Return to School of Language and Literature | Courses Index
[1] Courses in Chinese (CHIN)
1111 CONVERSATIONAL CHINESE This is an introductory course for modern Chinese. It focuses on the communicative survival skills of the spoken language. Relying on Hanyu Pinyin, a Romanization system of Chinese. Students will not only be able to have basic communicative skills in the language, but also master the pinyin system and take it as a tool for their own conversations and future study in the language.
1410 ELEMENTARY CHINESE I Beginning study of modern Standard Chinese for beginners with no prior exposure to the language. Basic skills are emphasized, including elementary Mandarin pronunciation, grammar, and orthography (in both Pinyin and characters). Discussion/lecture.
1420 ELEMENTARY CHINESE II Continued study of modern Standard Chinese for learners who have had the equivalent of one semester of college Chinese. Basic skills are emphasized, including elementary Mandarin pronunciation, grammar, and orthography (in both Pinyin and characters). Discussion/lecture. Prerequisite: C grade or better in CHIN 1410, placement by examination, or consent of school director.
2V12 CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY: THEORY AND PRACTICE (Variable credit: 1 or 2 credit hours.) This course aims to acquaint students with Chinese calligraphy, a unique form of traditional oriental art. The course covers the historical development of Chinese script from ancient times, the different styles of Chinese calligraphy, and the aesthetic appreciation of this art. It is also a basic skill oriented course covering the origins of the Chinese writing system and the basic strokes of simplified and classical characters. Students will learn the techniques, methods and practice of brush writing. May not be used to fulfill a related course requirement.
2310 INTERMEDIATE CHINESE I This course further develops the four basic language skills, with an emphasis on listening and speaking the acquisition of 300 simplified Chinese characters for short writing assignments on topics used in the textbook. Students will be able to recognize 900 characters by the end of this course. Discussion/lecture. Prerequisite: C grade or better in CHIN 1420, placement by examination, or consent of school director.
2320 INTERMEDIATE CHINESE II This course further develops the four basic language skills, with an emphasis on listening and speaking and the acquisition of 300 simplified Chinese characters for short writing assignments on topics used in the textbook. Students will be able to recognize 1200 characters by the end of this course. Also fulfills Critical Inquiry Humanities elective in UCA Core. Discussion/lecture. Prerequisite: CHIN 2310.
2330 INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS CHINESE This course consists of two parts: first, the acquisition of basic communication skills for conducting business in Chinese; second, reading and discussion of articles and essays to Chinese business culture. After taking this course, the students are expected to master basic Chinese in daily business affairs such as business meetings, negotiations, attending banquets, etc. They shall also obtain useful knowledge and understanding of Chinese customs and culture that are essential for successful business conduct with the Chinese. The course will be conducted in Chinese and English. Prerequisites: CHIN 2310.
2340 INTENSIVE CHINESE CONVERSATION ABROAD Intensive practice in speaking Mandarin. Students must receive a minimum of 45 hours of classroom instruction, which may be supplemented by field experiences. Students must study in a program approved by the director of the School of Language and Literature. CHIN 2340 cannot be counted toward the major or minor in Chinese. Prerequisite: CHIN 1420.
2350 INTERMEDIATE CONVERSATIONAL CHINESE This course is designed for students who have successfully completed Chinese 2310. Students will receive rigorous training that effectively builds descriptive and comparative skills, among others, required for more advanced-level conversations. Related topics in Chinese culture and current events will also be studied. Prerequisite: CHIN 2310 or equivalent or consent of school director.
