Study Abroad in Beijing with CIEE | Chinese Language & Society

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Study Abroad in Beijing

Program Overview

Are you looking to enroll in a fully immersive Chinese language study abroad program, but you have little or no background in the language? Then this program may be right for you!

The Chinese Language and Society program is designed to enable students with little to no background in Mandarin to increase their language proficiency and advance their career aspirations in an exceptionally rich and supportive learning environment.

Through intensive Mandarin language training; weekly interactions with Chinese peer tutors; group activities and local excursions; and elective coursework covering critical socio-cultural, cross-cultural, and ecological issues in contemporary China, you’ll increase your language proficiency at the beginning or intermediate level and gain a deeper knowledge of China and Chinese society.

Study abroad in Beijing and you will:

Jumpstart your Chinese language studies with up to 20 hours of Chinese language courses per week, as well as one-on-one tutorials—all with no language prerequisite
Engage in social science coursework, interactive seminars, guided fieldwork, and community visits
Participate in an extended weekend field study experience away from Beijing to experience the daily lives of rural people in China
Be part of a highly acclaimed, multicultural campus community that has the feel of a small liberal arts college

The CIEE Difference

Coursework

Whether you’re a beginner or intermediate student, you’ll find courses that advance your Chinese oral, character, and comprehension skills. You’ll also take compelling area studies electives in topics ranging from ethnic diversity and identity in China to religion and ecology.

Cultural Activities and Excursions

With study abroad in China, guided visits are organized to historic and cultural sites or events in and around Beijing. These might include traditional sites such as the Great Wall, Zhoukoudian, the original site of Peking Man, Temple of Heaven, Drum Tower, or Hutong cultural areas. Visits may also include contemporary events, such as plays, rock music performances, art shows, and interactive or service oriented visits to sites like orphanages or institutes for autistic children. There may be additional site visits to supplement the area studies courses. Cultural activities may include group meals and cultural panels by local students.

Peer Language Tutors

Study abroad program participants are paired with local students for weekly one-to-one language tutorials in Mandarin Chinese. These required tutorials for students taking Chinese language courses provide extra conversation practice in Mandarin and extra guidance on language coursework as needed. The tutorial experience will give you the opportunity to experience, firsthand, the lifestyle of your peers from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and through periodic activities mutually determined by you and your tutor, provides you with additional ways to engage the Minzu University China (MUC) campus community as well as the Beijing society as a whole. You'll meet four hours each week, as arranged between you and your tutor, with more tutoring hours available upon request.

Dates, Deadlines & Fees

We want to make sure you get the most out of your experience when you study abroad with CIEE, which is why we offer the most inclusions in our fees.

Tuition and housing
Pre-departure advising and optional on-site airport meet and greet
Full-time program leadership and support
Field trips and cultural activities
CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits

Please note, program dates are subject to change. Please contact your CIEE Study Abroad Advisor before purchasing airfare. Click the

button to view more detailed information about dates and fees.

Program

Application Due

Start Date

End Date

Costs

Fall 2013 (17 wks)

Extended to: 05/15/2013

08/25/2013

12/21/2013

$13,850

Program Fees

In addition to the items outlined below, the CIEE program fee includes an optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.

Participation Confirmation *

$300

Educational Costs **

$9,985

Housing

$3,250

Insurance

$102

Visa Fees

$213

This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.

Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed.

* non-refundable

** direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students

Estimated Additional Costs

Meals not included in program fee

$1,100

International Airfare *

$1,550

Local Transportation

$300

Books & Supplies

$50

Personal expenses

$1,600

The estimated additional costs indicated are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.

* round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure

Spring 2013 (17 wks)

11/01/2012

02/10/2013

06/08/2013

$13,850

Program Date Notes

These program dates are tentative. Please check with your CIEE Study Abroad Advisor prior to purchasing an airline ticket.

Program Fees

In addition to the items outlined below, the CIEE program fee includes an optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.

Participation Confirmation *

$300

Educational Costs **

$9,985

Housing

$3,250

Insurance

$102

Visa Fees

$213

This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.

Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed.

* non-refundable

** direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students

Estimated Additional Costs

Meals not included in program fee

$1,100

International Airfare *

$1,550

Local Transportation

$300

Books & Supplies

$50

Personal expenses

$1,600

The estimated additional costs indicated are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.

