Best Chinese Majors and Programs at Small Liberal Arts Schools TKG

Best  Chinese  Majors and Programs at Small Liberal Arts Schools   With China’s increasing importance in the global arena, proficiency in Chinese language and understanding of Chinese culture are useful to anyone interested in pursuing a career in international business, government, or research. Over the years, schools have expanded upon their Chinese program offerings, providing students with additional opportunities to immerse themselves in the rich history of one of the world’s oldest countries.  Middlebury Middlebury has a very rigorous suite of language programs. Among them is the Greenberg-Starr Department of Chinese Language and Literature. This program, which focuses on Mandarin, also gives students instruction in film, literature, and sociolinguistics. Students interested in developing their skills further can live in the Chinese house where students sign a pledge to speak only in Chinese while at home and reside among a native speaker who also lives in the house. The department also hosts a language table where students can practice w ith each other in a restaurant-style setting.  Pomona Pomona’s Chinese major is housed under the Asian Languages and Literature Department and focuses on Chinese literature and culture. But the real emphasis is on mastery of language. Courses range from elementary to advanced Chinese, and also include classes such as Digital News Reading in Chinese, Chinese Language and Society, and Introduction to Classical Chinese. Pomona also offers study abroad programs in Beijing and Hangzhou BowdoinChinese Studies at Bowdoin is housed under the Asian Studies Department. The curriculum offers four levels of Mandarin and emphasizes speaking, writing, and reading. There is a weekly Chinese language table students can take advantage of, study abroad opportunities, and a conversation session in which students can practice for 15-20 minutes at a time individually with an instructor. Haverford Haverford’s Chinese Language program is part of the rigorous Bi-College Department of East Asian Langua ges Cultures, in partnership with Bryn-Mawr. The Department includes intensive and non-intensive language programs. Courses include history, cultural studies, and philosophy, in addition to the exploration of language. Examples of classes include Confucianizing China: Individual, Society, and the State, The Chinese Revolution, and Death and the Afterlife in East Asian Religions. WellesleyWellesley’s Chinese program resides under the East Asian Languages and Cultures Department. In addition to language instruction classes, courses include Sci Fi and the Future of China, Business Chinese, and Pop Culture in Modern China. The Department also participates in an exchange program with the Chinese Language and Literature Department at Fudan University in Shanghai, and offers access to other programs in Beijing, Shanghai, Harbin, and Taipei, as well as partnerships with Duke’s and Princeton’s study abroad programs in Beijing.   HamiltonHamilton’s Chinese program is part of the scho ol’s East Asian Languages and Literature Department. The program offers summer and spring study in Beijing where students can take classes about politics, art, literature, religion, and more, taught entirely in Chinese. In addition to language immersion and instruction, the program has numerous course offerings in film, from Chinese film, to Queer Cinema, and Cinematic Heroes and Heroines in Post-Mao China.   Vassar  The Department of Chinese and Japanese at Vassar made our list for, both its emphasis on Chinese language and culture, as well as its focus on additional departmental events and activities. There is a Chinese/Japanese Culture Day Festival, Chinese New Year festivities, and other events related to arts and culture. The department also encourages students to attend summer language programs, such as the Chinese program at Qingdao University in China and offers a weekly language table session. SmithSmith’s East Asian Languages and Literature Department allows students t o focus on either Chinese or Japanese concentrations. Students must take four courses in literature, along with three electives. Classes include Chinese Travel Writing, Self and Society in Chinese Fiction and Drama, and Class, Gender and Material Culture in Late Imperial China. SkidmoreSkidmore’s Chinese program offers language classes at all levels and additionally focuses on Chinese literature and culture. While there is no Chinese major, students in the department can pursue a minor in Chinese or work towards an Asian Studies major, among others, though some students choose to pursue a self-determined major in Chinese. Courses include Modern China and Business Chinese. The school also offers study abroad programs in Beijing and Kunming.    Need help applying to a specific university program? Reach out to us. We’re great at help students highlight the line-items on their resumes that make them stand out.