3300 ADVANCED CHINESE GRAMMAR I This course is designed for students who have completed two years of college-level Chinese and are ready to move on from the intermediate-mid to intermediate-high level. Students will learn how to communicate in broad and specific situational contexts with sophistication, while using complex grammar and rhetorical expressions. By the end of the class, students should be able to comprehend Chinese used in various contexts, to write short memos, and to discuss subject-oriented issues. Prerequisite: CHIN 2320 or consent of school director. [UD UCA Core: I, C]
3303 ADVANCED CHINESE GRAMMAR II This course is designed for students who have completed four semesters of college-level Chinese and are ready to move on from the intermediate-high to advanced level. It will refine and synthesize students’ previous knowledge of Chinese grammar and vocabulary by focusing on communicative functions. By the end of this class, students should be able to comprehend Chinese used in various contexts, to write short essays, and to discuss subject-oriented issues. Prerequisite: CHIN 2320 or consent of school director. [UD UCA Core: I, C]
3312 CULTURE AND SOCIETY: ADVANCED READINGS ON MODERN CHINA An introduction to modern China, CHIN 3312 is designed for students who have completed four semesters of college-level Chinese and are ready to work at the intermediate-high to advanced level. Topics for discussion are drawn from newspaper articles and other media sources on social-cultural issues in China. By the end of the year, students should be able to comprehend Chinese used in various contexts, to write short essays, and to discuss subject-oriented issues. Prerequisite: CHIN 2320 or consent of school director. [UD UCA Core: D, I]
3320 ADVANCED READINGS IN CHINESE LITERATURE An introduction to modern Chinese writers and their works from 1919 to the present. Students will learn to read essays, poems, and short stories written in modern Mandarin Chinese. Through reading the literary works, the students will gain a general knowledge of modern Chinese society and culture. Prerequisite: CHIN 2320 or consent of school director. [UD UCA Core: D, I]
3330 ADVANCED BUSINESS CHINESE CHIN 3330 continues to develop skills begun in Introduction to Business Chinese (CHIN 2330). CHIN 3330 focuses on special applications of Chinese to the business world. Students will learn topics such as vocabulary, customs and culture in various business contexts. Prerequisites: CHIN 2320 or 2330 or consent of school director. On demand
3340 ADVANCED INTENSIVE CHINESE CONVERSATION ABROAD Intensive practice in speaking Chinese. Student must receive a minimum of 45 hours of classroom instruction, which may be supplemented by field experiences. Students must study in a program approved by the director of the School of Language and Literature. Prerequisite: CHIN 2320.
3360 PRACTICUM IN CHINESE:TEACHING CHINESE TO CHILDREN This course is designed to enhance communication skills and cultural knowledge through participation in authentic language experiences. Students will prepare classes and teach Chinese to children for 10 weeks. This authentic language experience (using only Chinese in the classroom) will develop students’ proficiency in Chinese as well as their skills in teaching Chinese to others. Prior to and during the teaching experience, students will research best practices for teaching foreign language to children and will plan appropriate learning tasks and materials. After the teaching experience, students will review feedback from parents and reflect on what they have learned in a reflective essay. It may be repeated for 6 hours, but a maximum of 3 hours may be applied to the major or minor program. Prerequisite: CHIN 3300 or 3303 or consent of school director.
3380 ADVANCED COMPOSITION AND TEXTUAL ANALYSIS CHIN 3380 is an advanced-level Chinese course designed to provide students in-depth study of the Chinese language and introduction to textual analysis/explication with an emphasis on stylistics and rhetoric. Prerequisite: CHIN 3300 or 3303 (or equivalent) or consent of school director. [UD UCA Core: I, R]
3398 TRAVEL SEMINAR IN CHINA CHIN 3398 focuses on the intensive study abroad experience in China. Topics in Chinese conversation, history, culture, and/or literature may be covered. Prerequisite: CHIN 2320 or consent of school director.
4100 INDEPENDENT STUDY IN CHINESE Independent study course in Chinese designed to meet the individual needs of a student. Credit from one to three hours may be earned in one semester. The work is chosen by the student and the professor with the approval of the school director. Students may arrange more than one independent study, subject to college and university rules. Prerequisite: consent of instructor and school director.
4110 CHINESE SENIOR CAPSTONE PROJECT Capstone course required of all Chinese students completing the major program. Students must complete a series of comprehensive assessments including proficiency examinations, self-assessments, essays and a final paper asking students to integrate their linguistic, cultural, and literary knowledge. All students completing the course will be required to complete an official ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview. Discussion/lecture. Prerequisite: Completion of 24 hours in the major at or above CHIN 2310. [UD UCA Core: Z]
4200 INDEPENDENT STUDY IN CHINESE Independent study course in Chinese designed to meet the individual needs of a student. Credit from one to three hours may be earned in one semester. The work is chosen by the student and the professor with the approval of the school director. Students may arrange more than one independent study, subject to college and university rules. Prerequisite: consent of instructor and school director.
4300 INDEPENDENT STUDY IN CHINESE Independent study course in Chinese designed to meet the individual needs of a student. Credit from one to three hours may be earned in one semester. The work is chosen by the student and the professor with the approval of the school director. Students may arrange more than one independent study, subject to college and university rules. Prerequisite: consent of instructor and school director.
4350 INTRODUCTION TO CHINESE LINGUISTICS This course provides an introduction to the Chinese linguistic system. With a basic examination of linguistic concepts, the course explores Chinese phonetics, phonology, morphology, and syntax. In addition to an overview of the history of the Chinese language, the course focuses on the basics of Chinese pronunciation through a systematic analysis of the language’s phonetic composition, based on the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) and exemplified with voice recordings of native Chinese speakers. Students are given ample opportunity to practice their pronunciation during the course of the semester, both in classroom exercises and in outside homework and projects. The course will also consider the implications of sociolinguistics and linguistic variation. Required course for all teacher candidates. Prerequisite: CHIN 3300 or 3303 or by consent of school director.