* round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure

Calendar year 2013 (45 wks)

02/10/2013

12/21/2013

Program Date Notes

These program dates are tentative. Please check with your CIEE Study Abroad Advisor prior to purchasing an airline ticket.

Program Fees

This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.

Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed.

Estimated Additional Costs

The estimated additional costs indicated are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.

2.75 Overall GPA

Eligibility

Overall GPA 2.75
No language requirement.

Recommended Credit

Total recommended credit for each semester is 15–18 semester/22.5–27 quarter hours and 30–36 semester/45–54 quarter hours for the academic year.

Each set of Chinese language courses meets for a total 300 hours with a recommended credit of 15 semester/22.5 quarter hours. Specific contact hours for each language course are indicated in the courses section below.

Unless otherwise indicated, CIEE area studies electives are 45 contact hours with a recommended credit of 3 semester/4.5 quarter hours.

Program Requirements

A full course load is three to six courses for a total of 15-18 recommended credits. Students take a set of three to five required intensive Chinese language courses at the appropriate level, and may take one additional CIEE elective offering in English. Study abroad students are placed into the appropriate Chinese level based on written and oral placement tests taken during orientation week.

About The City

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As the capital of the world’s most populous nation, Beijing is at the center of much that happens in China. It is a city of more than 22 million people adapting as China emerges as a global player. Beijing reflects China’s long and evolving history and is home to some of the nation’s most well-known and culturally important sites such as the Great Wall, Forbidden City, and Summer Palace. In addition to being the political and cultural center of China, Beijing is known as the birthplace of Chinese cinema and modern art. Beijing also has China’s largest concentration of top research institutions.

Meet The Staff

Pat Lucas

Dr. Patrick Lucas graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Oregon, with B.A.s in computer and information science, Chinese, and linguistics. He also holds an M.A. in applied linguistics from the University of Oregon, and a Ph.D. from Minzu University in Beijing in cultural anthropology. He is the first western graduate student to seek an advanced degree at the University. His research interests include identity, historical memory and narrative, boundaries and symbolic systems, as well as cultural survival and endangerment. First coming to China in 1985 as an undergraduate student, Dr. Lucas has been leading study abroad and international education programs out of Beijing since 1995.

John Urban

John Urban, Student Services Coordinator, holds B.A. degrees in Chinese and International Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has been working for CIEE since fall, 2011. Before joining CIEE, he was a yearlong participant in the CIEE Intensive Chinese Language program at Peking University during his final year of college.

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Hua Ye

Hua Ye, Program Assistant, holds a B.A. in Finnish and an M.A. in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language, both from the Beijing Foreign Studies University. In 2008 he studied abroad for an academic year at the University of Tampere in Finland, and served as a language volunteer for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, and at the Finland Pavilion during the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai. He has been working for CIEE since summer, 2012. Before joining CIEE, he taught Chinese to American students on other university programs in Beijing.

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Xie Yuanyuan

Xie Yuanyuan, Intensive Chinese Language Program Assistant and Homestay Coordinator, holds a B.A. in English and Literature from Bohai University, and an M.A. in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language from the College of International Education at Minzu University of China. She has been working for CIEE since spring, 2012. Before joining CIEE, she taught English language and literature to officers in the Chinese People's Liberation Army Artillery Command Academy.

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Where You'll Study

The Minzu University of China (MUC), formerly Central University for Nationalities, was founded in 1951. It is a unique community, where faculty and students from China’s 56 ethnic groups learn together. With over 60% of the student body representing Chinese ethnic minorities, MUC is distinguished for teaching Chinese as a second language, as well as less commonly taught languages like Tibetan and Uyghur. It consists of 10 colleges, among which the Colleges of Ethnology and Sociology, Fine Arts, Ethnomusicology, Tibetan Studies, and Uyghur Language and Literature are internationally renowned. The campus facilities include a concert hall, art gallery, ethnic minority museum, and a large research library.

MUC is one of the top universities in China and has long historical ties with prominent scholars and universities in North America and Europe. Many of its founding scholars completed their doctoral studies at Harvard University, Columbia University, and the London School of Economics. These scholars initiated China’s indigenization of Western anthropology, ethnology, sociology, and other social science disciplines. MUC continues to send its young scholars and graduate students abroad for postdoctoral studies and as visiting scholars. Nearly 75% of the faculty members at its School of Ethnology and Sociology have been visiting scholars to North America and Europe. MUC also frequently invites international scholars to China to conduct joint research projects and to give public lecture series. International students have ample opportunities to participate in both formal and informal campus events across different colleges and departments.

