• Curriculum
• Chinese Language Training
• Exchange Study
• Summer Fieldtrip
• Download Programme Leaflet
• Admission

Curriculum

The BA in Chinese Studies programme encourages students to directly engage with China from a multi-disciplinary approach. Students explore Chinese history, culture, language and contemporary society, including economy, governance, and business to prepare them to become globally-oriented China-specialist analysts, cross-cultural communicators, and twenty-first century network-builders to give students a career advantage.

The curriculum provides opportunities for students to train in language, communication and analytical skills and discover the diversity of Chinese studies. Students learning Chinese as a Second Language are placed in the “International Stream”, which ensures they will receive the high-level of Chinese language training necessary to be international China experts. Students in the “Chinese Native-Speaker Stream” receive additional attention to strengthening English writing and communication skills in global settings.

Chinese Language Training

Since the programme is taught in English, non-Chinese-speaking students are also welcome. *No knowledge of Chinese is required for admission. Students will receive intensive training on Chinese language because one of the major goals of the programme is to equip our students with superior Chinese language skills. Learning Chinese is a challenging process, but the cultural and academic rewards of doing so are immense, not to mention its value – and increasing necessity – in today’s job market.

Students will take Chinese courses in either Putonghua or Cantonese at the University’s Yale-China Chinese Language Centre (CLC). The CLC also offers regular opportunities for our students to certify their language level by taking the internationally-recognised Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK; 漢語水平考試).

*Students are still required to meet the admission requirements as stipulated by the University.

Exchange Study

Students in the “International Stream” can opt to spend one-term studying in an approved institution in Mainland China or Taiwan for primarily studying Putonghua / Chinese language courses or courses taught in Chinese. While students in the “Chinese Native-Speaker Stream” can opt to spend one-term studying in an approved institution located in an English-speaking country for primarily taking courses taught in English, relevant to communicating effectively about Chinese and East Asian affairs in a global context.

Summer Fieldtrip

Led by faculty members with a specialisation on their respective research interests, students will experience Chinese culture and society first-hand in a one-week field study elective course in the summer of their third year. Previous trips went to the following parts of China with the respective themes: