summer chinese studies

Quick Info

By Term

• Summer 2014 Session I
• Summer 2014 Session II
• Summer 2014 Session I, II

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Program Overview

If you’ve always wanted to see China, now’s the time.

The CIEE Chinese Studies summer program is your chance to explore pressing social issues in contemporary China, develop basic communicative skills in Mandarin, and immerse yourself in local culture through field trips, activities, and community engagement.

The first session of the summer will take place in the city of Nanjing, the second in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Mt. Lu, a hill station in the mountains of the Jiangxi province.

Study abroad in China with CIEE and you will:

• Take part in language training that empowers you to engage in basic conversations on daily life
• Develop an understanding of the varied and complex origins of China’s present economic, social, cultural, and political worlds
• Immerse yourself in your new community while give back to it through a variety of volunteering projects

The CIEE Difference

Coursework

No prior language experience? No problem.

Communicative Chinese classes are functional and task-based, designed for beginner-level Chinese learners. You’ll develop practical communicative skills on a range of topics including: introducing yourself, ordering food, and asking for directions.

Classes in English cover Chinese history, society, and the relationship between state-initiated reforms and Chinese lives.

Excursions

Enjoy unparalleled insight into Chinese culture and history.

In Nanjing, students will have the opportunity to visit sites including Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum, the Ming Tomb, and Presidential Palace to learn about the history of ancient and modern China. CIEE will organize extra-curricular activities with Chinese students from Nanjing University to enrich student life in Nanjing, such as making dumplings, group outings, and movie nights.

At Mt. Lu, students will have the opportunity to visit the Foreign Villas Museum, the old stone Union Church, and the Lushan Botanical Garden.

Volunteering

Give something back.

From teaching English to children at the local community center, to volunteering at a rehabilitation center for people with autism, community engagement is an important and highly encouraged component of this summer program. CIEE has an established network of community partnerships with NGOs and local organizations meaning resident staff can help place you with a project that’s in line with your volunteering interests.

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 2014 Session I

04/01/2014

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.

Summer 2014 Session II

04/01/2014

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.

Summer 2014 Session I, II

04/01/2014

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

Recommended Credit

Total recommended credit for the program is 3-4 semester/4.5-6 quarter hours per session and 6-8 semester / 9-12 quarter hours for both sessions.

The area studies courses meet for 45 contact hours and recommended credit is 3 semester / 4.5 quarter hours per course. Language courses meet for 18 contact hours and recommended credit is 1 semester / 1.5 quarter hours per course.

Program Requirements

Students take the required English content course and an optional Chinese language course each session.

About The City

Nanjing is regarded as one of China’s most important commercial centers, as well as one of the safest and most livable cities in China. Just an hour from Shanghai by high-speed train, Nanjing prides itself on maintaining the atmosphere of a traditional Chinese city, with its classical temples and 600-year-old city wall, while being a base for hundreds of multinational corporations and many Fortune 500 companies. Literally named “Southern Capital,” Nanjing was the seat of power for Imperial China in the Six Dynasties and is remembered as one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China. With more than 40 colleges and universities and over 600,000 college students in the city, there are more students as a percent of population than any other city in China, making Nanjing a uniquely student-friendly environment.

Meet The Staff

Fu Yanfei

Dr. Fu Yanfei completed her Ph.D. from the University of Arizona in Educational Psychology. She holds an M.A. degree from Syracuse University in Sociolinguistics and an M.A. from Nanjing University in World History. She also completed the graduate certificate program in American Studies at the Johns Hopkins University-Nanjing University Center for Chinese and American Studies.

Dr. Fu has served as a Program Director of the Early Start program offering UCLA college courses to outstanding Chinese high school students at the prestigious Jinling High School in Nanjing. She previously served as Associate Program Director and Chinese Language Coordinator for another U.S. study abroad program in Nanjing operated in collaboration with the University of Arizona. She has also worked in the non-profit sector as the Program Officer for the Education Division of the Amity Foundation in Nanjing. Dr. Fu has taught multiple levels of Chinese language to American college students in Nanjing and at Syracuse University.

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I wish to welcome you to Nanjing, a city of tree-lined boulevards, beautiful lake parks, and endless cultural and outdoor activities. As one of the ancient capitals of China and a modern, developed provincial capital, Nanjing offers you a unique opportunity to simultaneously experience the rapid development of China and its rich history.

A city of over 8 million people, Nanjing is more accessible than many other metropolitan cities in China. The CIEE Study Center is conveniently located in the center of town on the campus of Nanjing University. Students can find parks, lakes, historical monuments, and cuisine from around the world minutes away from their residence hall. While Nanjing has a significant population of international students and many amazing historical sites, the city does not feel “touristy.” It is the perfect place for you to practice Chinese with the locals and learn about China, both old and new. I am very excited to join you in that experience.

— Fu Yanfei, Resident Director

“”

Jiang Jun

Program Assistant

Ms. Jiang Jun is Program Assistant for the CIEE Study Center in Nanjing. Originally from the city of Nanjing, she holds an M.A. from Beijing Foreign Studies University in translation between Chinese and English, and B.A. degrees from Capital Normal University in English language and literature and Spanish language and literature. She has been working with CIEE since summer, 2012. Prior to joining CIEE, Ms. Jiang taught Chinese at the Confucius Institute of the University of Piura in Peru, and she once served as the interpreter and assistant to the Secretary General of the Olympic Games Committee of Zambia. She is fluent in English and Spanish.

