Course Offerings

Elementary Chinese for Advanced Beginners
EAST-UA 231 Prerequisite: Students with a background in Chinese (see course description). Offered every semester. 4 points.
The course is designed for students who can understand and speak conversational Chinese related to daily-life situations but have not learned to read/write Chinese characters. This includes students who were raised in a non-Chinese speaking country but in a home where Mandarin Chinese dialect was spoken, and/or students who have acquired a certain level of Mandarin Chinese language proficiency (primarily speaking and listening) by living or working in a Chinese speaking country/region for an extended time. Students who understand or speak a Chinese dialect other than Mandarin should consult the Chinese language faculty about whether this is the appropriate course for them. This course aims to develop students’ correct pronunciation, grammatical accuracy and overall competence in reading and writing.

Intermediate Chinese for Advanced Beginners
EAST-UA 232 Prerequisite: EAST-UA 231 or the equivalent. For students with a background in Chinese (see course description above). Offered every semester. 4 points.
Continuation of Elementary Chinese for Advanced Beginners. This course satisfies the foreign language requirement.

Elementary Chinese I
EAST-UA 201 Prerequisite: none. Offered every semester. 4 points.
Open to students with no or little training in Chinese. Designed to develop and reinforce language skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing as it relates to everyday life situations. The objectives are: to master the Chinese phonetic system (pinyin and tones) with satisfactory pronunciation; to understand the construction of commonly used Chinese Characters (both simplified and traditional) and learn to write them correctly; to understand and use correctly basic Chinese grammar and sentence structures; to build up essential vocabulary; to read and write level-appropriate passages; to become acquainted with aspects of Chinese culture and society related to the course materials.

Elementary Chinese II
EAST-UA 202 Prerequisite: EAST-UA 201 or the equivalent. Offered every semester. 4 points.
Continuation of Elementary Chinese I. Designed to reinforce and further develop language skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing as it relates to everyday life situations.

Intermediate Chinese I
EAST-UA 203 Prerequisite: EAST-UA 202 or the equivalent. Offered every semester. 4 points per term.
Designed to consolidate the student's overall aural-oral proficiency. Focuses gradually on the written aspect of Chinese. The objectives are: to be able to obtain information from an extended conversation; to both express and expound on, in relative length, feelings and opinions on common topics; to expand vocabulary and learn to decipher the meaning of compound words; to develop reading comprehension of extended narrative, expository and simple argumentative passages; to solve non-complex textual problems with the aid of dictionaries; to write in relative length personal narratives, informational narratives, comparison and discussion of viewpoints with level-appropriate vocabulary and grammatical accuracy, as well as basic syntactical cohesion; to continue being acquainted with aspects of Chinese culture and society related to the course materials.

Intermediate Chinese II
EAST-UA 204 Prerequisite: EAST-UA 203 or the equivalent. Offered every semester. 4 points per term.
Continuation of Intermediate Chinese I, focusing on semi-formal usage of Chinese language when discussing more academic-flavored cultural or social topics.

Advanced Chinese I
EAST-UA 205 Prerequisite: EAST-UA 204 or the equivalent. Offered every semester. 4 points per term.
Designed to further develop proficiency in speaking and writing through readings on and discussions of socio-cultural topics relevant to today's China. Focuses on improving reading comprehension and writing skills. The objectives are: to further improve oral communicative competence by incorporating semi-formal or formal usages; to acquire vocabulary and patterns necessary for conducting semi-formal or formal discussions of socio-cultural topics; to increase the reading speed of texts with more advanced syntax; to learn to make a context-based guess about the meaning of a new word, conduct sentence analysis and solve textual problems with the aid of dictionaries; to write and present more fully developed narratives or reasoned and structured arguments in length; to learn to employ basic rhetoric methods; to learn to appreciate stylistic usage of the Chinese language.

Advanced Chinese II
EAST-UA 206 Prerequisite: EAST-UA 205 or the equivalent. Offered every semester. 4 points per term.
Designed to further develop proficiency in speaking and writing through readings on and discussions of socio-cultural topics relevant to today's China. Focuses on improving reading comprehension and writing skills. The objectives are: to further improve oral communicative competence by incorporating semi-formal or formal usages; to acquire vocabulary and patterns necessary for conducting semi-formal or formal discussions of socio-cultural topics; to increase the reading speed of texts with more advanced syntax; to learn to make a context-based guess about the meaning of a new word, conduct sentence analysis and solve textual problems with the aid of dictionaries; to write and present more fully developed narratives or reasoned and structured arguments in length; to learn to employ basic rhetoric methods; to learn to appreciate stylistic usage of the Chinese language.

