Chinese (CHN)
Courses
CHN 101. First-Year Chinese. 4 Credits.
An introduction to the language (vocabulary, Pinyin, characters, and grammar), cultural practices, and perspectives of Chinese-speaking communities globally. Cultivates listening, speaking, reading, writing, and intercultural competence through conversation, cultural exploration, and other activities. Offered annually as the first of three in the sequence of First-year Chinese courses (CHN 101–103). Designed for beginners with no background in Mandarin Chinese or by placement test. Sequence with CHN 102, CHN 103.
CHN 102. First-Year Chinese. 4 Credits.
An introduction to the language (vocabulary, Pinyin, characters, and grammar), cultural practices, and perspectives of Chinese-speaking communities globally. Cultivates listening, speaking, reading, writing, and intercultural competence through conversation, cultural exploration, and other activities. Offered annually as the first of three in the sequence of First-Year Chinese courses (CHN 101–103). Designed for students who have completed CHN 101 or by placement test. Sequence with CHN 101, CHN 103.
Requisites: Prereq: CHN 101.
Equivalent to: CHN 105
CHN 103. First-Year Chinese. 4 Credits.
An introduction to the language (vocabulary, Pinyin, characters, and grammar), cultural practices, and perspectives of Chinese-speaking communities globally. Cultivates listening, speaking, reading, writing, and intercultural competence through conversation, cultural exploration, and other activities. Offered annually as the third of three in the sequence of First-Year Chinese courses (CHN 101–103). Designed for students who have completed CHN 101 and 102 or by placement test. Sequence with CHN 101, CHN 102.
Requisites: Prereq: CHN 102 or CHN 105.
Equivalent to: CHN 106
CHN 105. Accelerated First-Year Chinese I. 4 Credits.
Provides proficiency-based language-learning using American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language benchmarks as standards for teaching and assessment of listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Sequence with CHN 106.
Requisites: Prereq: CHN 101 with grade of A- or higher.
Equivalent to: CHN 102
CHN 106. Accelerated First-Year Chinese II. 4 Credits.
Provides proficiency-based language-learning using American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language benchmarks as standards for teaching and assessment of grounding in listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Sequence with CHN 105.
Requisites: Prereq: CHN 102 with a grade of A or higher or CHN 105 with a grade of A or higher.
Equivalent to: CHN 103
CHN 150. Introduction to Chinese Narrative. 4 Credits.
Introduction to specific features of Chinese narrative. Readings may span traditional to contemporary literature. Focuses on analysis of characterization, symbolism, causality, and formal issues. Taught in English.
Additional Information:
Arts & Letters Area
Cultural Literacy: Global Perspectives
CHN 151. Introduction to Chinese Film. 4 Credits.
Introduction to the cinemas of China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, featuring films by directors like Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, John Woo, Jia Zhangke, Edward Yang, Ann Hui, and Ang Lee. No background in Chinese necessary; English subtitles.
Additional Information:
Arts & Letters Area
Cultural Literacy: Global Perspectives
CHN 152. Introduction to Chinese Popular Culture. 4 Credits.
Introduction to popular Chinese cultures in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the United States. Discussion focuses on nationalism, globalization, identity, and gender. No background in Chinese necessary; taught in English.
Additional Information:
Arts & Letters Area
Cultural Literacy: Global Perspectives
CHN 196. Field Studies: [Topic]. 1-2 Credits.
A series of practical experiences on or off campus to understand principles or develop skills in performing selected tasks.
Repeatable 99 times
CHN 198. Workshop: [Topic]. 1-2 Credits.
An intensive experience, limited in scope and time, in which a group of students focus on skills development rather than content mastery.
Repeatable 99 times
CHN 199. Special Studies: [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.
Experimental course - topic varies.
Repeatable 99 times
CHN 201. Second-Year Chinese. 4 Credits.