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Where You'll Study

The CIEE Study Center in Nanjing is operated in conjunction with Nanjing University and the Institute for International Students. The CIEE Study Center office is located on campus in the city center, and all CIEE courses take place there. CIEE students have access to the library, computer labs, and other facilities at Nanjing University. Although there are many international students at Nanjing University, participants will take classes only with other CIEE students.

The second session will be held at the Lushan Vocational School, under the auspices of the Lushan Institute, which is operated by the Nanjing University Institute for International Students. CIEE students will live and study at the institute, which is located a 10-minute walk from the charming mountain town of Guling, with its tree-lines streets and plaza, numerous restaurants, shops, a movie theatre and Bank of China.

Housing & Meals

Housing is included in the program fee. All students will share a dorm or a room in a nearby hotel with another program participant. In Nanjing, the university cafeteria and restaurants are nearby and convenient, and there is a café on the ground floor of the building that houses both dormitory rooms and the CIEE office.

In Mt. Lu, the Lushan Vocational School where the second session is held is composed of four buildings, including a dormitory, multifunction hall, kitchen, dining hall, and classrooms. Laundry facilities are also available in the basement of the dormitory facilities. The dormitory provides standard hotel rooms with two single beds in each room, private bathroom, television, telephone, air-conditioning and 24-hour hot water. Dormitory staff clean the room once daily during class time. The dining hall is on the second floor of the dormitory building and serves three meals daily.

Orientations

Following arrival day, a two-day orientation at the beginning of each session introduces students to the location and the program. The orientation includes presentations on health and safety, local logistics, and community engagement opportunities.

Internet

Students will have cable internet access in their room in both Nanjing and Mt. Lu, so they are encouraged to bring their own laptop computers. Wireless internet and computers are available at CIEE Nanjing Study Center.

Culture

In Nanjing, students will have the opportunity to visit Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum, the Ming Tomb, Jiming Temple, Ming City Wall, Xuanwu Lake, Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall, and Presidential Palace to learn about the history of ancient and modern China. CIEE will organize extra-curricular activities with Chinese students from Nanjing University to enrich student life in Nanjing, such as making dumplings, group outings, and movie nights.

At Mt. Lu, students will have the opportunity to visit the Foreign Villas Museum, including The Church of the Ascension, the old stone Union Church, and the family home of Pearl S. Buck, as well as the site of the Lushan Conference, the Yellow Dragon Temple and Donglin Temple, Cave of the Immortals, White Deer Grotto Academy, and the Lushan Botanical Garden, in addition to hiking on the mountain and exploring the natural scenery of Black Dragon Pool, Brocade Valley, and the Three Cascades Waterfall.

Community Engagement

Community engagement is an important and highly encouraged component of this summer program. CIEE resident staff will assist interested participants in finding volunteer projects in various organizations. CIEE has an established network of community partnerships with NGOs and other local organizations. Projects may range from teaching English to children at the local community center, or at an elementary school for children of migrant families, to volunteering at a rehabilitation center for people with autism.

Academics

The Chinese Studies summer program is based on the area studies courses for the semester Intensive Chinese Language and Culture program at the CIEE Study Center at Nanjing University. The summer program is made up of two three-and-a-half-week sessions, including arrival, orientation, and three weeks of instruction. In each session, students study an area studies course and have the option to take the communicative Chinese language course. The area studies courses meet three hours every morning from Monday through Friday over three weeks. The Communicative Chinese language courses meet three times a week for two hours each time. Students may choose to participate in one or both sessions. Communicative Chinese is offered in two levels in the second session for students who attend both sessions and want to continue language study.

Academic Culture

All courses are for CIEE students only. The area studies courses are generally lecture-based, but CIEE students are expected to foster an interactive classroom dynamic through class discussions, fieldwork, presentations, observation papers, and group or individual projects. The area studies courses integrate local site visits to the surrounding areas related to course content. The language classes are small, consisting of six to eight students, so students are expected to participate actively to help create an interactive class.

Nature of Classes

Classes are for CIEE students only.

Grading System

The area studies course is graded based on observation papers, presentations, and a final project, as well as participation and attendance. Language courses are graded on participation, class performance, daily homework, quizzes, midterm and final exams. The following letter grades are assigned: A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, D, and F.

Faculty

The area studies courses are taught in English by either American or Chinese faculty who hold terminal degrees in the topic of instruction and have overseas teaching experience.

Dr. Colette Plum is an adjunct faculty for the CIEE Study Center in Nanjing, and previously taught world history, Chinese history and East Asian studies as Assistant Professor of History at Widener University in Philadelphia, and she lectured on 20th century China in the Department of History at University of Pennsylvania. Prior to that she taught an upper division seminar on Chinese nationalism at Stanford University’s Overseas Study Program at Peking University. She holds a Ph.D. in Chinese History from Stanford University.

Dr. Liu Woyu is an Assistant Professor of modern Chinese history in the School of Government at Nanjing University. He holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in history from Nanjing University and a Ph.D. in history from the University of Iowa. Previously he taught ancient Chinese history, contemporary Chinese history and U.S.-China relations at Grinnell College.

All Chinese courses are taught by Chinese language faculty at Nanjing University or graduate students majoring in teaching Chinese as a second language.

Language of Instruction

Chinese and English

Course Description

Program Blog

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