Housing & Meals

Housing is included in the study abroad program fee. The program offers two housing options:

International student apartments: The College of International Education at MUC has a new housing complex with apartments for international faculty members and students called the West Gate International House, located right outside the west gate of campus. Two CIEE study abroad students are assigned to each apartment which includes a bedroom, bathroom, living room, kitchen, washing machine, and Internet access via the MUC campus network. The surrounding area of the West Gate International House is culturally vibrant, offering a variety of ethnic restaurants, shops, bookstores, and even a night market.

Chinese host families: There is a limited number of host families within a 20 minute commute of campus. Study abroad students have their own room and share the living room, kitchen, and bathroom with the family. Since Chinese family members speak Chinese only, this option is recommended for students who have some foundation in the Chinese language.

Students may not live outside of CIEE-arranged housing.

Daily meals are not included in the program fee and are the responsibility of the student. Students living with Chinese host families share occasional meals together but should budget for others. Meals on campus may be at the local student cafeteria, which provides food from the different regions of China, including halal food for Muslim students. There are also a number of excellent and inexpensive restaurants and noodle shops surrounding the campus.

Orientations

You'll begin your study abroad experience in Beijing even before leaving home by participating in a CIEE online pre-departure orientation. Meeting with students online, the resident director shares information about the program and site, highlighting issues that alumni have said are important, and giving you time to ask questions. The online orientation allows you to connect with others in the group, reflect on what you want to get out of the program, and learn what others in the group would like to accomplish. CIEE’s aim for the pre-departure orientation is simple—to help you understand more about the program, and to identify your objectives so that you arrive well-informed and return home having made significant progress towards your goals.

A mandatory orientation session conducted at the beginning of the program introduces you to the country, culture, and academic program, and provides practical information about living in Beijing. Among other activities, you'll tour the National Library and Zizhuyuan Park to familiarize yourself with these nearby resources. You'll also take language placement exams during this time. Ongoing support is provided on an individual and group basis by CIEE staff throughout the program.

Internet

You are encouraged to bring a wireless-enabled laptop. You will be able to access the Internet via the MUC campus network from a wired connection in your dormitory room. However, the campus network does not natively support Apple computers, so students with OS X systems (and Intel-based hardware) need to install the Windows operating system and use the Macintosh Boot Camp utility to get Internet access in the dorms. Both Windows PCs and Apple computers can access the Internet for free in the CIEE study abroad program office via wireless Internet connections. Various sites on and near campus also provide wireless access.

Culture

Target Language Meals

CIEE arranges group meals with language teachers, peer tutors, and resident staff twice a month to encourage you to utilize your Chinese language skills in an informal setting. Those attending the optional meals practice speak in Chinese only.

Field Trips

In addition to various day trips, you’ll take part in an extended weekend excursion to a much less traveled area outside Beijing. Trip activities typically include a rural community visit, interactions with local people, a modest hike, and discussion and reflection activities. You will prepare for the experience by discussing and contemplating your role as a guest or participant in these communities and homes, as well as completing reading assignments and seminar discussions on related subjects including social and environmental issues and the religious and ethnic diversity of China.

Academics

The Chinese Language and Society study abroad program is designed to enable students to increase their language proficiency at the beginner or intermediate level, while at the same time gain a deeper knowledge about China and Chinese society. This is achieved through intensive Mandarin language training; weekly interactions with Chinese peer tutors; group activities and local excursions; and elective coursework covering critical socio-cultural, cross-cultural, and ecological issues in contemporary China. An extended weekend field study experience rounds out this exceptionally rich learning environment.

Academic Culture

Chinese language classes meet Monday through Friday for 20 hours per week. Students meet with their peer tutors for two-to-four hours each week. Elective courses meet for a total of four hours a week. Area studies elective class format is seminar-based and students are expected to come prepared to discuss assigned readings.

Nature of Classes

Chinese language classes are offered by MUC to all international students. Area studies courses are taught in English and designed especially for CIEE students.

