Chinese
The Chinese program is dedicated to the critical study of Chinese language and cultures within a variety of contexts.
Overview
Students in the program will practice stepping outside of their own comfort zones to investigate Chinese language and cultures from multiple perspectives and in relation to global phenomena. Students will use their language skills and cultural knowledge to promote cross-cultural communication and to explore alternative pasts, presents, and futures.
Curriculum
The Chinese program offers both a major and a minor in Chinese studies. Four instruction levels in Modern Standard Chinese (Mandarin) are offered with the aim of preparing students to engage with Chinese speakers in culturally and historically informed ways. The program also offers a fifth level of disciplinary courses taught in English. These courses explore literature, and visual culture to address topics including modernization in China, intercultural exchange in Taiwan, gender, pre-modern philosophy, cyborg technology, and business behaviors in Chinese speaking communities. Each level provides students with opportunities to explore their personal, academic, and professional interests in relation to Chinese studies through classroom engagement and independent research projects.
