Program Overview

Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Chinese Language and Literature

The Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Chinese Language and Literature program at George Washington University equips students with an oral and written proficiency in Chinese and an understanding of Chinese history, literature, and culture. Through this program, students have opportunities to study with world-renowned scholars and build a solid Chinese language foundation that benefits lifelong learning. Graduates enter fields such as international diplomacy, international business, and education, working in agencies such as the U.S. Foreign Service, CIA, or U.S. Department of State.

Overview

Chinese is the most-spoken language in the world, and being proficient in Chinese has many advantages. The program helps students build a solid Chinese language foundation that benefits lifelong learning. Our graduates enter fields such as international diplomacy, international business, and education, working in agencies such as the U.S. Foreign Service, CIA, or U.S. Department of State.

Admissions

The admission process includes deadlines, and applications can be submitted via the Common Application. The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Undergraduate Programs, must be fulfilled.

Requirements

The following requirements must be fulfilled:

• The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Undergraduate Programs.
• 39 credits in major-specific courses.
  • Prerequisite courses:
    • CHIN 1001: Beginning Chinese I
    • CHIN 1002: Beginning Chinese II
    • CHIN 2003: Intermediate Chinese I
    • CHIN 2004: Intermediate Chinese II
  • Required for the major:
    • CHIN 3105: Intermediate Chinese III
    • CHIN 3106: Intermediate Chinese IV
    • CHIN 3109: Introduction to Classical Chinese I
    • CHIN 3110: Introduction to Classical Chinese II
    • CHIN 3111: Chinese Literature in Translation I
    • CHIN 3112: Chinese Literature in Translation II
    • CHIN 4107: Readings in Modern Chinese I
    • or CHIN 4108: Readings in Modern Chinese II
    • CHIN 4121W: Advanced Conversation and Composition I
    • or CHIN 4122W: Advanced Conversation and Composition II
    • or CHIN 4119W: Business Chinese
  • Three additional upper-level courses (9 credits) in Chinese language and culture, selected from the following list:
    • CHIN 3116: Language Policy of China
    • CHIN 3123: Introduction to Chinese Linguistics
    • CHIN 3124: Introduction to Chinese Linguistics
    • CHIN 3136W: Chinese Women in Myth, Literature, and Film
    • or WGSS 3136W: Chinese Women in Myth, Literature, and Film
    • CHIN 3163: Taiwanese Literature and Film
    • CHIN 3171: Poetry of the Tang and Song Periods I
    • CHIN 3172: Poetry of the Tang and Song Periods II
    • CHIN 3173: Chinese Drama and Theatre
    • CHIN 3175W: Dream of the Red Chamber
    • CHIN 4108: Readings in Modern Chinese II
    • CHIN 4119W: Business Chinese
    • CHIN 4122W: Advanced Conversation and Composition II
    • CHIN 4179: Twentieth-Century Chinese Literature I
    • CHIN 4180W: Twentieth-Century Chinese Literature II
    • CHIN 4185: Directed Reading I
    • CHIN 4186W: Directed Reading II
    • CHIN 4198: Proseminar: Readings for the Major in Chinese Language and Literature
    • CHIN 4199: Proseminar: Readings for the Major in Chinese Language and Literature
  • Two additional courses related to China (6 credits), selected from the following:
    • AH 2190: East Asian Art
    • ANTH 3705: Anthropology of East Asia
    • ANTH 3709: Japanese Culture Through Film
    • or JAPN 3162: Japanese Culture Through Film
    • EALL 3811: Confucian Literature in East Asia
    • or REL 2811: Confucian Literature in East Asia
    • EALL 3814: Religion and Philosophy in East Asia
    • or EALL 3814W: Religion and Philosophy in East Asia
    • or REL 2814: Religion and Philosophy in East Asia
    • EALL 3831: Introduction to Daoism
    • or EALL 3831W: Introduction to Daoism
    • or REL 2831: Introduction to Daoism
    • ECON 2169: Introduction to the Economy of China
    • HIST 3610: Imperial China (Song-Qing)
    • HIST 3611: History of Modern China
    • HIST 3614: Writing Modern Chinese History
    • or HIST 3614W: Writing Modern Chinese History
    • HIST 3615: History of Chinese Communism
    • IAFF 2091: East Asia-Past and Present
    • JAPN 3111: Japanese Literature in Translation I
    • JAPN 3112: Japanese Literature in Translation II
    • KOR 3111: Korean Literature in Translation I
    • KOR 3112: Korean Literature in Translation II
    • PSC 2370: Comparative Politics of China and Northeast Asia
    • PSC 2371: Politics and Foreign Policy of China
    • PSC 2475: International Relations of East Asia
    • REL 2601: Buddhism

General Education

In addition to the University General Education Requirement, undergraduate students in Columbian College must complete a further, College-specific general education curriculum—Perspective, Analysis, Communication (G-PAC) as well as the course CCAS 1001 First-Year Experience. Together with the University General Education Requirement, G-PAC engages students in active intellectual inquiry across the liberal arts. Students achieve a set of learning outcomes that enhance their analytical skills, develop their communication competencies, and invite them to participate as responsible citizens who are attentive to issues of culture, diversity, and privilege.

Coursework for the University General Education Requirement

• One course in critical thinking in the humanities.
• Two courses in critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, or scientific reasoning in the social sciences.
• One course that has an approved oral communication component.
• One course in quantitative reasoning (must be in mathematics or statistics).
• One course in scientific reasoning (must be in natural and/or physical laboratory sciences).
• UW 1020 University Writing
• After successful completion of UW 1020, 6 credits distributed over at least two writing in the discipline (WID) courses taken in separate semesters. WID courses are designated by a "W" appended to the course number.

Coursework for the CCAS G-PAC Requirement

• Arts—one approved arts course that involves the study or creation of artwork based on an understanding or interpretation of artistic traditions or knowledge of art in a contemporary context.
• Global or cross-cultural perspective—one approved course that analyzes the ways in which institutions, practices, and problems transcend national and regional boundaries.
• Local or civic engagement—one approved course that develops the values, ethics, disciplines, and commitment to pursue responsible public action.
• Natural or physical science—one additional approved laboratory course that employs the process of scientific inquiry (in addition to the one course in this category required by the University General Education Requirement).
• Humanities—one additional approved humanities course that involves critical thinking skills (in addition to the one course in this category required by the University General Education Requirement).
• CCAS 1001 First-Year Experience

Special Honors

Students may apply to earn special honors in Chinese to be noted on their transcript. Departmental faculty will recommend a student for special honors only if they meet the requirements for eligibility:

• Meet the general requirements for special honors stated under University Regulations.
• Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.7 in courses in the major and a 3.4 GPA overall.
• Complete an honors thesis. Before the beginning of the fall semester of their senior year, qualified students may be invited to write an honors thesis. Candidates for special honors enroll in CHIN 4199 and work on the thesis under faculty supervision; a grade of A or A- must be earned in the course. The program in Chinese language and literature recommends no more than two students per year for special honors, based on the student’s overall performance in the program. A committee of three faculty members must approve a recommendation for special honors.