Linking academics, cultures and people

Lee Mun Yee’s passion for literature has led her to many places out of her comfort zone, but none more so than Chapel Hill. As an English literature major at the National University of Singapore, Yee joined a growing joint-degree program (JDP) between Carolina and NUS. Yee saw a way to broaden her studies in literature further than she could at just one school, and she found that her passion burned even brighter after spending time in Chapel Hill.

The JDP is a rare program in undergraduate higher education that Carolina and NUS, the top-ranked university in Asia, embarked upon together in 2007. The program requires students to spend at least two semesters at each institution, and upon graduation, they receive a joint degree from both schools.

“Most students study abroad for shorter terms, but the [joint-degree program] requires one year, so they get to really know the culture, and just how to navigate a global landscape,” Jing Liu, Asia programs director for the Study Abroad Office in the College of Arts & Sciences, said.

Yee found that she was able to combine two different approaches to looking at literature by joining the program.

“I’ve seen the way my essays have changed,” Yee explained. “If you look at my essays in the past, there’s so many quotes from different critical authors, and now, there’s a good balance between my thinking and critical thinking from other works.”

Read the complete Carolina Story from the UNC College of Arts & Sciences…

This story is featured in the 2019 edition of UNC Global’s Carolina Passport Magazine.

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