Chinese Curriculum

Academic program:

The major in Chinese presents an opportunity for an in-depth and focused study of Chinese language and culture. The major places emphasis on the student’s acquisition of oral and written language proficiency as well as on the development of cultural awareness and competency. The program strongly recommends that majors spend half or all of their junior year on a college-approved study-abroad program.

Major Requirements:

The major consists of a minimum of twelve courses that must include the following:

  1. Language (seven courses):
    • Chinese 101-Chinese 401 is the standard seven-course language track.
    • Students who enter the program above the 101 level can take Chinese 415 (Readings in Classical Chinese) and/or Chinese 450 (Special Topics in Advanced Chinese (as many times as needed)) to reach the seven-course language requirement.
  2. Literature and Culture (three courses):
    • Required (as taught by Bates faculty): AS/CI 207 (Traditional Chinese Literature in Translation) or AS/CI 223 (New and Emerging Voices in Chinese Literature)
    • Any other two courses with CHI/CI prefixes (except for CHI 101, 102, 201, 202, 301, 302, 401), any AS courses with a primary focus on China, and any China-focused FYS. (CHI 415 and 450 may be used for this requirement if they are not used toward fulfillment of the language requirement.)
  3. Thesis Sequence (two courses):
    • ASIA 320 Individual and Society in East Asia
    • CHI 457 or CHI 458 Senior Thesis

Courses Taken Abroad:

Students may petition the program to have courses taken in approved study-abroad programs applied toward the fulfillment of the Chinese Language requirement (up to two credits per semester of study) and the Literature and Culture requirement (up to one credit per semester of study).

Advanced Placement:

Students who receive a score of four or five on the Chinese Advanced Placement examination may receive one credit counting toward the language requirement of the Chinese major.

Chinese Minor Requirements:

The Chinese minor requires seven courses, six of which must be Chinese language courses. The seventh course must involve the study of Chinese 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. Minors in Chinese may count no more than one course toward both the East Asian Studies major and their Chinese minor.

Pass/Fail Grading Option:

Pass/fail grading may not be elected for courses applied toward the Chinese major or minor.