Grading System

Language course grades are determined by regular exams, homework, quizzes, attendance, and participation. Area studies course grades are determined by active participation in class discussions, attendance, various student writings and presentations, and mid-term and final papers or other term projects. The following letter grades are assigned: A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, D, and F.

Language of Instruction

English and Mandarin

Faculty

All Chinese language courses are taught by faculty from the MUC College of International Education who specialize in teaching Chinese as a second language. The area studies courses are taught by faculty from the MUC School of Ethnology and Sociology, CIEE resident staff, and adjunct faculty in Beijing.

Course Description

All Courses

Note: This course listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract between CIEE and any applicant, student, institution, or other party. The courses, as described, may be subject to change as a result of ongoing curricular revisions, assignment of lecturers and teaching staff, and program development. Courses may be cancelled due to insufficient enrollment.

CIEE Study Center Syllabi

To view the most recent syllabi for courses taught by CIEE at our Study Centers, visit our syllabi site.

Direct Enrollment Chinese Language Courses

Intensive—Elementary Level

This set of courses is designed for students with no previous Chinese language knowledge and introduces students to modern Mandarin Chinese. This level includes three courses.

Integrated Chinese—Elementary
This course (Zonghe Ke 综合课) meets 10 hours per week. Textbook: Liu Xun 刘珣, ed. Xin Shiyong Hanyu Keben (1-2 Ce) 新实用汉语课本(1-2册) (New Practical Chinese Reader Textbook, vol. 1-2). Beijing: Beijing Language and Culture University Press; Liu Xun, ed. Xin Shiyong Hanyu Keben (Zonghe Lianxi Ce 1-2) 新实用汉语课本 (综合练习册1-2) (New Practical Chinese Reader Workbook, vol. 1-2). Beijing: Beijing Language and Culture University Press. Contact hours: 150. Recommended credit: 7.5 semester/11.25 quarter hours.

Audiovisual and Oral Chinese—Elementary
This course (Shi-Ting Shuo Ke 视听说课) meets eight hours per week. Textbook: Ma Jianfei 马箭飞. Changcheng Hanyu: Shengcun Jiaoji (1-3) 长城汉语:生存交际(1-3) (Great Wall Chinese: Essentials in Communication, vol. 1-3). Beijing: Beijing Language and Culture University Press. Contact hours: 120. Recommended credit: 6 semester/9 quarter hours.

Chinese Characters—Elementary
This course (Hanzi Ke 汉字课) meets two hours per week. Textbook: Deng Xiujun 邓秀均, Tian Yan 田艳 and Liu Yuan 刘援. Tiyan Hanzi: Rumen Pian 体验汉字:入门篇 (Experiencing Chinese Characters: Primer). Beijing: Higher Education Press. Contact hours: 30. Recommended credit: 1.5 semester/2.25 quarter hours.

Intensive—Low Intermediate Level

This set of courses is most appropriate for students with two semesters of college-level Chinese, or the equivalent. This level includes three courses.

Integrated Chinese—Low Intermediate
This course (Zonghe Ke 综合课) meets eight hours per week. Textbook: Liu Xun, ed. Xin Shiyong Hanyu Keben (2-3 Ce) 新实用汉语课本(2-3册) (New Practical Chinese Reader Textbook, vol. 2-3). Beijing: Beijing Language and Culture University Press. Contact hours: 120. Recommended credit: 6 semester/9 quarter hours.

Spoken Chinese—Low Intermediate
This course (Kouyu Ke 口语课) meets eight hours per week. Textbook: Liu Xun, ed. Xin Shiyong Hanyu Keben (2-3 Ce) 新实用汉语课本(2-3册) (New Practical Chinese Reader Textbook, vol. 2-3). Beijing: Beijing Language and Culture University Press. Contact hours: 120. Recommended credit: 6 semester/9 quarter hours.

Chinese Listening Comprehension—Low Intermediate
This course (Tingli Ke 听力课) meets four hours per week. Textbook: Rong Jihua 荣继华. Fazhan Hanyu: Chuji Hanyu (Shang) 发展汉语:初级汉语(上). Beijing: Beijing Language and Culture University Press. Contact hours: 60. Recommended credit: 3 semester/4.5 quarter hours.

Intensive—Intermediate I Level

This set of courses is for students with a Chinese vocabulary of 1,000-2,000 words. Students who complete this level should be able to pass the original version of the HSK (Elementary) Level 4, and is approximately equivalent to ACTFL sublevel Intermediate Mid. This level includes four courses.

