Chinese Studies Outdoor Class with Mandarin Written on Chalk Board

Chinese Studies Major & Minor

Chinese Language and Literature Major

Students who major in Chinese Language and Literature focus on the study of Chinese language, literature, and culture, with the aim of achieving proficiency in Mandarin Chinese, including speaking, listening, reading and writing.

The major requires courses aimed at helping majors to develop a comprehensive understanding of Chinese culture through the study of literature, humanities, and social sciences. It also requires a course in either literary theory or translation.

Because proficiency in Mandarin is difficult to achieve in eight semesters, the major requires intensive study of the language through study abroad. A minimum of two semesters abroad OR one semester plus a summer of study in China or a Chinese-speaking country is required. Students may combine a formal program with a summer of independent research. Intensive study in the United States (Middlebury, Monterrey) may count toward this requirement.

Chinese Language and Literature majors who maintain a GPA of at least 3.5 in major courses and successfully complete an honors thesis will receive honors in the program.

Chinese Studies Minor

Students can minor in Chinese Studies which requires satisfactory completion of six courses numbered above Chinese 102.

Courses You Might Take

CHI 225

This course builds on the student食色官网檚 knowledge of the crime and detective fiction and film in their own language(s) and extends it to the crime and detective fiction and film in the Chinese context. 

CHI 402

Reading and discussion of modern Chinese written and verbal texts with an emphasis on developing oral and aural fluency, expanding vocabulary, deepening grammatical knowledge, and learning Chinese writing conventions.

CHI 406

Critical study of tales, short stories and novels from 1300 to 1900, with special attention to themes, conventions, critical approaches, and the problem of adaptation from fiction to film, theater, and cartoons.

Interested in Chinese Studies at Davidson?