summer intensive chinese language

Quick Info

By Term

• Summer 2013
• Summer 2014

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Program Overview

Spend this summer immersed in a dynamic language learning environment that compels you to explore beyond the classroom. In eight weeks with the Summer Intensive Chinese Language program, you’ll complete the equivalent of one year of university-level Chinese coursework at one of the country’s most prestigious universities.

Through intensive Mandarin language training, weekly sessions with Chinese peer tutors, a homestay option, and cultural excursions you won’t simply study Chinese – you’ll live it.

In Beijing you will:

• Improve your language skills through 20 hours of intensive in-class language coursework per week, and individual and small group tutorials with Peking University graduate student tutors
• Study the equivalent of one year university-level Chinese coursework in eight weeks while exploring Beijing and surrounding areas
• Take in an acrobatics performance, go hiking, volunteer with disabled youth, and explore traditional sites such as the Great Wall, Summer Palace, Tiananmen Square and Temple of Heaven
• Participate in smaller, topic-oriented cultural activities and lectures that provide meaning to what you learn in the classroom and give you additional tools to understand your experience of living in another culture

The CIEE Difference

Homestays

Grasp the unique opportunity to live with a local Chinese family. Since Chinese family members speak Chinese only, this option is highly recommended for students who want to live in an entirely Chinese language environment and who are motivated to make rapid progress in Chinese language. Eat traditional food, immerse yourself in local custom, and form relationships that endure long after your program has ended.

Cultural Activities and Field Trips

Students get to participate in one extended weekend excursion during the summer program. CIEE will offer a few different itineraries, each going to different locations and with different trip themes and under leadership of different CIEE staff teams. You will sign up for and take part in the trip that interests you the most. Through these specialized trips, with smaller group sizes, you can experience more personal interaction, as well as learn about a topic of particular interest. Past selections have included visits to the birthplace of Confucius in Qufu, under the theme “Traditional Chinese Philosophy;” and a village visit and hike in the mountains of northern Shanxi province, under the theme “Environment and Rural Governance in China.

Language Tutors

The CIEE Language Tutor program is a unique hallmark of our program and ensures that your linguistic and cultural fluency progresses throughout your stay. You will be paired with a Peking University graduate student, or CIEE staff trained in teaching Chinese as a second language, for twice weekly one-on-one Chinese language tutorials, for a total of 90 minutes per week, and small one-to-three group tutorials once weekly for 90 minutes, with more hours available upon request. These tutorials provide you with extra conversational practice in Mandarin and guidance with homework assignments.

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 as well as estimated additional costs. Please talk with your University Study Abroad Advisor about additional fees that may be charged by your home institution when participating in a program abroad.

Program

Application Due

Start Date

End Date

Costs

Summer 2013 (8 wks)

Extended to: 04/01/2013

06/16/2013

08/11/2013

$7,050

Program Date Notes

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, field trips, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.

Participation Confirmation *

$300

Educational Costs **

$5,235

Housing ***

$1,200

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

*** two meals per week are included in the homestay option; no meals are included in the dormitory option

Estimated Additional Costs

Meals not included in program fee *

$800

International Airfare **

$2,200

Local Transportation

$150

Books & Supplies

$75

Personal expenses

$1,200

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.

* for students in dormitories; students in the homestay option should budget 650 for meals not included in fees

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

Summer 2014

03/15/2014

TBA

TBA

Program Date Notes

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.

Eligibility

• Overall GPA 2.75
• 135 hours of college-level Mandarin Chinese or its equivalent
• 1 semester of college-level Chinese studies is recommended but not required
• Peking University does not accept students who are citizens of the People’s Republic of China, Taiwan ROC, Hong Kong SAR, or Macau. This includes those who are permanent U.S. residents. Students of Chinese ancestry who hold U.S. and other foreign passports are welcome.

Recommended Credit

Total recommended credit for the summer is 10 semester/15 quarter hours. Each course has 80 contact hours and recommended credit is 5 semester/7.5 quarter hours per course.

Program Requirements

All participants are required to take “Readings in Chinese” and “Spoken Chinese.”

About The City

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 over 22 million people adapting as China emerges as a global player. Beijing reflects China’s long and evolving history and home to some of the nation’s most well-known and culturally important sites such as the Great Wall, Forbidden City, and the 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.

