UCLA Travel Study

Economics: Understanding Economics through Country Differences

  • Dates

    June 24 – July 22, 2023

  • Location

    Singapore

  • Eligibility Requirement

    COVID-19 vaccine required for entry into Singapore

  • Program Fee

    UC Undergrads: $7,700

    UC Grad Students: $8,300

    Visiting Students: $8,300

    Fees are subject to change by action of the UC Regents: View full fee disclaimer

*Program Not Running Summer 2024*

Economics pervades all aspects of life and affects our day-to-day decision making. Econ 5, “Economics for Everyone” examines the fundamental concepts of economics with a focus on current events, including such topics as inequality, health care and environmental policies. All of these topics are front and center in policy discussions, not just in the United States, but worldwide. Singapore serves as an ideal setting in which to study economics in the real world, because they truly do employ and consider the use of economics to motivate the desired behavior. It thus functions as a laboratory for the practice of economics, such as in their limitations on private ownership of vehicles to reduce traffic congestion. The goal of the program is to demonstrate how economics affects everyday life.

Curriculum

Program Courses

All students will enroll in two required courses while attending the program:

  • ECON 5 (5 units)
  • ECON 199B (4 units)

Course Descriptions

ECON 5: Economics for Everyone* (5 units)

Prerequisites:  None

“Economics for Everyone” examines the fundamental concepts of economics with a focus on current events, including such topics as inequality, health care and environmental policies. All of these topics are front and center in policy discussions, not just in the United States, but worldwide.

*This course satisfies requirements for the Foundations of Society & Culture: Social Analysis GE -and- Diversity requirement for Education & Info. Studies; Letters & Science; Music; and Public Affairs students.

ECON 199B: Directed Research (4 units)

Prerequisites:  Permission of department

Independent Study—will provide students with the opportunity to explore in depth, an economic policy or economic behavior of their interest, and to compare the situation in Singapore with that in the United States (or other countries).

Budget and Financial Aid

Budget UC Undergrads UC Grad Students Visiting Students
Program Fee $7700 $8300 $8300
Textbooks (estimate) $150 $150 $150
Airfare (estimate) $1900 $1900 $1900
Meals (estimate) $900 $900 $900
Spending Money (estimate) $800 $800 $800

Program fee includes registration and course fees, accommodations, program excursions and health insurance.

Airfare, textbooks, optional courses, meals, optional excursions, and any COVID-19 testing required for travel are additional.

Fees are subject to change by action of the UC Regents. View full fee disclaimer.

Document Fee

Non-UCLA students will be charged a $50 Document Fee. This is a one-time document fee which covers fees for first-class mailing of official transcripts, diploma and much more. Please visit the Registrar’s Office Website for more information. Matriculated UCLA Students: Please visit the Registrar’s Office Website for document fee information.

IEI Fee

All undergraduate students will be charged a $61 IEI fee per summer. The IEI (Instructional Enhancement Initiative) fee is a course materials fee that is charged in order to support the use of technology in undergraduate education at UCLA. For more information please click here.

Budgeting

We recommend that you budget accordingly to cover optional sightseeing, laundry, Internet cafes, emergencies, etc.  How much to budget depends on your travel, entertainment, and souvenir choices. It is always best to overestimate your spending. Take the time to research the cost of living in your destination and the activities you want to participate in while abroad.

Purchasing Airfare

Please do not purchase airfare until instructed to do so by your Travel Study Program Coordinator.

Financial Aid

Financial aid for Travel Study programs is available to qualified UCLA students. All other students should inquire about financial aid at their home institution. For details about the financial aid application process, please visit the Financial Aid section of this website.

On Location

Accommodations

Students will reside in dormitory housing with shared kitchen access (kitchens are shared on the floor and not within individual rooms).  All housing is double occupancy.

UCLA Travel Study reserves the right to change housing location. Should this be necessary, we will arrange comparable accommodations elsewhere.

Meals

No daily meals are included, however, there are numerous eateries and markets nearby and students will have access to cooking facilities.

If you have strict dietary requirements, this program may not be able to accommodate your needs. Please let us know when you apply for this program if you have any special dietary needs as well as any physical or medical conditions. We will advise you accordingly.

Excursions

This program includes several excursions as part of its curriculum. The full schedule of excursions will be available at a later date.

Limited free time is built into this program for independent sightseeing. If you plan on traveling extensively, we recommend that you budget additional spending money and plan to wait until your program concludes.