The undergraduate degree in Chinese emphasizes knowledge and awareness of:
- Chinese literary and cultural history, focusing on widely recognized works.
- The historical and cultural contexts in which particular works were written or created.
- Critical approaches to the study of Chinese language and civilization.
- The challenges, deficiencies and possible gains inherent in the process of translating from one language to another.
With a Chinese major, students will have skills, information and concepts that are relevant to careers in virtually every area. Competency in a foreign language is a highly desirable skill in all fields. A knowledge of Chinese is particularly beneficial and useful in business, engineering, industry, commerce, the civil or foreign service, law, library science, natural and social sciences, the media, economics, public administration, journalism, government and teaching at all levels. In addition, China is an increasing source of a wide variety of excellent careers, as it is among the world’s largest economies and trading partners with the U.S. and Colorado.
Students are encouraged to consider combining their Chinese language training with courses in these or other fields. Additional career opportunities can be found on the Career Services website.
Requirements
Students must complete the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences and the required courses listed below. CHIN 1010, CHIN 1020 and CHIN 2110 do not count toward the maximum of 45 credit hours in the major department.
The major program for the BA degree in Chinese requires successful completion of 30 credits, of which at least 18 credits must be at the upper-division level.
All required major courses must be passed with a C- or better and cannot be taken pass/fail. Students must have a grade point average of at least 2.000 in the major in order to graduate, and no more than 45 credits in CHIN courses may be applied to overall graduation requirements.
Required Courses and Credits
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| CHIN 2120 | Intermediate Chinese 2 | 5 |
| CHIN 3110 | Advanced Chinese 1 | 5 |
| CHIN 3120 | Advanced Chinese 2 | 5 |
| CHIN 4041 | Introduction to Classical Chinese 1 | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| The remaining 12 credit hours (at least 5 of which much be upper-division) may be chosen from the courses listed below; 3 of these credit hours may be satisfied by courses focusing wholly or substantially on China offered in other departments, subject to approval by the Chinese undergraduate faculty advisor. 2 | 12 | |
| Introduction to Chinese Civilization | ||
| Masterpieces of Chinese Literature in Translation | ||
| Film and the Dynamics of Chinese Culture | ||
| Modern Chinese Media Cultures | ||
| Adv Wrtg Topics on Chinese & Japanese Literature and Civilization 3 | ||
CHIN 3311 | ||
| Political Thought in Ancient China | ||
| Urban Entertainment Culture in Early Modern China | ||
| Race and Ethnicity in Chinese Literature: Sinophone Culture, Diaspora, and Identity | ||
| Chinese Narrative Tradition | ||
| Literature and Popular Culture in Modern China | ||
| Sinophone Literature in the Contemporary World | ||
| Reality and Dream in Chinese Literature | ||
| Women and the Supernatural in Chinese Literature | ||
| Topics in Chinese Film (taught in English) | ||
| Chinese Media and the Environment | ||
| Readings in Classical Chinese 1 | ||
| Advanced Readings in Modern Chinese 1 1 | ||
| Advanced Readings in Modern Chinese 2 1 | ||
| Open Topics: Readings in Chinese Literature | ||
| Daoism | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Honors Thesis | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
| 1 | Transfer credit for these courses, whether from universities in this country or abroad, will be considered only in exceptional cases; normally, no credit toward the major will be given for these courses unless taken in residence. |
| 2 | The following courses from other departments may satisfy up to 3 credits of the elective requirements, subject to approval by the Chinese undergraduate faculty advisor: ASIA 4300, ASIA 4700, ARTH 4929, ECON 4534, ENES 3750, GEOG 3822, GEOG 4822, HIST 1618, HIST 2629 HIST 3628, HIST 4618, HIST 4628, HIST 4638, HIST 4648, HIST 4658, HIST 4688, IAFS 4500, RLST 2620, RLST 3800 and PSCI 4022. |
| 3 | Fulfills both a major elective requirement and a component of the Gen Ed Skills Requirement. |
Graduating in Four Years
Consult the Four-Year Guarantee Requirements for information on eligibility. The concept of “adequate progress” as it is used here only refers to maintaining eligibility for the four-year guarantee; it is not a requirement for the major. To maintain adequate progress in Chinese, students should meet the following requirements:
- Declare the major by the first semester of sophomore year.
- Students wishing to major in Chinese and who have no prior knowledge of the language should begin the required major courses no later than the sophomore year.
- Students must consult with the department's undergraduate academic advisor to determine adequate progress toward completion of the major.
