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Chinese - Bachelor of Arts (BA)

University of Colorado
Boulder , United States
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Degree
Bachelors
Major
Classical Languages | Linguistics | Translation
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Course Language
English
About Program

Program Overview

Overview of the Chinese - Bachelor of Arts (BA) Program

The undergraduate degree in Chinese emphasizes knowledge and awareness of Chinese literary and cultural history, focusing on widely recognized works. The program also covers the historical and cultural contexts in which particular works were written or created, critical approaches to the study of Chinese language and civilization, and the challenges, deficiencies, and possible gains inherent in the process of translating from one language to another.


Requirements for the Chinese - Bachelor of Arts (BA) Program

  • Students must complete the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences and the required courses listed below.
  • CHIN 1010, CHIN 1020, and CHIN 2110 do not count toward the maximum of 45 credit hours in the major department.
  • The major program for the BA degree in Chinese requires successful completion of 30 credits, of which at least 18 credits must be at the upper-division level.
  • All required major courses must be passed with a C- or better and cannot be taken pass/fail.
  • Students must have a grade point average of at least 2.000 in the major in order to graduate, and no more than 45 credits in CHIN courses may be applied to overall graduation requirements.

Required Courses and Credits

Course List Code Title Credit Hours
Required Courses
CHIN 2120 Intermediate Chinese 2 5
CHIN 3110 Advanced Chinese 1 5
CHIN 3120 Advanced Chinese 2 5
CHIN 4041 Introduction to Classical Chinese 1 3
Electives 12
  • The remaining 12 credit hours (at least 5 of which must be upper-division) may be chosen from the courses listed below; 3 of these credit hours may be satisfied by courses focusing wholly or substantially on China offered in other departments, subject to approval by the Chinese undergraduate faculty advisor.

List of Elective Courses

  • CHIN 1012: Introduction to Chinese Civilization
  • CHIN 1051: Masterpieces of Chinese Literature in Translation
  • CHIN 2441: Film and the Dynamics of Chinese Culture
  • CHIN 2442: Modern Chinese Media Cultures
  • CHIN 3200: Adv Wrtg Topics on Chinese & Japanese Literature and Civilization
  • CHIN 3321: Political Thought in Ancient China
  • CHIN 3331: Urban Entertainment Culture in Early Modern China
  • CHIN 3333: Race and Ethnicity in Chinese Literature: Sinophone Culture, Diaspora, and Identity
  • CHIN 3334: Premodern Chinese Fiction
  • CHIN 3341: Literature and Popular Culture in Modern China
  • CHIN 3342: Sinophone Literature in the Contemporary World
  • CHIN 3351: Reality and Dream in Chinese Literature
  • CHIN 3361: Women and the Supernatural in Chinese Literature
  • CHIN 3371: Topics in Chinese Film (taught in English)
  • CHIN 3372: Chinese Media and the Environment
  • CHIN 3381: Chinese Travel Literature: Journeys Within and Without, Real and Imaginary
  • CHIN 4042: Readings in Classical Chinese 1
  • CHIN 4110: Advanced Readings in Modern Chinese 1
  • CHIN 4120: Advanced Readings in Modern Chinese 2
  • CHIN 4300: Open Topics: Readings in Chinese Literature
  • CHIN 4900: Independent Study
  • CHIN 4950: Honors Thesis

Graduating in Four Years

Consult the Four-Year Guarantee Requirements for information on eligibility. The concept of “adequate progress” as it is used here only refers to maintaining eligibility for the four-year guarantee; it is not a requirement for the major. To maintain adequate progress in Chinese, students should meet the following requirements:


  • Declare the major by the first semester of sophomore year.
  • Students wishing to major in Chinese and who have no prior knowledge of the language should begin the required major courses no later than the sophomore year.
  • Students must consult with the department's undergraduate academic advisor to determine adequate progress toward completion of the major.

Recommended Four-Year Plan of Study

Average 30 credits per year. Credits may vary due to 5 credit language courses. Expect to take 14-17 credits per term. Keep the first year schedule closer to 14. Not all courses will be taught in the semester listed below. Be flexible with course options and speak with your advisor for specific recommendations.