An intermediate course to develop language skills and cultural perspectives of Chinese-speaking communities globally. Cultivates listening, speaking, reading, writing, and intercultural competence through conversation, cultural exploration, and other activities. Offered annually as the first of three in the sequence of Second-Year Chinese courses (CHN 201–203). Designed for students who have completed First-Year Chinese or by placement test. Sequence with CHN 202, CHN 203.
Requisites: Prereq: CHN 103 or CHN 106 or placement test.
Additional Information:
Arts & Letters Area
Cultural Literacy: Global Perspectives
CHN 202. Second-Year Chinese. 4 Credits.
An intermediate course to develop language skills and cultural perspectives of Chinese-speaking communities globally. Cultivates listening, speaking, reading, writing, and intercultural competence through conversation, cultural exploration, and other activities. Offered annually as the second of three in the sequence of Second-Year Chinese courses (CHN 201–203). Designed for students who have completed CHN 201 or by placement test. Sequence with CHN 201, CHN 203.
Requisites: Prereq: CHN 201 or placement test.
Equivalent to: CHN 205
Additional Information:
Arts & Letters Area
Cultural Literacy: Global Perspectives
CHN 203. Second-Year Chinese. 4 Credits.
An intermediate course to develop language skills and cultural perspectives of Chinese-speaking communities globally. Cultivates listening, speaking, reading, writing, and intercultural competence through conversation, cultural exploration, and other activities. Offered annually as the third of three in the sequence of Second-Year Chinese courses (CHN 201–203). Designed for students who have completed CHN 202 or by placement test. Sequence with CHN 201, CHN 202.
Requisites: Prereq: CHN 202 or placement test.
Equivalent to: CHN 206
Additional Information:
Arts & Letters Area
BA Language Satisfying Course
Cultural Literacy: Global Perspectives
CHN 204. Accelerated Second-Year Chinese I. 4 Credits.
Provides proficiency-based language-learning using American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language benchmarks as standards for teaching and assessment of grounding in listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Sequence with CHN 205, CHN 206.
Requisites: Prereq: CHN 103 with a grade of A or higher or CHN 106 with a grade of B+ or higher.
Equivalent to: CHN 201
Additional Information:
Arts & Letters Area
Cultural Literacy: Global Perspectives
CHN 205. Accelerated Second-Year Chinese II. 4 Credits.
Provides proficiency-based language-learning using American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language benchmarks as standards for teaching and assessment of grounding in listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Sequence with CHN 204, CHN 206.
Requisites: Prereq: CHN 201 with a grade of A or higher or CHN 204 with a grade of B+ or higher.
Equivalent to: CHN 202
Additional Information:
Arts & Letters Area
Cultural Literacy: Global Perspectives
CHN 206. Accelerated Second-Year Chinese III. 4 Credits.
Provides proficiency-based language-learning using American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language benchmarks as standards for teaching and assessment of grounding in listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Sequence with CHN 204, CHN 205.
Requisites: Prereq: CHN 202 with a grade of A or higher or CHN 205 with a grade of B+ or higher.
Equivalent to: CHN 203
Additional Information:
Arts & Letters Area
BA Language Satisfying Course
Cultural Literacy: Global Perspectives
CHN 301. Third-Year Chinese I. 4 Credits.
Continued training in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Requisites: Prereq: CHN 203 or CHN 206.
Additional Information:
Arts & Letters Area
BA Language Satisfying Course
Cultural Literacy: Global Perspectives
CHN 302. Third-Year Chinese II. 4 Credits.
CHN 302 continues the development of intermediate Chinese language proficiency through the study of topics related to contemporary Chinese society, culture, and current events. Conducted primarily in Chinese, the course emphasizes speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills, including the analysis of authentic texts and the development of culturally and pragmatically appropriate oral communication. Sequence with CHN 301, CHN 303.
Requisites: Prereq: CHN 301.
Additional Information:
Arts & Letters Area
BA Language Satisfying Course
CHN 303. Third-Year Chinese III. 4 Credits.