Integrated Chinese—Intermediate I
This course (Zonghe Ke 综合课) meets eight hours per week. Textbook: Qian Xujing 钱旭菁, Huang Li 黄立, and Li Xiaoqi 李晓琪, ed. Boya Hanyu: Zhun Zhongji Jiasu (Pian I) 博雅汉语:准中级加速(篇I) (Boya Chinese: Pre-Intermediate, vol. 1). Beijing: Peking University Press. Contact hours: 120. Recommended credit: 6 semester/9 quarter hours.

Spoken Chinese—Intermediate I
This course (Kouyu Ke 口语课) meets six hours per week. Textbook: Dai Guifu 戴桂芙, Liu Lixin 刘立新, Li Haiyan 李海燕. Chuji Hanyu Kouyu (Tigao Pian) 初级汉语口语(提高篇) (Elementary Spoken Chinese, Improvement). Beijing: Peking University Press. Contact hours: 90. Recommended credit: 4.5 semester/6.75 quarter hours.

Chinese Listening Comprehension—Intermediate I
This course (Tingli Ke 听力课) meets four hours per week. Textbook: Xu Guimei 徐桂梅, Chen Manhua 陈满华. Fazhan Hanyu: Chuji Hanyu (Xia) 发展汉语:初级汉语(下). Beijing: Beijing Language and Culture University Press. Contact hours: 60. Recommended credit: 3 semester/4.5 quarter hours.

Chinese Reading Comprehension—Intermediate I
This course (Yuedu Ke 阅读课) meets two hours per week. Textbook: Li Zhaohui 李朝辉. Hanyu Yuedu Keben: Zhongguo Naxie Shir 汉语阅读课本:中国那些事儿 (Pieces of China). Beijing: Sinolingua. Contact hours: 30. Recommended credit: 1.5 semester/2.25 quarter hours.

Intensive—Intermediate II Level

This set of courses is for students with a Chinese vocabulary of 2,000-3,000 words. Students who complete this level should be able to pass the original version of the HSK (Elementary) Level 5, and is approximately equivalent to ACTFL sublevel Intermediate High. This level includes four courses.

Integrated Chinese—Intermediate II
This course (Zonghe Ke 综合课) meets eight hours per week. Textbook: Qian Xujing, Huang Li, and Li Xiaoqi, ed. Boya Hanyu: Zhun Zhongji Jiasu (Pian II) 博雅汉语:准中级加速(篇II) (Boya Chinese: Pre-Intermediate, vol. 2). Beijing: Peking University Press. Contact hours: 120. Recommended credit: 6 semester/9 quarter hours.

Spoken Chinese—Intermediate II
This course (Kouyu Ke 口语课) meets six hours per week. Textbook: Liu Delian 刘德联 and Liu Xiaoyu 刘晓雨. Zhongji Hanyu Kouyu (1) 中级汉语口语(1) (Intermediate Spoken Chinese, vol. 1). Beijing: Peking University Press. Contact hours: 90. Recommended credit: 4.5 semester/6.75 quarter hours.

Chinese Listening Comprehension—Intermediate II
This course (Tingli Ke 听力课) meets four hours per week. Textbook: Xu Guimei 徐桂梅. Fazhan Hanyu: Zhongji Hanyu (Shang) 发展汉语:中级汉语(上). Beijing: Beijing Language and Culture University Press. Contact hours: 60. Recommended credit: 3 semester/4.5 quarter hours.

Chinese Reading Comprehension—Intermediate II
This course (Yuedu Ke 阅读课) meets two hours per week. Textbook: Zhang Shitao张世涛 and Liu Ruoyun 刘若云. Chuji Hanyu Yuedu Jiaocheng (II) 初级汉语阅读教程(II) (Elementary Chinese Reading Course, vol. 2). Beijing: Peking University Press. Contact hours: 30. Recommended credit: 1.5 semester/2.25 quarter hours.

Intensive—Advanced I Level

This set of courses is for students with a Chinese vocabulary of 3,000-4,000 words. Students who complete this level should be able to pass the original version of the HSK (Intermediate) Level 6, and is approximately equivalent to ACTFL sublevel Advanced Low. This level includes four courses.