Recommended Four-Year Plan of Study
Through the required coursework for the major, students will fulfill all 12 credits of the Arts & Humanities area of the Gen Ed Distribution Requirement. Average 30 credits per year. Credits may vary due to 5 credit language courses. Expect to take 14-17 credits per term. Keep the first year schedule closer to 14. Not all courses will be taught in the semester listed below. Be flexible with course options and speak with your advisor for specific recommendations.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credit Hours | |
| CHIN 1010 | Beginning Chinese 1 (does not fulfill CHIN major credit requirement) | 5 |
| CHIN 1051 or CHIN 1012 | Masterpieces of Chinese Literature in Translation or Introduction to Chinese Civilization | 3 |
| Gen. Ed. Skills course (example: QRMS) | 3-5 | |
| Gen. Ed. Skills course (example: Lower-division Written Communication) | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 14-16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CHIN 1020 | Beginning Chinese 2 (language prerequisite, does not fulfill CHIN major credit requirement) | 5 |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Science with Lab) | 4 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Social Sciences) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CHIN 2110 | Intermediate Chinese 1 (Language Prerequisite, does not fulfill CHIN major credit requirement) | 5 |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Social Sciences) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Science) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CHIN 2120 | Intermediate Chinese 2 | 5 |
| CHIN 3200 | Adv Wrtg Topics on Chinese & Japanese Literature and Civilization (fulfills Upper-division CHIN elective as well as Gen Ed Skills course: Upper-division Written Communication) or any upper division writing course such as WRTG 3020) 1 | 3 |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution/Diversity course (example: Social Sciences/Global Perspective) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Science) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CHIN 3110 | Advanced Chinese 1 | 5 |
| CHIN 4041 | Introduction to Classical Chinese | 3 |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution/Diversity course (example: Social Sciences/US Perspective) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution (example: Social Science) | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CHIN 3120 | Advanced Chinese 2 | 5 |
| CHIN Upper-division Major Elective (e.g., CHIN 4042) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Science) | 3 | |
| Upper-Division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-Division Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CHIN Upper-division Major Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 121-123 | |
Bachelor's–Accelerated Master's Degree Program(s)
The bachelor's–accelerated master's (BAM) degree program options offer currently enrolled CU Boulder undergraduate students the opportunity to receive a bachelor's and master's degree in a shorter period of time. Students receive the bachelor's degree first but begin taking graduate coursework as undergraduates (typically in their senior year).
Because some courses are allowed to double count for both the bachelor's and the master's degrees, students receive a master's degree in less time and at a lower cost than if they were to enroll in a stand-alone master's degree program after completion of their baccalaureate degree. In addition, staying at CU Boulder to pursue a bachelor's–accelerated master's program enables students to continue working with their established faculty mentors.
BA in Chinese, MA in Asian Languages and Civilizations
The BAM degree program in Chinese recognizes the need for master's-level training upon entering the job market in a variety of sectors that call for highly advanced proficiency in the Chinese language, knowledge of the culture of China and its literature and the skills acquired by BA and MA graduates in the humanities: research, analysis, interpretation, translation and communication.
This degree offers a challenging and focused academic experience for exceptional students (particularly those who enter the university with significant preparation in Chinese studies from high school or with other backgrounds, or those who participate in study abroad opportunities at CU) who demonstrate the ability to express their ideas clearly, both orally and in written form, using standard English.
Admissions Requirements
Students interested in applying for this option must consult with the department's undergraduate academic advisor early in their career at CU to establish their program of study. In order to gain admission to the BAM program named above, a student must meet the following criteria:
- Be a current CU Boulder undergraduate student
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher for all courses taken at CU Boulder
- If a transfer student, have completed a minimum of 24 credit hours at CU Boulder
Students must submit the following materials by Sept. 1 of their junior year (or, in exceptional circumstances, during the student's senior year) to the director of graduate studies in Chinese:
- Intent application
- Statement of purpose
- Writing sample
- Three letters of recommendation (at least one from a full-time member of the Chinese faculty)
Applications will be reviewed by the Chinese graduate faculty.
Program Requirements
Students are required to fulfill separately all requirements for the BA in Chinese and MA in Chinese, with the exception of the following courses that can satisfy requirements for both the BA and the MA:
Students must apply to graduate with the bachelor's degree, and apply to continue with the master's degree, early in the semester in which the undergraduate requirements will be completed.
Additional information about the BAM requirements and curriculum can be found on the department website.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completing the requirements for the Chinese major, students will be able to:
- Converse in Chinese with confidence and ease about routine tasks and topics familiar to students from their daily lives.
- Read and comprehend a variety of texts and other materials in Chinese.
- Write about familiar topics in Chinese in a style resembling students' oral discourse.
- Recognize and discuss, in English, major works of Chinese literature, thought and other representational media from the earliest eras to the present.
- Analyze, interpret and write in English about Chinese literature and culture according to contemporary academic conventions.