A continuation of Chinese 302, this upper-intermediate course is conducted almost entirely in Chinese. Students engage with increasingly complex authentic materials spanning topics in traditional and contemporary Chinese society, current events, culture, and the environment. Emphasis is placed on more advanced speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills, with a focus on producing coherent, grammatically correct, and pragmatically appropriate discourse. Students develop critical thinking skills, cross-cultural awareness, and the ability to synthesize and present ideas in extended narratives. Designed to move students from ACTFL Intermediate-Mid toward Intermediate-High proficiency. Sequence with CHN 301, CHN 302.
Requisites: Prereq: CHN 302.
Additional Information:
Arts & Letters Area
BA Language Satisfying Course
Cultural Literacy: Global Perspectives
CHN 305. Chinese Literature The Classical Age. 4 Credits.
Lectures, discussions, and readings in English. Survey of the earliest period of Chinese literature: oracle bones and the invention of writing; the Five Classics; early philosophical texts (Daoist, Confucian, etc); early story-telling, narrative, and poetry.
Requisites: Prereq: WR 121Z or equivalent.
Additional Information:
Arts & Letters Area
Cultural Literacy: Global Perspectives
CHN 306. Chinese Literature The Imperial Age. 4 Credits.
The course covers some of the great works of Chinese literature from the 3rd to the 18th centuries, including poetry, short stories and novels. All readings in English.
Requisites: Prereq: WR 121Z or equivalent.
Additional Information:
Arts & Letters Area
Cultural Literacy: Global Perspectives
CHN 307. Chinese Literature Modern. 4 Credits.
Readings in English. Survey of Chinese literature from 1900 to present.
Requisites: Prereq: WR 121Z or equivalent.
Additional Information:
Arts & Letters Area
Cultural Literacy: Global Perspectives
CHN 308. Fiction and Film of Taiwan. 4 Credits.
Taught in English, readings in English. Surveys the literature and film of Taiwan from the postwar era to the present.
Requisites: Prereq: WR 121Z or equivalent.
Additional Information:
Arts & Letters Area
Cultural Literacy: Global Perspectives
CHN 316. Professional Chinese. 4 Credits.
This course is designed for students with intermediate Chinese language proficiency, particularly those who have completed two years of Chinese language studies at the college level. It aims to enhance students' Chinese language skills and cross-cultural awareness in the context of Chinese business and professional communications. The course explores common Chinese business cultural practices, social etiquette, and polite speech acts through discussions of a variety of relevant course materials.
Requisites: Prereq: CHN 203 or CHN 206.
Additional Information:
Arts & Letters Area
BA Language Satisfying Course
Cultural Literacy: Global Perspectives
CHN 329. Decoding Chinese Syntax through Modern Texts. 4 Credits.
This upper-division Chinese language course moves students beyond pattern memorization to analyze the syntactic logic of authentic modern texts, including news, social media, advertisements, and song lyrics. By deconstructing how sentences are built, students develop a deeper understanding of Chinese grammar, leading to stronger reading skills, more accurate writing, and greater confidence in interpreting complex materials. The course highlights key differences between Chinese and English sentence structure, fostering the metalinguistic awareness essential for achieving advanced proficiency. Instruction is conducted primarily in Chinese.
Requisites: Prereq: CHN 203 or CHN 206.
Additional Information:
Arts & Letters Area
BA Language Satisfying Course
Cultural Literacy: Global Perspectives
CHN 350. Gender and Sexuality in Traditional Chinese Literature. 4 Credits.
Examines the changing constructions of gender and sexuality in premodern China. Topics include arranged marriage and concubinage, attitudes toward the body and transgender identities. No background in Chinese necessary; readings in English.
Requisites: Prereq: WR 121Z or equivalent.
Additional Information:
Arts & Letters Area
Cultural Literacy: Global Perspectives
CHN 351. Gender and Sexuality in Modern Chinese Literature. 4 Credits.
