Major and Minor
REALC currently offers students two undergraduate degree programs in Chinese: a Chinese Major and a Chinese Minor.
If you have any questions concerning the requirements outlined below, please contact the faculty advisor, Dr. Rong Cai, 404.727.5028, rcai@emory.edu.
I. Chinese Major Requirements
36 credits (above CHN 201) and satisfactory passage of the department's proficiency exam in Chinese. No course for the major may be taken S/U. Students must receive at least a C in each course taken for the major.
(1) Language Courses (20 hours above CHN 201)
Students majoring in Chinese are required to complete 20 hours of language training above the elementary level. The following courses may be counted towards the major:
CHN 202 Intermediate Chinese II (*)
CHN 301 Advanced Chinese I (*)
CHN 302WR Advanced Chinese II (*)
CHN 401WR Advanced Readings in Modern Chinese I
CHN 402WR Advanced Readings in Modern Chinese II
CHN 403 Introduction to Classical Chinese
(*) These requirements may be fulfilled by demonstrating equivalent mastery of the language through an oral and written examination administered by the REALC department.
All students majoring in Chinese are required to complete the sequence of courses in Modern Chinese up to and including CHN 401. CHN 402 can be replaced with CHN 403. (Note, however, that CHN 403 is not a WR course.) Students interested in learning Classical Chinese are encouraged to take CHN 403 in their junior year (parallel to CHN 301 or CHN 302).
Students who are placed beyond any of these courses by demonstrating equivalent mastery of Chinese through an oral and written placement exam offered by REALC will take higher-level courses in Chinese language, literature, or cultural studies to complete the equivalent number of credit hours for the major.
Students who study in China or Taiwan automatically fulfill the required Chinese language course for the semester they are abroad. Note that no course taken abroad can be counted to fulfill the College's writing requirements.
(2) Literature and Cultural Studies (16 hours)
A. Category I (Core Courses):
All courses in Category I fulfill the Chinese Major requirements. Students majoring in Chinese must complete at least two courses (eight credits) in this category:
CHN 271WR Modern China in Film and Fiction (GER V.C)
CHN 272WR Literature in Early and Imperial China (GER IV.A)
CHN 273 Heritage of China (GER V.C)
CHN 360WR Chinese Women in Film and Fiction (GER V.C)
CHN 373S/WR Confucian Classics (GER IV.A)
CHN 394S Screening China
CHN 471S/WR Tradition in Modern China
B. Category II (Electives):
In addition to the courses in Category I, up to eight credits from courses in Chinese language, literature, thought, linguistics, history, political science, film, music, or religion may be counted as electives towards the major. Up to four credits may be fulfilled through courses offered outside REALC. No more than four credits from CHN 315F (Study Abroad) or CHN 496 (Language Internship) may be counted as electives towards the major. New courses are added regularly. Please contact the department for current list.
CHN 230 Description and Analysis of the Chinese Language
CHN 274 Foreigners in Imperial China
CHN 359 Chinese Women and Religion (GER V.C)
CHN 375S Special Topics in Chinese Studies
CHN 376WR Science in China:1600-1900
CHN 495AS Honors Chinese Seminar
CHN 495B Honors Thesis
CHN 496 Chinese Language Internship
CHN 315F Study Abroad (Lecture course)
CHN 386F Xi'an: Topics in Chinese History
HIST 373 History of Modern China
HIST 385 US China Reletions
MUS 372S/WR Chinese Music and Culture
POL 385 US China Relations
REL 210 Classic Religious Texts: Taoism
REL 255 Chinese Buddhism
(3) Honors Program
In addition to the College requirements for eligibility, students must maintain a 3.5 grade point average in course work in REALC and demonstrate linguistic ability (to be determined by a reading exam) to conduct research in primary sources. Eligible students will select a thesis advisor approved by the department's Honor Advisor.
To complete the Honors program in Chinese the student will enroll in a two-semester Honors course, CHN 495A and CHN 495B, for eight credits. The fall semester will be spent exploring issues and research materials for the Honors thesis. In spring, upon approval of the thesis advisor, students will be expected to write the thesis. With the approval of the Honors advisor students are expected to enroll in a senior seminar course in either REALC or another appropriate department that would complement and support the thesis.
Each thesis must be completed in the spring and defended before a committee consisting of the student's advisor, faculty member(s) from REALC and one faculty member from outside the department and approved by the Honors advisor.
II. Chinese Minor Requirements
Requirements for the Chinese Minor are Chinese language training through CHN 202 (or equivalent, see above) plus 16 additional hours of course work.
(1) Language Courses (16 hours)
Students may choose one of two tracks to fulfill the language requirements for the Chinese Minor:
The regular track, i.e., Elementary and Intermediate Chinese (CHN 101, 102, 201 and 202), is designed for students who do not have any background or only have had a very little experience in Chinese.
The alternative track, i.e., Literacy in Chinese (CHN 103 and 203), is designed for students whose Chinese oral proficiency is close to that of Chinese native speakers, but have little or no reading and writing skills in Chinese.
(2) Literature and Cultural Studies (16 hours)
In addition to the required language courses, students minoring in Chinese must complete 4 elective courses (16 hours) in Chinese literature, cultural studies, language, or history. Up to four credits may be fulfilled through courses offered outside REALC. No more than four credits from CHN 315F (Study Abroad) or CHN 496 (Language Internship) may be counted towards the minor. No more than two electives can be language courses.
CHN 230 Description and Analysis of the Chinese Language
CHN 271WR Modern China in Film and Fiction (GER V.C)
CHN 272WR Literature in Early and Imperial China (GER IV.A)
CHN 273 Heritage of China (GER V.C)
CHN 274 Foreigners in Imperial China
CHN 301 Advanced Chinese I
CHN 302WR Advanced Chinese II
CHN 314F Study Abroad (Language course)
CHN 315F Study Abroad (Lecture course)
CHN 351 Business Chinese
CHN 359 Chinese Women and Religion (GER V.C)
CHN 360WR Chinese Women in Film and Fiction (GER V.C)
CHN 373S/WR Confucian Classics (GER IV.A)
CHN 375S Special Topics in Chinese Studies
CHN 386F Xi'an: Topics in Chinese History
CHN 401WR Advanced Readings in Modern Chinese I
CHN 402WR Advanced Readings in Modern Chinese II
CHN 403 Introduction to Classical Chinese
CHN 471S/WR Tradition in Modern China
CHN 496 Chinese Language Internship
HIST 373 History of Modern China
MUS 372S/WR Chinese Music and Culture
REL 210 Classic Religious Texts: Taoism
REL 255 Chinese Buddhism
Students who study in China or Taiwan automatically fulfill the required Chinese language course for the semester they are abroad. Note that no course taken abroad can be counted to fulfill the College's writing requirements.