Topics in Conversational Chinese
EAST-UA 207 Prerequisites: EAST-UA 204 or permission of the instructor. 2 points per term.
This is a 2-credit repeatable course designed for students who have completed Intermediate Chinese II or equivalent, and wish to get additional opportunities to further expand their vocabulary and grammatical knowledge with a focus on strengthening their conversational skills and/or getting more chances to practice speaking outside of their regular Advanced Chinese I/II classes. Students will perform various conversational tasks, such as presenting, discussing, debating, etc., and improve the description and narration skills that the advanced level learners are expected to have. Students will engage in conversation in a clearly participatory manner in order to communicate information on autobiographical topics, as well as topics of community, national, or international interest.

Topics in Advanced Conversational Chinese
EAST-UA 208 Prerequisites: EAST-UA 206 or permission of the instructor. 2 points per term.
Develops intensive speaking and listening skills using a wide range of topics (general interest, current affairs, special fields of interest). Strengthens students' ability to give detailed narratives, respond to unanticipated complications, confidently discuss and support opinions and hypotheses, and master basic structures of the spoken language.

Introduction to Classical Chinese
EAST-UA 226 Prerequisites: EAST-UA 206 or permission of the instructor. Offered every year. 4 points.
This course is designed to give students an introduction to basic syntax, grammar, and vocabulary of Classical Chinese through close readings of authentic texts. Almost all these texts are historically significant canon texts that are extremely rich in classical Chinese cultural connotation. They are selected from a wide variety of genres, such as historical literature, philosophical and political writings, written correspondence, poetry, and essay, some of which are unique to Chinese culture. The course aims to develop the students' reading and comprehension skills in this highly stylized form of written Chinese and acquaint students not only with the classic Chinese cultural heritage but also with an underlying working mechanism that is in many ways relevant to the form and usage of today’s Mandarin Chinese.
Sample syllabus (PDF)

Translating Chinese
EAST-UA 210 Prerequisite: EAST-UA 204 or the equivalent. 2 points per term.
This class will introduce students to the art of Chinese-to-English translation through weekly exercises and an in-class critique process. Most of our material will be selected from a range of print media and literary texts representing different regions of the Chinese-speaking world, including China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. We will also try our hands at translation from Classical Chinese literature with an emphasis on poetry and philosophical texts. Through engagement with a variety of translation practices, students will become acquainted with the standard dictionaries and online resources that are the tools of the trade. The aim of the course is to prepare students to undertake independent Chinese-to-English translation projects in the future.

Readings in Chinese Culture I
EAST-UA 221 Prerequisites: EAST-UA 206. Offered every semester. 4 points per term.
Designed to enhance Chinese proficiency through reading authentic materials rich in cultural connotations. Stresses primarily in reading and writing. The objectives are: to develop speaking skills needed for a semi-formal or formal presentation on academic topics; to develop specialized vocabulary; to further improve reading speed and develop skills needed to conduct textual analysis and, on some occasions, to translate texts with syntactical sophistication and stylistic nuance; to develop responsiveness to and ability to interpret linguistic features of different genres and writing styles; to advance strategies for autonomous learning of Chinese from an analytical perspective.
Sample syllabus for 221 (PDF), 222 (PDF)

Readings in Chinese Culture II
EAST-UA 222 Prerequisites: EAST-UA 206 and permission of the instructor. Offered every semester. 4 points per term.
Designed to enhance Chinese proficiency through reading authentic materials rich in cultural connotations. Stresses primarily in reading and writing. The objectives are: to develop speaking skills needed for a semi-formal or formal presentation on academic topics; to develop specialized vocabulary; to further improve reading speed and develop skills needed to conduct textual analysis and, on some occasions, to translate texts with syntactical sophistication and stylistic nuance; to develop responsiveness to and ability to interpret linguistic features of different genres and writing styles; to advance strategies for autonomous learning of Chinese from an analytical perspective.
Sample syllabus for 221 (PDF), 222 (PDF)

Chinese Philosophy in Chinese
EAST-UA 223 Prerequisites: EAST-UA 206 or permission of the instructor. 4 points.
Structural manifestation of thought has been palpably extant in China for more than three millennia. In this course, students will acquire a foundation in reading and understanding the essentials of Chinese philosophy through a selection of works in their original language. Emphasis will be placed on core texts from the pre-classical and classical periods with extensive reading selections from the enigmatic Yijing and Confucian and Taoist works. Reading practice and comprehension will be informed by philological methods and the extensive commentarial tradition, particularly of the Han, late medieval, and early modern periods. Towards the end of the term, we will turn our attention to the philosophical and pragmatic self-interest side of contemporary society as seen through various mediums and lenses – from the social “numerology” of communication and economics to the lyrics of singers like Leslie Cheung and the greatest Hong Kong band of them all, Beyond.
Coursework will consist of weekly assignments – usually in the form of primary and secondary readings to be recited and discussed in common. A term paper on a topic of individual interest will also be required.