Year One

  • Fall Semester:
    • CHIN 1010: Beginning Chinese 1 (does not fulfill CHIN major credit requirement) (5 credits)
    • CHIN 1051 or CHIN 1012: Masterpieces of Chinese Literature in Translation or Introduction to Chinese Civilization (3 credits)
    • Gen. Ed. Skills course (example: QRMS) (3-5 credits)
    • Gen. Ed. Skills course (example: Lower-division Written Communication) (3 credits)
  • Spring Semester:
    • CHIN 1020: Beginning Chinese 2 (language prerequisite, does not fulfill CHIN major credit requirement) (5 credits)
    • Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Science with Lab) (4 credits)
    • Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Social Sciences) (3 credits)
    • Elective (3 credits)

Year Two

  • Fall Semester:
    • CHIN 2110: Intermediate Chinese 1 (Language Prerequisite, does not fulfill CHIN major credit requirement) (5 credits)
    • Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Social Sciences) (3 credits)
    • Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Science) (3 credits)
    • Elective (3 credits)
  • Spring Semester:
    • CHIN 2120: Intermediate Chinese 2 (5 credits)
    • CHIN 3200: Adv Wrtg Topics on Chinese & Japanese Literature and Civilization (fulfills Upper-division CHIN elective as well as Gen Ed Skills course: Upper-division Written Communication) or any upper division writing course such as WRTG 3020 (3 credits)
    • Gen. Ed. Distribution/Diversity course (example: Social Sciences/Global Perspective) (3 credits)
    • Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Science) (3 credits)
    • Elective (3 credits)

Year Three

  • Fall Semester:
    • CHIN 3110: Advanced Chinese 1 (5 credits)
    • CHIN 4041: Introduction to Classical Chinese (3 credits)
    • Gen. Ed. Distribution/Diversity course (example: Social Sciences/US Perspective) (3 credits)
    • Gen. Ed. Distribution (example: Social Science) (3 credits)
  • Spring Semester:
    • CHIN 3120: Advanced Chinese 2 (5 credits)
    • CHIN Upper-division Major Elective (e.g., CHIN 4042) (3 credits)
    • Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Science) (3 credits)
    • Upper-Division Elective (3 credits)
    • Upper-Division Elective (3 credits)

Year Four

  • Fall Semester:
    • CHIN Upper-division Major Elective (3 credits)
    • Upper-division Elective (3 credits)
    • Upper-division Elective (3 credits)
    • Elective (3 credits)
    • Elective (3 credits)
  • Spring Semester:
    • Upper-division Elective (3 credits)
    • Upper-division Elective (3 credits)
    • Upper-division Elective (3 credits)
    • Upper-division Elective (3 credits)
    • Elective (3 credits)

Bachelor's–Accelerated Master's Degree Program(s)

The bachelor's–accelerated master's (BAM) degree program options offer currently enrolled CU Boulder undergraduate students the opportunity to receive a bachelor's and master's degree in a shorter period of time. Students receive the bachelor's degree first but begin taking graduate coursework as undergraduates (typically in their senior year).


BA in Chinese, MA in Asian Languages and Civilizations

The BAM degree program in Chinese recognizes the need for master's-level training upon entering the job market in a variety of sectors that call for highly advanced proficiency in the Chinese language, knowledge of the culture of China and its literature, and the skills acquired by BA and MA graduates in the humanities: research, analysis, interpretation, translation, and communication.


Admissions Requirements

Students interested in applying for this option must consult with the department's undergraduate academic advisor early in their career at CU to establish their program of study. In order to gain admission to the BAM program named above, a student must meet the following criteria:


  • Be a current CU Boulder undergraduate student.
  • Have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher for all courses taken at CU Boulder.
  • If a transfer student, have completed a minimum of 24 credit hours at CU Boulder.

Students must submit the following materials by Sept. 1 of their junior year (or, in exceptional circumstances, during the student's senior year) to the director of graduate studies in Chinese:


  • Intent application
  • Statement of purpose
  • Writing sample
  • Three letters of recommendation (at least one from a full-time member of the Chinese faculty)

Applications will be reviewed by the Chinese graduate faculty.


Program Requirements

Students are required to fulfill separately all requirements for the BA in Chinese and MA in Chinese, with the exception of the following courses that can satisfy requirements for both the BA and the MA:


  • CHIN 4042: Readings in Classical Chinese (3 credits)
  • CHIN 5010: Sinological Methods (3 credits)

Students must apply to graduate with the bachelor's degree, and apply to continue with the master's degree, early in the semester in which the undergraduate requirements will be completed.


Learning Outcomes

By the completion of the program, students will be able to:


  • Converse in Chinese with confidence and ease about routine tasks and topics familiar to students from their daily lives.
  • Read and comprehend a variety of texts and other materials in Chinese.
  • Write about familiar topics in Chinese in a style resembling students' oral discourse.
  • Recognize and discuss, in English, major works of Chinese literature, thought, and other representational media from the earliest eras to the present.
  • Analyze, interpret, and write in English about Chinese literature and culture according to contemporary academic conventions.
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