Curriculum Overview CET's Beijing Chinese Studies & Service-Learning Program is designed to provide students with a broad understanding of Chinese culture, history and issues of contemporary significance, while allowing them the flexibility to focus on specific topics of their choosing. The program accommodates all students, with varying degrees of Chinese background, by offering core and elective area studies courses, Chinese language classes and service-learning opportunities.
The core course, 21st Century Beijing, is required for all students and centers on issues of critical importance in today's Beijing. Standard electives in Chinese history, politics and environmental issues are offered regularly. Rotating electives in areas such as philosophy, Chinese cinema, anthropology and literature are offered in some terms.
In addition to these area studies courses, up to five levels of Chinese language may be offered: beginning through advanced (heritage learners can be accommodated as well). All Chinese language courses are taught in Chinese, and area courses are taught in English.
The Chinese Studies & Service-Learning program offers all students multiple service-learning opportunities with NGOs and organizations around Beijing. Students may volunteer to work with children of migrant workers, with differently-abled adults and children, in a local community center, or at a local environmental NGO. Students may earn credit for their service-learning by enrolling in a Social Problems and Service-Learning course taught by CET faculty.
Each area studies course includes, as a part of its curriculum, faculty-led excursions in and around Beijing. Field trips include lectures by local experts or visits to local museums, temples or other sites of historical and cultural significance. These excursions are designed to enhance students' learning experiences beyond the walls of the classroom.
Courses and Sample Schedule Fall and spring students take Chinese language, 21st Century Beijing, and either 2 electives or 1 elective and service-learning. A fall or spring course schedule might look like this:
21st Century Beijing (3 hours/week)
Chinese Language (11 hours/week)
Politics of China (3 hours/week)
Uneven Globalization and China's Environment (3 hours/week)
21st Century Beijing (3 hours/week)
Chinese Language (11 hours/week)
Chinese History from 1800 to the Present (3 hours/week)
Summer students take Chinese language, 21st Century Beijing, and 1 elective. They may also elect to take the service-learning course in addition to these requirements.A summer course schedule might look like this:
21st Century Beijing (5 hours/week)
Chinese Language (6 hours/week)
Chinese History from 1800 to the Present (5 hours/week)
Continuers CET
welcomes students to spend more than one semester at the program.
Continuing for multiple terms is a great way to maximize your academic
and cultural experiences. After receiving a solid foundation in the
first semester (fall, spring, or summer), students can easily transition
to an additional semester for added language learning and maximized
cultural exposure. For further academic focus, students in their second term may design and enroll in an Independent Study course in lieu of one area studies elective. Interested students should contact CET for details. Credits and Transcripts Each area studies course is intended to be worth the equivalent of one semester-long course taken at the home institution. Fall and spring Chinese language classes are intended to cover the equivalent of one semester of college-level Chinese, and summer Chinese language classes are intended to cover one quarter of college-level Chinese. However, as CET does not award credit for its classes, these are recommendations only. Students are issued transcripts and must apply for credit at their home institution. For more information about transcripts and credits, click here.
Chinese Studies Advisory Board Chinese Studies & Service Learning in Beijing and Chinese Studies & Internship in Shanghai program area studies courses are monitored by CET's Chinese Studies Advisory Board. The board offers expertise in faculty selection, course offerings, experiential learning and the maintenance of high academic standards.
The assistance provided by CET's Advisory Board includes:
Meeting at least once annually to discuss the current state of CET's Chinese Studies programs and offering advice on specific curriculum, teaching and program issues.
Visiting CET's Chinese Studies programs in order to evaluate the area studies curricula and suggest improvements.
Serving as Chinese Studies program faculty during any given term and acting as mentors to other instructors while on site.
Current advisory board members, all of whom are experts in various China-related academic fields, are:
Dr. Rebecca Clothey, Drexel University School of Education Assistant Professor
Dr. Dorothy Borei, Guilford College Professor of History Dr. Ken Hammond, New Mexico State University Associate Professor of History and Department Head
Dr. Scott Kennedy, Indiana University Assistant Professor of Political Science
Elizabeth D. Knup, Kamsky Associates, Inc. Former American Co-Director, Hopkins-Nanjing Center for Chinese and American Studies
Dr. Nancy Riley, Bowdoin College Professor of Sociology
Dr. Helen Schneider, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Assistant Professor of History
Dr. Yan Sun, Gettysburg College Assistant Professor of Visual Arts
Chinese Language Teacher Training Chinese language faculty at the Beijing Chinese Studies & Service-Learning program are trained in conjunction with their counterparts at the Beijing Chinese Language program. For more information, click here.
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