly seminar (typically online), write weekly progress reports, and prepare a final paper and presentation the reflects on the internship learning experience and ties that experience to program’s themes. The internship seminar includes a module titled Internship in the Context of Mongolia, which is designed to help students build a foundation on which to engage in the internship experience.
Sample internships:
OR
Independent Study Project
Independent Study Project – syllabus
(ISPR3000 / 4 credits / 120 hours)
Conducted in an approved location in Mongolia appropriate to the project. Sample topic areas: the concept of national security in Mongolia; nomadic organization in transition; cashmere trade and cultural interaction with China and Russia; Buddhist debate and monastic education; Buddhist painting, sculpture, and architecture; symbols of collectivism and pastoralism in daily life; the shagai tradition; cultural perceptions of Mongolian medicinal plants; commodity production and regional politics; analysis of the environmental impacts of mining; maternal healthcare, motherhood, and birth in Ulaanbaatar; the Mongolians of Kazakh descent and their place in modern Islam.
Sample ISP topics:
Live for one to two weeks with a nomadic community in central or northern Mongolia. Central Mongolia is the land of the Khalkh nomads, Mongolia’s largest ethnic group. Live in a ger, a comfortable, transportable, nomadic shelter. Learn animal herding, ride horses, cook local dishes, and develop your Mongolian language skills. Immerse yourself in the open spaces of the steppes and rolling hills of this semi-desert area. In northern Mongolia, you’ll be surrounded by pine forests and grassy mountains.
Experience Mongolian urban life during a three- to four-week homestay in cosmopolitan Ulaanbaatar, the largest and capital city. Attend SIT lectures and language classes and visit key cultural sites. Host families live in apartment blocks in micro-districts of the city and are often excellent sources of information for your Independent Study Project.
Students on this program represent a wide range of colleges, universities, and majors. Many of them have gone on to pursue academic and professional work that connect back to their experience abroad with SIT. Recent positions held by alumni of this program include:
PhD candidate in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
Vice president at Erdene Resource Development Corp.
Post-doctoral researcher and course director at University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
Researcher and instructor of social and cultural anthropology at University College London, London, UK
PhD candidate at Indiana University, Indiana
Fulbright fellow in Mongolia
PhD candidate in economics at Massachusetts Institute for Technology
SIT Study Abroad is committed to making international education accessible to all students. Scholarship awards generally range from $500 to $5,000 for semester programs and $500 to $3,000 for summer programs. This year, SIT will award more than $1.5 million in scholarships and grants to SIT Study Abroad students.
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Prepare for an accessible educational experience with SIT Study Abroad! In-country conditions and resources vary by site. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact disabilityservices@sit.edu for more information.
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SIT Study Abroad Mongolia: Nomadism, Geopolitics, and the Environment
@sitmongolia
Experience some of the most pristine natural environments in the world, learn nomadic traditions from Mongolia’s unique vantage point.
SIT is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2017 SIT Study Abroad Undergraduate Research Award, Maya Sutton-Smith, of Connecticut College, and Lani Cupo, of Occidental College.