Integrated Chinese—Advanced I
This course (Zonghe Ke 综合课) meets eight hours per week. Textbook: Zhao Yanfeng 赵延风 and Li Xiaoqi, ed. Boya Hanyu: Zhongji Chongci (Pian I) 博雅汉语:中级冲刺 (篇I) (Boya Chinese: Intermediate, vol. 1). Beijing: Peking University Press. Contact hours: 120. Recommended credit: 6 semester/9 quarter hours.

Spoken Chinese—Advanced I
This course (Kouyu Ke 口语课) meets six hours per week. Textbook: Liu Delian, et al. Zhongji Hanyu Kouyu (2) 中级汉语口语(2) (Intermediate Spoken Chinese, vol. 2). Beijing: Peking University Press. Contact hours: 90. Recommended credit: 4.5 semester/6.75 quarter hours.

Chinese Listening Comprehension—Advanced I
This course (Tingli Ke 听力课) meets four hours per week. Textbook: Wu Huihua 武惠华. Fazhan Hanyu: Zhongji Hanyu (Xia) 发展汉语:中级汉语(下). Beijing: Beijing Language and Culture University Press. Contact hours: 60. Recommended credit: 3 semester/4.5 quarter hours.

Chinese Reading Comprehension—Advanced I
This course (Yuedu Ke 阅读课) meets two hours per week. Textbook: Zhou Xiaobing 周小兵 and Zhang Shitao 张世涛, eds. Zhongji Hanyu Yuedu Jiaocheng (I) 中级汉语阅读教程(I) (Intermediate Chinese Reading Course, vol. 1). Beijing: Peking University Press. Contact hours: 30. Recommended credit: 1.5 semester/2.25 quarter hours.

Advanced II Level

This set of courses is for students with a Chinese vocabulary of 4,000-5,000 words. Students who complete this level should be able to pass the original version of the HSK (Intermediate) Level 7 or 8, and is approximately equivalent approximately to ACTFL sublevel Advanced Mid. This level includes four courses.

Integrated Chinese—Advanced II
This course (Zonghe Ke 综合课) meets eight hours per week. Textbook: Li Xiaoqi. Boya Hanyu: Zhongji Chongci (Pian II) 博雅汉语:中级冲刺 (篇II) (Boya Chinese: Intermediate, vol. 2). Beijing: Peking University Press. Contact hours: 120. Recommended credit: 6 semester/9 quarter hours.

Spoken Chinese—Advanced II
This course (Kouyu Ke 口语课) meets four hours per week. Textbook: Liu Delian, et al. Zhongji Hanyu Kouyu (Tigao Pian) 中级汉语口语(提高篇) (Intermediate Spoken Chinese, Improvement). Beijing: Peking University Press. Contact hours: 60. Recommended credit: 3 semester/4.5 quarter hours.

Chinese Listening Comprehension—Advanced II
This course (Tingli Ke 听力课) meets four hours per week. Textbook: Cen Yuzhen 岑玉珍. Fazhan Hanyu: Gaoji Hanyu (Shang) 发展汉语:高级汉语(上). Beijing: Beijing Language and Culture University Press. Contact hours: 60. Recommended credit: 3 semester/4.5 quarter hours.

Chinese Reading Comprehension—Advanced II
This course (Yuedu Ke 阅读课) meets four hours per week. Textbook: Zhang Lina 张丽娜. Bubugao Hanyu Yuedu Jiaocheng (3) 步步高汉语阅读教程(3) (Step by Step: A Course in Chinese Reading Comprehension, vol. 3). Beijing: Beijing Language and Culture University Press. Contact hours: 60. Recommended credit: 3 semester/4.5 quarter hours.

Intensive—Advanced High I Level

This set of courses is for students with a Chinese vocabulary of 5,000-6,000 words. Students who complete this level should be able to pass the original version of the HSK (Intermediate) Level 8 or HSK (Advanced) Level 9, and is approximately equivalent to ACTFL sublevel Advanced Mid or Advanced High. This level includes five courses.

Integrated Chinese—Advanced High I
This course (Zonghe Ke 综合课) meets eight hours per week. Textbook: Jin Xunian 金舒年, Chen Li 陈莉, and Li Xiaoqi, ed. Boya Hanyu: Gaoji Feixiang (Pian I) 博雅汉语:高级飞翔 (篇I) (Boya Chinese: Advanced, vol. 1). Beijing: Peking University Press. Contact hours: 120. Recommended credit: 6 semester/9 quarter hours.

