Program Overview

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Chinese Studies with Year Abroad

Overview

Immerse yourself in Chinese language and culture. Develop your Chinese language skills and spend a year in China.

Start Dates

• September 2026
• September 2025

Degree Type

BA

Course Length

4 years full-time

Location

Durham City

UCAS Code

T102

Typical Offers

• A Level: AAB
• BTEC: DDD
• International Baccalaureate: 36

Course Details

This multidisciplinary degree will develop advanced knowledge and understanding of the Chinese language and culture.

You will study a core language module in each of your three years spent in Durham. You don’t need to have any previous knowledge of Chinese, but a pathway is available if you already have an A level or equivalent qualification in Chinese.

You will spend your third year studying the Chinese language at a university in China. This is an amazing opportunity to experience Chinese culture first-hand and to put your language learning into practice and context.

In your final year, you will bring together all your learning and experience to write a dissertation on an aspect of Chinese studies.

Course Structure

Year 1 Modules

Core Modules:

• Chinese Language 1A (for post-A level entrants) will help to consolidate and extend grammatical knowledge developed for A Level, and enhance communication skills in written and oral Chinese.
• Chinese Language 1B which will help you develop elementary level skills in Chinese speaking, listening, reading and writing.

Optional Modules:

• Introduction to Chinese Culture
• Society and Culture in China under the Ming and Qing Dynasties
• French Language
• German Language
• Italian Language
• Russian Language
• International Security, Interdependence and Organisation
• Introduction to International Relations
• Spanish Language
• Gallery 101: Designing an Art Exhibition

Year 2 Modules

Core Modules:

• Chinese Language 2A or Chinese Language 2B. To build on the Chinese language skills developed in Year 1 in all four competencies: speaking, listening, reading and writing. To prepare linguistically and culturally for the year abroad.

Optional Modules:

• Chinese Cinema
• Modern China’s Transformations
• Kinship and Religion
• Politics and Economics
• Classical Chinese
• French Language
• German Language
• Italian Language
• Introduction to Anime: Aesthetic, Technology, Seriality
• Russian Language
• International Organisations
• Spanish Language
• Death, Ritual and Belief

Year 3 Modules

Core Modules:

• Study abroad. The third year is spent in China studying the language full-time at a Chinese university.

Year 4 Modules

Core Modules:

• Dissertation will give you valuable experience and understanding of self-directed learning and the importance of choosing appropriate methodology when approaching a research project. It will help you to expand your data collection, analysis and presentation skills, and to develop your critical faculties in relation to existing literature on your topic area.
• Chinese Language 4 builds on the Chinese language skills developed in your year abroad to the point where you are capable of using Chinese as a working language for employment or further study/research, and are aware of the cultural imperatives for operating in such an environment.
• Chinese Historical and Literary Texts develops higher level reading and translating skills based on literary and historical texts in Chinese.

Optional Modules:

• Anthropology, Art, and Experience
• Anthropological Skills for Climate Change Survival
• Violence and Memory
• Power and Governance
• Mass Media in China
• Empires and States in Early Modern Asia
• Special Topic on Pacific Asia
• Religion and Film
• Photography in East Asia
• The Work of Art: Professional Skills and Work Placement in the Visual Arts

Learning

Language modules cultivate speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. For cultural and historical modules, lectures will introduce themes, context and commentary. Seminars then provide an opportunity to develop your critical skills through discussion with other students and staff.

Classroom teaching is only the start – in general, there is an increasing emphasis on independent learning and research, culminating in your dissertation in Year 4. Most of your time will be spent working independently – reading widely, making notes, finding sources and watching/listening to audio-visual materials. Rather than delivering detailed information, the course aims to help you learn how to learn, guiding you towards independence in using resources effectively, thinking critically and formulating persuasive arguments.

The year abroad is a key element in your developmental education, enhancing your language skills and expanding your intercultural competence. During your time abroad you will continue to work independently on your Year Abroad assignment and in preparation for your final-year dissertation.

