Urbanization and Sustainable Development in a Transitional Economy: Experiencing China

Shanghai, China at NYU Shanghai Campus

June 10 (arrival day) - June 22 (departure day), 2012

The Course

URPL-GP 2251 | Syllabus | 2011 Itinterary

Map of China

Within the next 20 years, China will move 300 million people--similar in number to the entire U.S. population--from rural to urban areas. The massive and rapid urbanization poses tremendous challenges to environment and sustainability but also offers great opportunities for industrial restructuring and economic development. This process is accompanied with the transition from a centrally controlled to a market-oriented economy. This course exposes students to diverse issues under this context, such as urban renewal, motorization, land-use planning, public finance in infrastructure, housing reform, real estate development, property rights, economic development zones, environmental protection, alternative energy, social welfare, etc. The twelve-day course will be held at NYU Shanghai, and combines classroom lectures, local guest speakers, visits to local organizations, and field trips in Shanghai and nearby towns and villages.

Visit NYU Shanghai's website for photos of the campus and facilities.

Course prerequisites: None

Excursions

As part of the course students will take half-day study visits to organizations and institutions working in urban renewal, economic development and environment. The course will also include excursions and visits to local markets and attractions in Shanghai.

Participants will visit:

  • Factories and immigrant clusters in Shanghai
  • Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone
  • The World Expo Pavilions
  • XintianDi New Development, a car-free shopping, eating and entertainment district
  • Suzhou ("Venice of the East") for a day trip

Program Costs

Tuition: $3,968 (4 credits, matriculated graduate students, plus registration and support fees. Click here for more information.)

Non-refundable program and activities fee (includes housing and several meals): approximately $900. This fee will be due on February 22, 2012.

Accommodation and Logistics

Participants stay at NYU Shanghai student residence building, located at East China Normal University (ECNU). The residence building is exclusive to international students studying at ECNU, and each room is a private, comfortable single with wireless internet access. The residence also includes a small common sitting room, a resident assistant and a staffed front desk for added security. Students also have access to the NYU Shanghai computer lab. The activities fee includes housing costs, an opening luncheon and several dinners. Students will be responsible for the remaining meals.

For more information about NYU Shanghai, visit its website. For more information about Shanghai, visit The New York Times' Guide to Shanghai, and Wikitravel's Guide to Shanghai.

Travel Information

Flight: Participants must book and pay for their own flights, and should do so as early as possible. Most major airlines fly to Shanghai.

Passport: All program participants are required to have a valid passport, which must be valid for up to 6 months after course date, not before.

Tourist Visa: See the Chinese Consulate-General of New York's website for directions on how to apply for a "tourist" (not "student" or "business") visa.

Registration and Information

All students must complete the Request for Registration online form on the right side of this page.

Upper-level undergraduate students seeking to take the course for credit must first gain approval from their advisor and then contact wagner.international@nyu.edu for registration procedures.

Non-matriculated, non-NYU and non-credit participants should contact wagner.international@nyu.edu for directions on how to apply.

For all inquiries about the program, contact wagner.international@nyu.edu, or call 212-998-7411.

Class Walking Tour in Shanghai (Photo by Todd Kimmel)
Class Walking Tour in Shanghai (Photo by Todd Kimmel)

Information Session

Join us for an information session on Friday, February 3rd at 12:30pm at NYU Wagner to learn more about this course and Wagner's other summer courses abroad.  RSVP here. 

Request for Registration Form and Timeline

Update April 2012: This course is now full and we are unable to accept registration requests for Summer 2012. Please return to this page in January 2013 for information about the June 2013 course

To request registration for a Summer 2012 course abroad, please visit the online request form. The priority deadline will be Wednesday, February 8, 2012 before 12pm, with rolling deadlines thereafter. You are strongly encouraged to meet the February 8 priority deadline as the abroad courses tend to fill up with a wailist.

Instructor

Zhan Guo, NYU Wagner

Student Blogging

Lessons from Shanghai