Core Courses
Chinese 101 (2-3 semester credits*, required)
This course in introductory Chinese focuses on acquiring survival fluency in spoken and written Chinese. The emphasis is on the spoken form of Mandarin Chinese, the national language of China. Students who have already studied Chinese may apply for a more advanced class by passing a Waiver Exam. All students take the written exams for Chinese characters, vocabulary and grammar.
*China Studies Concentration students are required to take Chinese 101 for three credits. Business Concentration student may elect the 2 or 3 credit course, with the 3 credit option requiring a total of 18 credit hours for the program.
Chinese Language (101 and 102) Syllabus
Advanced Chinese Syllabus
(Pre-requisite: Must pass the on-site Waiver Exam prior to enrollment in the Advanced Chinese course.)
Chinese History (3 semester credits, required)
One-third of this seminar course consists of lectures, one-third consists of presentations by the students about one significant event or person in Chinese history, and one-third consists of field trips to historical sites. While living in the ancient capital of Xi'an, students study the history of China from its earliest beginnings to the present. Students become familiar with the major dynasties of China, their character, contributions and their major figures. During their time in Xi'an, Beijing and Shanghai, students visit many famous Chinese sites of historical importance including the Terra Cotta Soldiers, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, and the Great Wall of China.
(Possible Credit: History, Social Science, Cross-Cultural Studies.) CSP Chinese History Syllabus
Intercultural Communication (3 semester credits, required)
This course covers issues intended to help students understand and adjust to Chinese culture. Focus is given to how our students demonstrate their beliefs in their daily lives within the context of China. Topics include culture and basic values, culture shock, introductory linguistics, contextualization and factors involved in successful cross-cultural interaction. Well-known films featuring famous actors (both Western and Chinese) that focus on cross-cultural experiences will be shown and discussed each week.
(Possible Credit: Communication, Cross-Cultural Studies.)
CSP Intercultural Communication Syllabus
Contemporary Society: Public Policy & Economic Development (3 semester credits, required)
This course examines two key and inter-related aspects of modern China: government policy and economic reforms. Public Policy covers the structure of the Chinese government, social rights and the legal system, and issues such as ethnic minorities, family planning and education. Economic Development focuses on the government policies from 1949 to the present, from the commune system to the current market-oriented reforms. Other topics include foreign investment, pollution and the environment, and the World Trade Organization. Each student will present an investigative report based on interviews with the Chinese about a topic related to contemporary Chinese society that is of particular interest to Westerners, such as the One-Child Policy, Sino-US relations, or Media & the Internet.
(Possible Credit: Political Science, Cross-Cultural Studies, Economics, General Studies, History.) CSP Contemporary Society Syllabus
Service Component
As part of the Contemporary Society course, students engage in one-week service (or "solidarity") work in a more rural part of China. In the past, this has ranged from students teaching English to schoolchildren on a daily basis to working on a ranch and doing whatever odd jobs that are of most use to our hosts (such as house-painting, digging irrigation ditches, hoeing, etc.). Most students describe this service project as the highlight of the program.
Concentrations
In addition to the core courses, students also select one of the following concentrations:
China Studies Concentration
Business Concentration