Spoken Chinese—Advanced High I
This course (Kouyu Ke 口语课) meets four hours per week. Textbook: Zu Renzhi 祖人植 and Ren Xuemei 任雪梅. Gaoji Hanyu Kouyu (1) 高级汉语口语(1) (Advanced Spoken Chinese, vol. 1). Beijing: Peking University Press. Contact hours: 60. Recommended credit: 3 semester/4.5 quarter hours.

Chinese Reading Comprehension—Advanced High I
This course (Yuedu Ke 阅读课) meets four hours per week. Textbook: Zhang Lina. Bubugao Hanyu Yuedu Jiaocheng (4) 步步高汉语阅读教程(4) (Step by Step: A Course in Chinese Reading Comprehension, vol. 4). Beijing: Beijing Language and Culture University Press. Contact hours: 60. Recommended credit: 3 semester/4.5 quarter hours.

Chinese Writing—Advanced High I
This course (Xiezuo Ke 写作课) meets two hours per week. Textbook: Chen Zuohong 陈作宏 and Zhao Youhong 赵永红, eds. Tiyan Hanyu Xiezuo Jiaocheng (Gaoji 1) 体验汉语写作教程(高级1) (Experiencing Chinese: Advanced, vol. 1). Beijing: Higher Education Press. Contact hours: 30. Recommended credit: 1.5 semester/2.25 quarter hours.

Chinese Writing—Advanced High I
This course (Wenhua Ke 文化课) meets two hours per week. Textbook: Zhang Ying 张英 and Jin Shunian 金舒年. Zhongguo Chuantong Wenhua Yu Xiandai Shenghuo (2) 中国传统文化与现代生活(2) (Chinese Traditional Culture and Modern Life, vol. 2). Beijing: Peking University Press. Contact hours: 30. Recommended credit: 1.5 semester/2.25 quarter hours.

CIEE Area Studies Electives

Some area studies electives may change from year-to-year depending upon student interest, instructor availability, and new course options.

Fall and Spring

CLST 3001 CBEJ

Seminar on Living and Learning in Beijing
The CIEE Seminar on Living and Learning takes an experiential, developmental, and holistic approach to intercultural development. In this course, students will acquire intercultural concepts and skills to apply to their daily experiences in Beijing. Active reflection will help deepen their understanding of the complexity and diversity of Chinese core values and cultural practices; encourage them to develop a more nuanced awareness of cultural background; and help them develop the ability to handle intercultural tensions successfully. This course may meet at another CIEE host university, Peking University, a short subway commute from Minzu University of China.

Spring

EAST 3001 BESC / ANTH 3002 BESC

Ethnic Diversity and Identity in China
China is a nation of many faces. Like other multi-ethnic countries, it has its own unique ethnic geography, which comprises approximately 63% of China’s territory. While non-Han Chinese are indeed minorities, in terms of the size of their combined territories China’s 55 ethnic minorities in fact comprise the majority of China’s land. This is an interdisciplinary course on the current state of ethnic diversity in China, as well as factors influencing cultural and linguistic change and survival for groups in China. In this class, students develop a critical understanding of how culture, in both conceptual and empirical senses, is dynamic and boundary-crossing and why China’s modernization project is implemented differently in Han Chinese and ethnic minority regions with different effects. Through lectures, discussions, and mini-field trips the class addresses these questions through case studies of Tibetan, Uyghur, Hui, Miao, Han, and other ethnic groups.

Fall

RELI 3001 BESC / ECOL 3001 BESC

Religion and Ecology in Contemporary China
This course surveys how religious beliefs and rituals are inherently connected with ecological practices, especially among ethnic minority populations in Western China. It offers textual interpretations of this connection and provides case studies of different ethnic communities. Course materials are drawn from contemporary scholarly studies of religion and ecology with an emphasis on religions and folk belief systems in China. Students are expected to explore ways and means to include relevant native ecological practices and worldviews in the ongoing global public discourse concerning environmental ethics and the sustainability of nature, culture, and biodiversity. Throughout the semester, the class examines both conceptual and material realties of tradition and modernity in relation to religious beliefs and ecological practices. Cases studies in the class include how native communities respond to the impact of tourism, construction of hydraulic dams, and sedentarization of nomadic populations.

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