The U.S. Department of Education considers NIU’s Southeast Asian Studies programs one of the best in the country.

NIU’s program is one of eight that has been granted “National Resource Center” status by the department.

The eight programs compete yearly for grants given out by the Department of Education.

Students can choose to emphasize in the Southeast Asia region within their major, but the program does not grant a degree.

“The undergraduate and graduate students are provided with different views of the culture and can make students better equipped once in the workplace,” said Susan Russell, director at the Center for Southeast Asian Studies.

NIU’s Center for Southeast Asian Studies was established in 1963 and is the second oldest in the nation. It is the only nationally recognized center of its kind in Illinois.

Certain majors benefit more than others, Russell said. Students majoring in public relations, business, education or political science benefit the most from an emphasis in Southeast Asia.

“When applying for jobs out of school, a student with emphasis in Southeast Asian Studies will be a step above applicants with no cultural studies to employers,” Russell said.

The center provides teacher training at all levels of schooling, Russell said. Development grants are given to teachers who finish their training and online courses.

NIU’s Southeast Asian program allows students to study Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Burma (Myanmar) and the Philippines.

Students in the Southeast Asian Studies program can receive tuition waivers and can qualify for up to $14,000 for nine months of study.

“The program is great. It helped me get scholarships here,” said Jason Johnson, doctoral political science major with a focus on Thailand. “I lived in Thailand for the last three years. I learned about the culture and the region, which has made my classes easier.”

Programs receiving National Resource Center status:

Cornell University

NIU

University of California, Berkeley

University of California, Los Angeles

University of Hawaii, Manoa

University of Washington

University of Wisconsin, Madison

University of Michigan

Source: www.ed.gov