Primary and secondary works about women, sexuality, and changing gender roles in republican, socialist, and post-Mao China. Readings in English.
Requisites: Prereq: WR 121Z or equivalent.
Additional Information:
Arts & Letters Area
Cultural Literacy: Global Perspectives
CHN 399. Special Studies: [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.
Topic varies from term to term.
Repeatable 99 times
CHN 399L. Special Studies: [Topic]. 4 Credits.
Topic varies from term to term.
Repeatable 99 times
CHN 401. Research: [Topic]. 1-21 Credits.
Disciplined inquiry of a topic with varying techniques and assignments suited to the nature and conditions of the problem being investigated. Often pursued in relation to a dissertation or thesis.
Repeatable 99 times
CHN 403. Thesis. 1-6 Credits.
A written document resulting from study or research and submitted as a major requirement for a degree.
Repeatable 5 times for a maximum of 6 credits
CHN 405. Reading and Conference: [Topic]. 1-21 Credits.
A particular selection of material read by a student and discussed in conference with a faculty member.
Repeatable 99 times
CHN 406. Field Studies: [Topic]. 1-21 Credits.
A series of practical experiences on or off campus to understand principles or develop skills in performing selected tasks.
Repeatable 99 times
CHN 407. Seminar: [Topic]. 1-4 Credits.
Studies and projects in Chinese literature, linguistics, or pedagogy. Sources are in Chinese, English, or both.
Repeatable 99 times when topic changes
CHN 408. Workshop: [Topic]. 1-21 Credits.
An intensive experience, limited in scope and time, in which a group of students focus on skills development rather than content mastery.
Repeatable 99 times
CHN 409. Terminal Project. 1-12 Credits.
A presentation incorporating the knowledge and skills acquired from course work completed for a degree.
Repeatable 99 times
CHN 410. Experimental Course: [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.
Experimental course - topic varies.
Repeatable 99 times
CHN 413. Modern Chinese Texts: [Topic]. 1-4 Credits.
Readings and discussion in Chinese of Chinese modern literary and cultural texts. Topics change yearly.
Repeatable 1 time for a maximum of 8 credits when topic changes
Additional Information:
BA Language Satisfying Course
CHN 420. Intermediate Language Strategies. 4 Credits.
Focuses on topics in one of these areas: social sciences, sciencees, and humanities. Sequence with CHN 421, CHN 422.
Requisites: Prereq: CHN 303 or third-year Chinese language proficiency.
Additional Information:
BA Language Satisfying Course
CHN 421. Intermediate Language Strategies. 4 Credits.
Focuses on topics in one of these areas: social sciences, sciencees, and humanities. Sequence with CHN 420, CHN 422.
Requisites: Prereq: CHN 303 or third-year Chinese language proficiency.
Additional Information:
BA Language Satisfying Course
CHN 434. Media Chinese. 4 Credits.
Advanced Chinese language course designed for students who have successfully completed at least three years of Chinese language studies to acquire Chinese language media literacy.
Requisites: Prereq: CHN 303.
Additional Information:
BA Language Satisfying Course
Cultural Literacy: Global Perspectives
CHN 436. Literary Chinese. 4 Credits.
Readings in various styles and genres of classical Chinese literature; stress on major works of different periods. Preparation for research.
Additional Information:
BA Language Satisfying Course
CHN 437. Literary Chinese. 4 Credits.
Readings in various styles and genres of classical Chinese literature; stress on major works of different periods. Preparation for research.
Additional Information:
BA Language Satisfying Course
CHN 439. Chinese Academic Writing. 4 Credits.
Expansion of skills in formal written Chinese to communicate with native speakers about thoughts and professional knowledge.
Requisites: Prereq: CHN 420.
Repeatable 3 times for a maximum of 16 credits
CHN 445. Advanced Chinese: [Topic]. 4 Credits.
