Academic program
The Chinese major is built around a structured sequence of instruction in language skills leading to competency in spoken and written Mandarin, with classical Chinese taught at the advanced level. Emphasis is placed on familiarizing students with the rich cultural heritage of China's 4,000-year history, which is transmitted and embodied by the native language of more than one billion people. The program strongly recommends that majors spend their junior year on a departmentally recognized study-abroad program in mainland China or Taiwan.
Major Requirements. The major consists of a minimum of twelve courses that must include:
1) CHI 101-102, 201-202, 301-302, or the equivalent. Students with previous experience in Chinese who begin their study of Chinese at the second-year level may elect to fulfill this requirement with CHI 201-202, 301-302, 401-402 or the equivalent.
2) AS/CI 207.
3) two courses from the following: AS/AV 234, AS/CI 206, 211, 225, AS/RE 208, CI/TH 230, CHI s30, or FYS 280 or 386. CHI 415 or 421 may also be used to fulfill part of this requirement if not being used as a fulfillment of requirement 5) below.
4) ASIA 320. Students of the Class of 2013 may opt to chose a third course from those listed in 3) above in lieu of requirement 4). However, all students are encouraged to enroll in ASIA 320.
5) one course at the 400-level from the following: CHI 401, 402, 415, or 421. CHI 401 and/or 402 may be used in fulfillment of either this requirement or 1) above but not both.
6) CHI 457 or 458, the senior thesis. Students are expected to utilize some source materials in Chinese in conducting research for the thesis. Qualified students may elect to write the thesis in Chinese.
Students may petition the program to have courses taken in their study-abroad program applied toward the fulfillment of requirements 1) and 3).
Pass/Fail Grading Option. Pass/fail grading may not be elected for courses applied toward the Chinese major.
Minor. A minor requires seven courses, six of which must be in Chinese. At least one of the seven courses must involve the study of literature or culture. A student may petition to have up to three comparable courses, completed at other institutions in the United States or abroad, apply toward the minor. Advanced Placement courses may not be applied toward the minor.
Pass/Fail Grading Option. Pass/fail grading may be elected for one course applied toward the minor in Chinese.