Definition of Heritage and Non-Heritage Students

Please note that there are 2 types of Intermediate through Advanced Chinese language course sections, labeled on Albert as “heritage” or “non-heritage.”


“Heritage” here is strictly defined in linguistic, NOT ethnic, sense. Exclusively for the purpose of Chinese language course placement, a student requesting to enroll into a Chinese language course at EAS will be considered a "heritage" student, and therefore illegible for taking a "non-heritage" class, If ANY of the following applies:



1) the student with certain level of oral and/or aural proficiency because he or she was born in a Chinese-speaking country ("Chinese" defined herein includes Mandarin Chinese and Chinese dialects such as Cantonese, Shanghai dialect, which essentially share the same written form as Mandarin Chinese);

Or


2) the student with certain level of oral and/or aural proficiency because he or she was raised in a home where Mandarin or a Chinese dialect was spoken;


Or


 3) the student with certain level of oral and/or aural proficiency because he or she has lived and/or studied in a Chinese-speaking country/region for an extended period of time.



A student will be considered “non-heritage” if ANY of the following applies:

1) the student is of non-Chinese origin, and have never lived or studied in a Chinese-speaking country/region for an extended period of time;



Or

2) the student is of Chinese origin who do not speak or understand any Chinese, including Chinese dialect.


If, based on the above definition, you are a “non-heritage” student, but have acquired decent level of oral-aural proficiency by studying Chinese prior to attending NYU, we strongly encourage you to consider the heritage track. If you are unsure about which track to choose, please contact the instructor listed for the course you are considering or the Chinese Language Coordinator for further assistance.


PLEASE NOTE that, when requesting to be registered in a "non-heritage" Chinese language course, a student must certify, via email, to the instructor listed for the class, that he or she is NOT a "heritage" student based on the above definition.


Starting Fall 2012, for students enrolling in Elementary Chinese I:
"Non-heritage" students should enroll in EAST-UA 201 Elementary Chinese I.
"Heritage" students should enroll in EAST-UA 231 Elementary Chinese I For Advanced Beginners.