To browse the full list of courses available by academic department, visit Courses of Instruction.
To browse the most up-to-date faculty listing, click here.
To browse the 2010-2012 catalogue online as a PDF, click here.
To browse the 2008-2010 catalogue online as a PDF, click here.
The 2006-2008 catalogue is still available online as a PDF. To browse it, click here.
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The Chinese program offers a variety of courses in language, literature, history, religion, and culture. Faculty members are trained language teachers and scholars who are specialized in one of the major fields of Chinese studies. They teach modern Mandarin Chinese spoken in China, Taiwan, and other Chinese communities. Classical Chinese is taught as independent study on demand. The Chinese program is a member of the Council for International Education Exchange (CIEE) Chinese Language Consortium. Students who have finished CHIN 202 in good standing can be recommended to participate in the CIEE program in Beijing, Nanjing, or Taipei. Qualified students can be arranged to study at the Mandarin Training Center or other language institutes in Taiwan. Heritage learners may request to enroll in Overseas Chinese Youth Tour, a summer Chinese language camp sponsored by the Ministry of Education, the Government of Taiwan. The Chinese program does not offer a separate major or minor in Chinese at this point, but all courses in the Chinese program are cross-listed with the Asian Languages and Cultures department and may count toward requirements for the major or minor in Asian Languages and Cultures. See the Asian Languages and Cultures section of this Catalogue for related information.
CROSSLISTED COURSES
ASN 209 The Golden Age of Chinese Culture
ASN 210 Buddhism and Taoism through Chinese Literature
ASN 212 Women in Contemporary Chinese Culture
ASN 220 Male and Female in East Asian Society and Culture
ASN 236 Society and Culture in China
ASN 312 Literary and Historical Memory in China
ASN 342 Chinese Cinema: Gender, Politics, and Social Change in Contemporary China
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
101 Beginning Chinese I An introduction to modern Mandarin Chinese, the course teaches four skills, i.e., listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students acquire solid training and knowledge in pronunciation, writing, grammar, usage of words, and other fundamentals of general communication skills. The principal text is Integrated Chinese, Part 1-1, Traditional Character Edition, which introduces Pinyin Romanization System. Online learning programs, a CD, and a DVD accompanying the text are used to help students learn to read, write, and use approximately 250 traditional characters, their simplified variants, as well as common polysyllabic compounds. They also acquire skills in Chinese word-processing and are able to use Chinese character input system to type characters and sentences. Instruction consists of three class contact hours and two lab sessions per week. (Zhou, Fall, offered annually)
102 Beginning Chinese II A continuation of CHIN 101, this course introduces an additional 300 traditional characters, new sentence patterns, and new grammatical rules. Students learn to make effective use of their language skills, acquiring ability to conduct simple but meaningful dialogues, write simple notes, and read authentic materials such as signs and newspaper headlines. They enhance their skills in Chinese word processing and electronic communication. The principal text is Integrated Chinese, Level 1-1, Traditional Character Edition. Online learning programs along with a CD and a DVD accompanying the text are used. Instruction consists of three class contact hours and two lab sessions per week. Prerequisite: CHIN 101 or the equivalent. (Zhou, Spring, offered annually)
201 Intermediate Chinese I This course continues CHIN 102, but approximately 60 percent of instruction is conducted in Chinese. Students learn an additional 400 characters on top of the 550 characters they learned at the beginning level. They speak and write frequently in class and after class, acquiring a higher level of language proficiency in all four skills. They are expected to do Chinese word-processing and electronic communication with ease. The principal text is Integrated Chinese, Level 1-2, Traditional Character Edition, which is used along with online learning programs as well as a CD and DVD accompanying the text. Instruction consists of three class contact hours and two lab sessions per week. Prerequisite: CHIN 102 or the equivalent. (Huang, Fall, offered annually)
202 Intermediate Chinese II This course continues CHIN 201 and is conducted primarily in Chinese. An additional 450-500 characters and phrases in both traditional and simplified forms are introduced. Students interact and communicate in Chinese in class and after class. Supplementary readings are used in addition to the principal text, Integrated Chinese, Level 1-2, Traditional Character Edition. Instruction consists of three class contact hours and two lab sessions per week. Prerequisite: CHIN 201 or the equivalent. (Huang, Spring, offered annually)
301 Advanced Chinese I This course continues CHIN 202 and is conducted exclusively in Chinese. An additional 500-550 characters and phrases are introduced. Students interact and communicate in Chinese in class and after class. Supplemenatry readings are used in addition to the principal text, Integrated Chinese, Level 2, Traditional Character edition. Prerequisite: CHIN 202 or the equivalent. (Staff, Fall, offered occasionally)
302 Advanced Chinese II This course continues CHIN 301 and is conducted exclusively in Chinese. Approximately 600-700 characters and phrases are added to the vocabulary repository each individual student has built up. Students interact and communicate in Chinese in class and after class. Supplementary readings are used in addition to the principal text, Integrated Chinese, Level 2, Traditional Character edition. Prerequisite: CHIN 301 or the equivalent. (Staff, Spring, offered occasionally)
340 Chinese Literature in Translation This course introduces Chinese literature in both classical and modern literary traditions. Selected readings consist of translated works that encompass different genres, including prose, poetry, fiction, drama, vernacular story/novel, free verse, and so forth. Foci are on the explanation of change and evolution of major literary genres and the discussion of how scholars and writers reflected on social and cultural issues in literary works. No perquisite. Open to all students, but upper class students are encouraged. (Staff, Spring, offered occasionally)
450 Independent Study Special arrangements are made for individual students to study a specific subject related to traditional or modern Chinese literature and culture. (Staff, offered annually)
