Students will live on campus at Michigan State University’s Owen Hall

To learn more about Owen Hall and see some photos, click here.

Accommodation Includes:

• All students will be placed in single rooms, sharing a suite style bathroom with one other person of the same gender
• Rooms are furnished with a bed, desk, chair, and dresser
• Bed linens, pillows, and towels are provided by the residence hall and can be exchanged for clean linens weekly
• Owen Hall has several common spaces including a take-out style restaurant and convenience store, cafeteria style seating, a media room, community kitchen, study rooms, a computer lab, music practice rooms, and a large outdoor patio
• Air conditioning is not available in individual rooms, but all common spaces are air-conditioned. Students are provided with box fans in their rooms

Internet Access in Owen Hall

• Wi-Fi is available in all rooms and common spaces throughout Owen Hall.

Owen Hall Security

• Owen Hall has a service desk staffed 24-7. The staff can answer any questions residents have and can help resolve maintenance issues by contacting maintenance staff.
• All students are given a key to their room and an access card upon check-in. Only residents can access the floor on which they live in Owen Hall with their access card.

Amenities

• Students have access to IM East, the closest fitness facility. Access is only $3 per day.
• Toilet paper and trash bags are provided free of charge by Owen Hall.
• Sports equipment can be checked out from the service desk.
• River Walk Market, a takeaway style restaurant, is located in the lobby and accepts Spartan Cash.

Day trip to Chicago or Cedar Point

Students may explore ‘The Windy City’! Chicago is the 3rd largest city in the US and has one of the tallest skylines in the world with the Willis Tower (110 Story) and the John Hancock Center (100 Story) observation decks offering amazing views of the city. Chicago is home to over 250 theaters, however, our favorite is The Second City a comedy club with over 50 years of history some of the most famous comedians got their start right here including Bill Murray, Tina Fey, Joan Rivers, Steve Carell, and Mike Myers.

Cedar Point is a 364-acre  amusement park located on a Lake Erie peninsula in Sandusky, Ohio. Opened in the late-1800s, it is reported to be the second-oldest operating amusement park in the United States. The park features a world-record 72 rides, including 17 roller coasters – the second-most in the world.

Tour of the Michigan Capitol Building

Lansing is just down the road from MSU, and it is our state capital. Tour the historic building and learn about Michigan’s history and how our government works.

Lansing Lugnuts Baseball Game

The Lansing Lugnuts are Lansing’s own minor league baseball team, and we’ll go to a game and cheer them on! Experience the traditional American sport of baseball, eat hot dogs at the ball park, and try to get a picture with the Lugnuts’ mascot “Big Lug”. Before we go to the game, our interns will lead you in a game of kickball to help you understand the basics of baseball.

Explore Michigan Excursions

Michigan is home to diverse cities and beautiful parks and lakes, and summer is the best time to explore! We will travel to different areas in Michigan to help you explore both our cities and our landscapes. Potential excursions include city tours of Detroit, and beach day on Lake Michigan, or a day trip to Mackinac Island in Northern Michigan.

American Cuisine Demonstration

Learn about American cuisine while watching a demonstration by one of our chefs at Brody Square.

Graduation Ceremony

Celebrate with your new friends the completion of your American Semester Program Short Course! Take part in an American style graduation (after decorating your grad cap!), celebrate with your professors, and eat dinner at out Kellogg Conference Center and Hotel.

After successfully completing this short course, participants will have gained the following skills and knowledge

• Use various processes for resolving private and public international commercial disputes – negotiation, mediation, and arbitration – and to evaluate their advantages and comparative worth
• Analyze cultural diversity and cultural underpinnings and how they may create resolution;
• Understand the “historical and cultural personality” of a particular legal system by considering the differences between common law and civil law jurisdictions
• Critically analyze the value of arbitration, a private process not generally subject to public regulation, and to consider whether various arbitral practices challenge its legal legitimacy; and,
• Identify the benefits and drawbacks of trial for transborder conflict and the various considerations, such as forum non-conveniens, involved in creating a more unified body of international practice.

Assessment

Class Participation (20%)

This class will be interactive and include lecture, discussion, exercises, and film depictions of conflict and ADR processes used to resolve civil disputes. Participants are encouraged you to be active and engaged.

Team Exercise (40%)

There will be a team exercise related to the main reading, which will be graded.

Written Final Examination (40%)

You will be tested in this class by a closed book short essay examination on the final day of class.

Reflective Journal

You will be required to complete a journal of your observations of the course. The journal should focus on the strengths and weaknesses of the various teaching methods, i.e., readings, lectures, and simulations/exercises, and also discuss learning highlights.

Failure to complete the Team Exercise or Written Final Examination will result in automatic failure of this course.