Assessment

Language modules are assessed by a mixture of oral, listening and written examinations. Optional modules are assessed by essays, commentaries, projects and examinations. You will also complete a 12,000-word dissertation in your final year.

During your year abroad you will complete a Year Abroad assignment.

Entry Requirements

• A level offer – AAB
• Contextual offer – BBB
• BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma/OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma – DDD
• IB Diploma score – 36 with 665 in higher level subjects.

In addition to satisfying the University’s general entry requirements, please note:

• Grade A in History A level (or equivalent) is required, if taking the History option.
• We welcome applications from those with other qualifications equivalent to our standard entry requirements.
• You are welcome to apply if you are taking resits. Resitting your qualification(s) will not negatively affect your application.
• We are willing to consider applications for deferred entry.
• If you have any questions regarding the entry requirements for this programme, please contact us via our Ask Us form.

Alternative Qualifications

• Other UK qualifications
• EU qualifications
• International qualifications

Fees and Funding

The fees for this academic year have not been confirmed yet.

The tuition fees shown for home students are for one complete academic year of full-time study and are set according to the academic year of entry. Fees for subsequent years of your course may rise in line with an inflationary uplift as determined by the government.

The tuition fees shown for overseas and EU students are for one complete academic year of full-time study, are set according to the academic year of entry, and will be subject to an annual inflationary increase expected to rise throughout the programme of study.

More information is available here: Tuition Fees - Durham University

Please also check costs for colleges and accommodation.

Scholarships and Bursaries

We are committed to supporting the best students irrespective of financial circumstances and are delighted to offer a range of funding opportunities.

Career Opportunities

A degree in Languages and Cultures will provide you with an impressive portfolio of cultural knowledge, transferable skills and real-world experiences that is valued by employers worldwide. In particular, the year abroad which, as well as developing language abilities, can also greatly enhance your intercultural, problem-solving and communication skills.

With the UK as a whole producing fewer linguists, proficiency in languages coupled with the intellectual rigour and cultural understanding acquired during your degree will make you highly employable in a wide range of careers both in the UK and internationally. These include occupations such as interpreting, translation and teaching, media and the arts but also working across wider industry in research, administration, human resources, sales and business development, and the financial services.

Of those students who graduated in:

• 85% in work or further study.
• 95% in highly and medium skilled employment.
• £30,000 is the average salary.

(Source: HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey. The survey asks leavers from higher education what they are doing 15 months after graduation. Further information about the Graduate Outcomes survey can be found here)

Department Information

Languages and Cultures

Spanning languages and society, the arts and cultural history – an in-depth understanding and appreciation of language and culture will give you a greater insight into communities and build deeper connections with people across the world.

In an era of increasing globalisation, a skill set that includes cultural understanding and proficiency in languages will help you view the world through a different lens while equipping you with the skills that global employers are looking for.

Our language-based courses offer the flexibility to specialise in one or two languages and the cultural worlds associated with them – choose from Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hispanic Studies, Italian, Japanese and Russian. You can study from beginners’ level or opt for a more advanced route if you already have an A level or equivalent qualification.

All of our language degrees include a year abroad, a valuable experience that will broaden your horizons, boost your skills and give you the confidence to adapt to different environments. You will return to Durham for the final year with a deeper understanding of language and cultures, and be better equipped to make meaningful connections with people around the world.

The BA in Visual Arts and Film includes optional modules in languages and an opportunity to apply for a placement year or a year abroad. Course content is almost global in geographical reach covering art, film, and visual culture from the Western world, the Middle East, Eurasia and East Asia.

For more information see our department pages.

Rankings

• Top 5 for languages in The Complete University Guide 2025
• Top 10 for languages in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025
• Top 100 The QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025

Staff

For a current list of staff, please see our department web pages.

Facilities

Our location on Elvet Riverside is close to the ancient Elvet Bridge, and within easy walking distance of the colleges, Students’ Union and the historic centre of Durham.

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