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Study in China
beijing - chinese language + culture

Study in France
paris - critical studies

Study in Nicaragua
managua - liberal arts

Study in the Czech Republic
prague - film studies

Study in Italy
naples - liberal arts

Study in Italy
naples - classical studies

Study in Germany
berlin - language + culture

Study in Thailand
khon kaen - community public health

Study in Australia
perth - sustainability + the environment

Is this program right for you?

The CIEE Chinese Language and Cultural Studies program is designed for students with 0-4 semesters of Chinese language study and an interest in China’s ethnic minorities and the Chinese identity. This program is ideal for students majoring in the social sciences with an interest in multi-ethnic China and modern life in Beijing.

Program Snapshot

  • Core course: Visual Anthropology of Contemporary China
  • Mandarin training for all levels of students; courses taught by trained Chinese language faculty from Minzu University; peer language tutors
  • Elective courses in Tibetan language, Ethnic Dance, and Ethnic Diversity
  • Mid-semester field trip with intercultural experience in Northwest China
  • Homestay experiences with farmers, nomads, and traditional artists in eastern Qinghai and southern Gansu Provinces; volunteering opportunities

Subject Areas

  • Anthropology
  • Chinese Studies/Chinese Culture
  • Ethnic Studies
  • Mandarin Chinese
  • Religious Studies
  • Sociology

About Beijing

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 15 million people struggling to adapt as China emerges as a global player. Beijing reflects China’s long and evolving history when different dynasties based here constructed some of the nation’s most well-known and culturally important sites such as the Great Wall 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.

Where You'll Study

Minzu University of China

Minzu University of China (formerly the Central University for Nationalities) was founded in the 1950s. It is a unique community of higher education in Beijing, where students from China’s 56 nationalities study. Minzu University of China (MUC) consists of 10 colleges. Of these, the Colleges of Ethnology and Sociology, Fine Arts, Ethno-Music, Tibetan Studies, and Uyghur Language and Literature are the most well known at home and abroad. The campus facilities include a concert hall, a large art gallery, an ethnic minority museum, and a library holding the largest collection of publications and archives on ethnic minorities in China.

Thoughts From Abroad

China is changing faster than any other country in the world, and Beijing is at the axis of that change. These changes also bring internal conflict and compromise, development and social stratification, and ongoing public discourses about the impact of modern life on China’s ethnicities and rural communities.

Come to learn about these sweeping changes and their impact on the people of China. Come to this program with the intention of meeting and engaging students from the 56 nationalities who study at Minzu University of China. Come to learn in greater depth about China’s greatest resource—its people.

— Dan Smyer Yü, Resident Director

Staff Bios

Dr. Dan Smyer Yü, Resident Director, received his Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from the University of California at Davis. In addition to his anthropological training, he also holds an M.A. in Religious Studies. In the past, he has held teaching and research positions at the Graduate Theological Union, the Center for the Pacific Rim at the University of San Francisco, and the University of California. His publications include “Taking Refuge: Buddhist Conversion in the Contemporary World” in Oxford Handbook of Religious Conversion (Oxford University Press, upcoming); “Living Buddhas, Netizens, and the Price of Religious Freedom“(Cornell University Press 2008); “Charisma and its Transmissibility: The Inner Landscape of Tulkus Contemporary Tibetan Buddhist Revival in Kham and Golok” (The Tibet Journal 2007); and “Emotions under Local Nationalism: The Primordial Turn of Tibetan Intellectuals in China” (The Pacific Rim Report 2006). Currently, he is preparing a book manuscript Charisma, Money, and Enlightenment: The Marketplace of Tibetan Buddhism in Contemporary China for submission to the University of Washington Press. In addition to his enthusiasm for undergraduate teaching and research, his passion is also found in his ethnographic photography. He has held photo shows in Berkeley, CA and Beijing, China.

Recommended Credit

semester: 15 semester/22.5 quarter hours

Eligibility Requirements

  • Overall GPA 2.75
  • Previous coursework in anthropology, sociology, development, or global studies recommended

Program Dates

Fall 20098/23/2009 - 12/12/2009
Spring 20102/14/2010 - 6/13/2010

Application Deadlines

Fall 20094/1/2009
Spring 201011/1/2009

Click here to check for deadline extensions.

Duration

Fall 200915 weeks
late August - mid-December
Spring 201015 weeks
mid-February - early June

CIEE Costs

CIEE program fees, inclusions, and estimated additional costs, are outlined below. Please note that CIEE reserves the right to adjust its fees in the event of significant change in exchange rates or other factors beyond its control. The actual cost of the programs may vary slightly for students from different institutions.

For comprehensive fee breakdowns and estimated additional costs, click the costs below:

  • Fall 2009 $12,500
    The CIEE program fees include an optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time program leadership and support, tuition, housing, orientation, cultural activities, field trips, pre-departure advising, visa fees, and a CIEE iNext travel card which includes insurance and other travel benefits.

    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 below.

    Educational Costs (direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students; including $300 non-refundable Participation Confirmation Fee)$10,436
    Housing$1,800
    Medical Insurance$74
    Visa Fee$190
    Total$12,500

    The CIEE program fees include an optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time program leadership and support, tuition, housing, orientation, cultural activities, field trips, pre-departure advising, visa fees, and a CIEE iNext travel card which includes insurance and other travel benefits.



    Estimated Additional Costs

    The estimated additional costs indicated below 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.

    Transportation (round-trip based on U.S. West Coast departure)$1,500
    Personal Expenses$2,150
    Meals$1,200
    Books and Supplies$150
    Local Transportation$400
    Total$5,400


  • Spring 2010 $12,500
    The CIEE programs fee includes an optional on-site airport meet and greet, tuition, housing, orientation, full-time program leadership and support, cultural activities, field trips, pre-departure advising, visa fees, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.

    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 below.

    Visa Fee$193
    Housing$1,800
    Medical Insurance$74
    Educational Costs (direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students; including $300 non-refundable Participation Confirmation Fee)$10,433
    Total$12,500

    The CIEE programs fee includes an optional on-site airport meet and greet, tuition, housing, orientation, full-time program leadership and support, cultural activities, field trips, pre-departure advising, visa fees, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.



    Estimated Additional Costs

    The estimated additional costs indicated below 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.

    Transportation (round-trip based on U.S. West Coast departure)$1,200
    Books and Supplies$150
    Local Transportation$400
    Meals$1,200
    Personal Expenses$2,150
    Total$5,100


Scholarship Information

For a complete list of scholarships available, please vist our Scholarships section.