Focuses on group and individual language study on a specific topic, such as cultural geography of China, religious studies, or business.
Requisites: Prereq: CHN 422.
Repeatable 2 times for a maximum of 12 credits
CHN 452. Chinese Film and Theory. 4 Credits.
Examines Chinese film and film theory. Focuses on Chinese film in cultural debate and in the international film arena. Taught in English.
Additional Information:
Cultural Literacy: Global Perspectives
CHN 480. Chinese Linguistics. 4 Credits.
Introduces students to various linguistic levels of Chinese; covers basic concepts and methodologies of linguistic analysis, including the relationship between language structure, culture, and cognition.
CHN 503. Thesis. 1-6 Credits.
A written document resulting from study or research and submitted as a major requirement for a degree.
Repeatable 99 times
CHN 507. Seminar: [Topic]. 1-4 Credits.
Studies and projects in Chinese literature, linguistics, or pedagogy. Sources are in Chinese, English, or both.
Repeatable 99 times when topic changes
CHN 508. Workshop: [Topic]. 1-21 Credits.
An intensive experience, limited in scope and time, in which a group of students focus on skills development rather than content mastery.
Repeatable 99 times
CHN 510. Experimental Course: [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.
Experimental course - topic varies.
Repeatable 99 times
CHN 513. Modern Chinese Texts: [Topic]. 4 Credits.
Readings and discussion in Chinese of Chinese modern literary and cultural texts. Topics change yearly.
Repeatable 1 time for a maximum of 8 credits when topic changes
CHN 520. Intermediate Language Stategies. 4 Credits.
Focuses on group and individual language study that is typically correlated with a specific content course concerning China or other Chinese-speaking areas. Sequence with CHN 521, CHN 522.
CHN 534. Media Chinese. 4 Credits.
Advanced Chinese language course designed for students who have successfully completed at least three years of Chinese language studies to acquire Chinese language media literacy.
CHN 536. Literary Chinese. 4 Credits.
Readings in various styles and genres of classical Chinese literature; stress on major works of different periods. Preparation for research.
CHN 537. Literary Chinese. 4 Credits.
Readings in various styles and genres of classical Chinese literature; stress on major works of different periods. Preparation for research.
CHN 545. Advanced Chinese: [Topic]. 4 Credits.
Focuses on group and individual language study on a specific topic, such as cultural geography of China, religious studies, or business.
Repeatable 2 times for a maximum of 12 credits
CHN 552. Chinese Film and Theory. 4 Credits.
Examines Chinese film and film theory. Focuses on Chinese film in cultural debate and in the international film arena. Taught in English.
CHN 580. Chinese Linguistics. 4 Credits.
Introduces students to various linguistic levels of Chinese; covers basic concepts and methodologies of linguistic analysis, including the relationship between language structure, culture, and cognition.
CHN 601. Research: [Topic]. 1-10 Credits.
Disciplined inquiry of a topic with varying techniques and assignments suited to the nature and conditions of the problem being investigated. Often pursued in relation to a dissertation or thesis.
Repeatable 99 times
CHN 603. Dissertation. 1-16 Credits.
A written document resulting from study or research and submitted as a major requirement for a degree.
Repeatable 99 times
CHN 605. Reading and Conference: [Topic]. 1-16 Credits.
A particular selection of material read by a student and discussed in conference with a faculty member. Repeatable as student projects warrant.
Repeatable 99 times
CHN 606. Field Studies: [Topic]. 1-16 Credits.
A series of practical experiences on or off campus to understand principles or develop skills in performing selected tasks.
Repeatable 99 times
CHN 607. Seminar: [Topic]. 1-6 Credits.
Studies and projects in Chinese literature, linguistics, or pedagogy. Sources in Chinese, English, or both.
Repeatable 99 times when topic changes
CHN 609. Terminal Project. 1-12 Credits.
A presentation incorporating the knowledge and skills acquired from course work completed for a degree.
Repeatable 99 times