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During the last 30 years, in addition to numerous deep-reaching social and political changes, China has engaged in an immense and unprecedented experiment of explosive economic transformation. This has led to significant improvement in the material lives of many millions of people, but not without substantial social and environmental costs. China is a country that has a vast and still growing population of 1.4 billion people, and in this case Western models of development simply have limited parallel or application. China is finding its own way step by step into an uncertain future. The need for sustainable practices in China is acute, and the consequences of failure to do better will not only compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, but will also impact current generations living today. Of course, China is part of the world—whether as a consumer of the world’s reserve of fossil fuels and producer of carbon emissions, or as a commercial powerhouse and manufacturer of products for the world. Thus what happens in China not only impacts other regions and peoples, but China as a critical case study also teaches us about fundamental principles and issues related to sustainability, with potential application to regions across the world.

Come to learn about this important issue and the sweeping changes impacting diverse ethnicities and communities in China—come to learn about the problems and solutions, conflicts and compromises, different discourses and questions about identity, survival, and the future of a nation. Come to engage the many complex faces of contemporary China.

— Patrick Lucas, Resident Director

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Yan Jing

Yan Jing, Office Coordinator and Tutorial Coordinator, holds a B.S. in Information and Computing Sciences from the China University of Mining and Technology in Beijing, and an M.A. in Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages from Peking University, with a focus on cross-cultural communication. She was a volunteer at the Olympics and Special Olympics in Beijing in 2008. She has been working for CIEE since fall, 2011.

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Li Tao

Li Tao, Language and Culture Practicum Coordinator, holds a B.A. in Chinese Language and Literature from Jiangnan University, and an M.A. in Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages from Capital Normal University. She has been working for CIEE since spring, 2012. Before joining CIEE, she taught Chinese to children in Davao, Philippines, for one year.

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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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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

Founded in 1898, Peking University (PKU) was and still remains one of China’s most prestigious universities. Its long traditions of scholarly excellence and political activism have produced figures that have played instrumental roles in China’s post-Imperial history. The university focuses on advanced research in the natural and social sciences and its campus, which was previously an imperial garden during the Qing Dynasty, is home to the university’s 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The PKU campus has modern classrooms, recreational facilities and numerous cafeterias, as well as convenient access to Beijing’s mass transit system, all within short walking distance of each other.

Housing & Meals

Housing is included in the program fee. Students live either in a homestay or in the PKU foreign student complex, Zhongguanyuan Global Village, which is a five-minute walk from the South East Gate of campus. Students may not live in private accommodations outside of CIEE-arranged housing.

Zhongguanyuan Global Village

Living conditions in Zhongguanyuan Global Village are comfortable and inviting, and provide standard amenities such as bed, desk, armoire, and Internet access. Shared kitchens are available, but location varies by building. Students live in suite-style units and each student has his or her own private bedroom. Each unit shares a common living space and bathroom and depending on the layout, students will live with one to two other roommates. Roommates are either CIEE students or other International students.

Homestay

Homestays are located within 45 minutes from campus by public transportation and have two or three bedrooms. Students have their own room and share the living room, kitchen, and bathroom (in some host families, students may have their own bathroom). Students are invited to family meals typically four times during the week, but should budget for other meals, including lunch on campus and meals not eaten with host families. Chinese family members speak Chinese only. This option is highly recommended for students who want to establish relationships with Chinese people, live in an entirely Chinese language environment, and to make rapid progress in Chinese language and culture study.

Meals

Meals are not included in the program fee for students living in the dormitory and are the responsibility of the student. Students usually eat at the cafeterias or at the wide range of inexpensive restaurants in and around 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 identify your objectives so that you arrive well-informed and return home having made significant progress towards your goals.

A mandatory orientation session conducted on site at the beginning of the program introduces students to the country, the culture, the local community and environment, and the academic program. Students take a language placement exam during this time as well. Ongoing support is provided on an individual and group basis throughout the program.

Internet

There is Internet access in the PKU library, computer center, and the CIEE Office. Students can also access the Internet from their dormitory rooms by Ethernet cable. The internet usage fee in the dormitory is included in the CIEE program fee. Currently, wireless is not available in the dormitory. Some buildings in PKU have Wi-Fi, but Internet access can be erratic and slow in China. Each host family will have Internet access for students, though availability of Wi-Fi varies by family.

Culture

Cultural Activities and Field Trips

Students get to participate in one extended weekend excursion during the summer program. CIEE will offer a few different itineraries, each going to different locations and with different trip themes and under leadership of different CIEE staff teams. You will sign up for and take part in the trip that interests you the most. Through these specialized trips, with smaller group sizes, you can experience more personal interaction, as well as learn about a topic of particular interest. Past selections have included visits to the birthplace of Confucius in Qufu, under the theme “Traditional Chinese Philosophy;” and a village visit and hike in the mountains of northern Shanxi province, under the theme “Environment and Rural Governance in China.

