Thailand » Academic Program

Academic Program

The Oregon University System’s partner in Chiang Mai is Payap University. Payap’s Thai and Southeast Asian Studies Program provides a combination of courses in Thai language and a range of English language courses focusing on the history, politics, culture, arts, and religion of Thailand and Southeast Asia.

The program takes strong advantage of its location by inviting a selection of notable figures to talk about their areas of expertise and includes excursions to a interesting and relevant sites around Northern Thailand.

A sample course list can be found here: http://thaistudies.payap.ac.th/course.html.  Students enrolling for a second semester may work with a Payap University faculty member to develop an independent study. Preparation for such study must begin mid-way through the first semester.

The courses and curriculum of the Thai and Southeast Asian Studies Certificate Program have been approved and are fully accredited by the Ministry of University Affairs of the Royal Thai Government.  For more information, please see Registration and Credits, below.

Host University Description

Payap University was established in 1974 and granted university status in 1984. However, originally begun as the McGilvary Faculty of Theology, its roots can be traced back to 1888. The school’s evolution over time is a mirror into the development and internationalization of Thailand. Today, as a private, coeducational university, Payap provides liberal arts and pre-professional education to Thai students and international students from across the region. There are approximately 8,300 students in the university, with international students from Myanmar, Nepal, the United Kingdom, India, Singapore, Japan and the United States.

Payap University has three campuses in and around Chiang Mai. The primary campus is about 15 minutes outside of the city proper. It is a small walk able campus with a large number of new, modern buildings, including a brand new library and international dorm.

Host University Website

Payap University:http://www.payap.ac.th/

Southeast Asian and Thai Studies: http://thaistudies.payap.ac.th/

Registration and Credits

Students participating in this program will be registered at their home university in Oregon and will receive home campus credits for courses taken at Payap University. Students’ course work will be reviewed and evaluated by appropriate academic departments at their home institutions. Students must keep detailed records of course outlines, reading lists, exam results, and other work completed to facilitate accurate evaluation by their home university academic departments.

Students are advised to consult with their academic advisor about their plans to study in the Thailand program. Students wishing to earn major or minor credits for courses taken at Payap University are strongly advised to be in frequent communication with their advisor to determine what’s best for their plan of study.

Because of the nature of this program, courses and credits are applied after completion of the program.

Academic Calendar

Here are sample calendars for past years:

Thai and SE Asian Studies Program Calendar

Fall Semester

• Friday, August 18: Thai and Southeast Asian Studies Students Arrive
• Monday, August 21: First Day for Thai and SE Asian Studies Students
• Friday, December 8: Thai and SE Asian Studies Program Ends

Spring Semester

• Friday, January 12: Thai and SE Asian Studies Students Arrive
• Monday, January 15: First Day of Classes
• Friday, May 4: Thai and SE Asian Studies Program Ends