Narrative Texts in Classical Chinese
EAST-UA 224 Prerequisites: EAST-UA 226 or permission of the instructor. Offered every year. 4 points.
This course is a continuation of Introduction to Classical Chinese (EAST-UA 226). It is designed as a post-advanced level intensive reading class for undergraduate students who already have attained advanced proficiency in Modern Mandarin and basic knowledge in Classical Chinese, and for whom Classical Chinese is necessary for them to conduct research in their advanced studies. Texts to be covered in the class will include previously taught materials and be mainly selected from primary historical sources such as 左传，史记, 汉书， 后汉书， 三国志, and literary sources like 赋， 神话， 志怪， 传奇， 笔记 and 小说. 

Chinese Language and Structure
EAST-UA 225 Prerequisites: EAST-UA 204 or equivalent. Offered every semester. 4 points per term.
This is a 4-credit Advanced level language course designed for non-heritage students who wish to review and reinforce what they have learned in the elementary and/or intermediate-level courses. Through an intense and systematic study of essential Chinese grammatical points covered in earlier courses, the course aims to provide a solid footing for non-heritage students before they move on to regular Advanced I (EAST-UA 205) and/or II (EAST-UA 205).

Readings in Chinese Poetry I, II
EAST-UA 213, 214 Prerequisites: EAST-UA 206 and permission of the instructor. Offered every semester. 2 points per term.
Designed to help students understand and appreciate the linguistic and aesthetic features of the Chinese language rendered in poetic form and to improve their ability to read and interpret authentic texts in general. Integrates language learning with poetry study, introduces the formal structure of Chinese classical poetry, and surveys its stylistic variations at different historical conjunctures. Conducted primarily in Chinese. English translations of the poems are provided as references from time to time.
Sample syllabus for 213 (PDF), 214 (PDF)

Country & City: Readings in Modern Chinese Literature and Film
EAST-UA 227 Prerequisites: EAST-UA 206 and permission of the instructor. 4 points per term. (This is an elective course and does not count towards the major/minor)
The course is a post-advanced level, an intensive reading course in Chinese. The aim is to develop student's skills in reading literary and cultural texts in their original language with an emphasis on the urban-rural divide in Chinese society and the role of women in the Revolution.  Relevant films are also discussed. Writers and works to be discussed include Lu Xun's "Hometown" and "New Year's Sacrifice"; Mao Dun's "Spring Silkworm"; Shen Congwen's "Vegetable Garden"; Ailing Chang's "Sealed Off''; Shi Zhecun's "One Evening in the Rainy Season", among others. Films to be screened and discussed include "Crows and Sparrows" and  "The World."

The Dream of Red Chamber
EAST-UA 228 Prerequisites: EAST-UA 206 and permission of the instructor. 4 points per term.
The course is about reading The Dream of Red Chamber, which is by popular and scholarly consensus the greatest literary achievement of vernacular fiction from imperial China, in its entirety. Through close reading and small group discussion, the students will develop a high level of skills in literary translation, textual and discourse analysis, and critical interpretation, in addition to gaining an intimate knowledge of the Chinese language, literary genres, cultural norms, and social conventions. The reading and discussion will be conducted in Chinese.

Business Chinese I
EAST-UA 603 Prerequisite: EAST-UA 206 AND instructor permission. 4 points per term.
This is a post-advanced level language course for students looking to pursue a career in the field of business or economics related to China. It is designed for students: (a) to develop a conceptual framework to understand China's economic reform, its integration into the global economy, and the subsequent challenges and opportunities for its economy, companies, and society at large; (b) to learn the specialized vocabulary, phrases, and syntax used for oral and written communication in authentic business settings. Course materials will include journal articles on various aspects of China's economic developments, its evolving macro and microeconomic policy, as well as genuine business case studies of both domestic and foreign companies operating in China. In addition to advanced level proficiency in Chinese (completion of EAST-UA 206 or equivalent), this course also requires a basic background in business and/or economics

Business Chinese II
EAST-UA 604 Prerequisite: EAST-UA 206 AND instructor permission. 4 points per term.
Students continue to expand their business vocabulary and develop their command of grammar. Emphasis on close reading of journal articles and honing formal oral presentation skills.