Special Lectures

Students are invited to meet with locals and expatriates including journalists, diplomats, educators, and business people to gain ideas and views on living and working in Beijing and China. Past speakers have included a U.S. Embassy officer, the Vice President of the American Chamber of Commerce, and a former CIEE participant who owns a business in Beijing. CIEE staff also provide occasional lectures in their areas of expertise.

Immersion

Language Tutors

The CIEE Language Tutor program is a unique hallmark of the program and ensures that students’ linguistic and cultural fluency progresses throughout their stay. Program participants are paired with Peking University graduate students or CIEE staff trained in teaching Chinese as a second language for twice weekly one-on-one Chinese language tutorials, for a total of 90 minutes per week, and small one-to-three group tutorials once weekly for 90 minutes, with more hours available upon request. These tutorials provide students with extra conversational practice in Mandarin, and guidance with homework assignments.

Target Language Meals

To encourage students to utilize their Chinese, CIEE arranges for students to eat meals with their tutors or Chinese friends, and Chinese instructors. Students participating in the language meals are required to speak only Chinese while learning more about Chinese culture from their tutors, friends, and instructors.

Language

CIEE Community Language Commitment

On this program, students are asked to take part in the CIEE Community Language Commitment. During orientation all students sign an agreement, specifying in what contexts Chinese is required. This fosters a program environment and learning community that encourages regular use of the Chinese language for daily communication, thereby improving proficiency in the language.

CIEE Chinese Language Advisory Committee

The CIEE Chinese Language Advisory Committee (CCLAC) is comprised of specialists in the field of teaching Chinese as a second language and serves to promote the highest standards of education at the CIEE Study Centers in Greater China. Specifically, the committee advises CIEE administrators and language instructors on curriculum issues such as learning goals and objectives, instructional innovations, assessment of proficiency gains, program evaluation, and course articulation.

Certificate of Achievement

Students receive a certificate of achievement from Peking University after successfully completing the program.

Academics

Academic Program

Established in 1980 as the CIEE flagship program in China and the first study abroad program at Peking University after the normalization of U.S.-China relations, the CIEE summer language program offers intermediate and advanced students an opportunity to improve their fluency in spoken and written Mandarin Chinese while gaining insight into life in China’s capital city. With over three decades of experience educating U.S. students in China, the CIEE Study Center in Beijing includes many notable alumni, including the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, Timothy Geithner.

Academic Culture

Students take one “Readings in Chinese” and one “Spoken Chinese” course at the appropriate level. The pace of the courses are quite fast, so all students are expected to spend at least four to five hours each afternoon and evening preparing for the next day’s class.

The “Readings in Chinese” course consists of five, two-hour Chinese classes per week. Each textbook lesson is covered in two days, and is broken up into the following five components: Mastering Vocabulary, Explanation of Readings and Grammar, Exercises, Dictation, and Correction and Feedback on Homework. The Explanation of Readings and Grammar section requires students to form three person discussion groups. These courses emphasize the study of written Chinese and are designed to advance reading and writing skills through the study of short essays and stories. Coursework includes exercises in tone drills, vocabulary, and grammatical usage. Every textbook includes 10 to 12 lessons, completed in eight weeks. In addition, students have an exam every week.

The “Spoken Chinese” course consists of five, two-hour Chinese lessons per week. Each lesson is divided into the following four components: Mastering Vocabulary, Explanation of Readings, Drills, and Dictation. The Drills section requires students to form two or three person groups to review grammar and present group dialogues to the larger class. The “Spoken Chinese” course includes two-on-one sections two afternoons each week, pairing two students with one language instructor to work individually on pronunciation and speaking fluency with each student. These courses emphasize conversational Chinese through texts, which include exercises in vocabulary, grammar, and sentence construction. The exercises are content-oriented and provide students with practical vocabulary through dialogues and pattern drills. Every textbook includes 12 lessons completed in eight weeks.

Nature of Classes

Participants take classes with other CIEE students only. Class sizes are capped at 15 students, allowing teachers to better understand the individual needs of each student and providing students with a classroom environment that facilitates active class participation.

Grading System

Grades are determined by two exams (80%), homework and quizzes (10%), and attendance and participation (10%). PKU assigns a numeric grade out of 100 and CIEE assigns one of the following equivalent letter grades: A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, D, and F.

Attendance

According to Peking University attendance guidelines, students who miss 25% of classes will not receive a final grade for that course.

Language of Instruction

Mandarin Chinese

Faculty

Chinese language courses are taught by adjunct faculty instructors from Peking University’s School of Chinese as a Second Language.

Course Description

Program Blog

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