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DePaul Chinese Studies Program (BA) is an interdisciplinary program that aims to develop DePaul students’ Mandarin Chinese language proficiency and deeper understanding of Chinese society and culture as well as its relations to the world.  Students take both Mandarin Chinese language, culture, and literature courses taught in Mandarin Chinese by faculty in the Department of Modern Languages and a variety of China-related allied studies courses taught in English by faculty in over ten disciplines. The program will help students grow into a marketable candidate in a variety of professional fields, such as business, consulting, education, or politics.

Chinese Studies courses focus on a variety of topics, including:

  • Art
  • Business
  • Economics
  • History
  • Language
  • Literature
  • Philosophy
  • Politics
  • Religion
Program Requirements Quarter Hours
Liberal Studies Requirements 84
Major Requirements 52
Open Electives 56
Total hours required 192

Learning Outcomes

​Students will be able to:

  • Communicate in Chinese at the Intermediate proficiency level.
  • Analyze cultural products in Chinese and English.
  • Explain features of Chinese and its use.
  • Navigate cultural differences effectively.
  • Apply their language and cross-cultural skills to other domains.
  • Apply interdisciplinary methods to the analysis of Chinese-speaking communities.

College Core Requirements

Study in the Major Field

The student’s course of study in the College consists of three parts: Liberal Studies, the major field, and electives. Together these three parts contribute to the liberal education of the student which is the common purpose of all study in the College. By “liberal education” the College understands not only a deep and thorough knowledge of a particular area of study but a knowledge of the diverse areas of study represented by criticism, history, the arts, the behavioral  and social sciences, philosophy, religious studies, the natural science, and mathematics. 

The major field program generally is built upon a set of core courses and a specialized “concentration.” The number of courses required for a major varies by department. Most students go beyond the minimum requirements, electing additional courses which both broaden and deepen their understanding of their chosen discipline. 

Because no academic major program is built in isolation, students are required to pursue a number of electives of the student’s choice. The inherent flexibility of this curriculum demands that the student consult an academic advisor at each stage in the total program and at least once prior to each registration.

Students will be prompted to visit the College Office for their official graduation check early in their senior year.

Declaration of Major, Minor and Concentration

All students in the College are required to declare a major field prior to beginning their junior year. The student will then be assigned a faculty advisor in the major field department or program and should make an appointment to see that advisor at his or her earliest convenience. 

Students must declare or change majors, minors, and concentrations, via Campus Connection. However, for the purpose of exploring the possibility of changing a major field, the student should consult an academic advisor in the Office for Academic Advising Support.

The Modern Language Requirement (MLR)  

All students will be required to demonstrate competence in a modern language (i.e., a language other than English) equivalent to the proficiency attained from one year of college-level language study. This Modern Language Requirement (MLR) may be demonstrated by:

  • placing into 104 or above on the DePaul language placement exam
  • completing the last course or earning AP/IB credit for the last course in the first-year college sequence of any language (e.g. 103 for DePaul language classes)
  • completing a college course or earning AP/IB credit for a college course beyond the first-year level in any language (e.g. 104 or above for DePaul language classes)
  • completing the final course of a four-year sequence of the same modern language in high school*
  • completing a proctored exam by BYU and passing the exam (see the Department of Modern Languages website for registration details)
  • completing a proctored Written Proficiency Test (WPT) by Language Testing International (LTI) and achieving a score of Beginner High or above (see the Department of Modern Languages website for registration details)

*Students are strongly encouraged to take the DePaul language placement exam even if they have met the MLR via study of a language in high school. This will ensure continuation of language study at the proper level.

Please note: Modern Languages courses with an E-designation are taught in English and may not be applied to the Modern Language Requirement.

Students who complete an Inter-College Transfer (ICT) to the College will abide by the MLR in place on the effective date of the ICT, regardless of when they first matriculated at DePaul.

Students who have met the MLR and wish to pursue further work in the language may elect the “Modern Language Option” (see below).

The Modern Language Option (MLO)

The Modern Language Option is available to all BA students who wish to study a modern language beyond the level required by their College, and to all other undergraduate students without a modern language requirement who wish to study a language at any level. 

Students selecting the MLO may substitute a sequence of three courses in the same language for three domain courses. 

The three MLO substitutions must be made in three different domains, and any substitutions must be consistent with the principle that students complete at least one course in each learning domain.

MLO substitutions may not be used to replace requirements in the Math & Computing, and Scientific Inquiry, domains. ​

Students majoring in one modern language may use the Modern Language Option for study of a second language at the Intermediate level or above.

Modern Languages courses with an E-designation are taught in English and may not be applied to the Modern Language Option.

NOTE: Please contact your college/school regarding additional information and restrictions about the Modern Language Option.

External Credit and Residency

A student who has been admitted to the College begins residency within the college as of the first day of classes of the term in which the student is registered. Students in residence, whether attending on a full-time or part-time basis, may not take courses away from DePaul University without the written permission of the college. Permission must be obtained in advance of registration to avoid loss of credit or residency in the college; see the LAS website for more information. 

Liberal Studies Requirements

Honors program requirements can be found in the individual Colleges & Schools section of the University Catalog. Select the appropriate college or school, followed by Undergraduate Academics and scroll down.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year ProgramHours
Chicago Quarter
LSP 110
DISCOVER CHICAGO
or EXPLORE CHICAGO
4
Focal Point
LSP 112 FOCAL POINT SEMINAR 4
Writing
WRD 103 COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC I 1 4
WRD 104 COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC II 1 4
Quantitative Reasoning
MAT 120 QUANTITATIVE REASONING 2 4
Sophomore Year
Race, Power, and Resistance
LSP 200 SEMINAR ON RACE, POWER, AND RESISTANCE 4
Junior Year
Experiential Learning
Required 4
Senior Year
Capstone
Required 1 4
1

Students must earn a C- or better in this course.

2

Readiness for MAT 120 is determined by the math placement test taken online after admission. Students may need to take developmental coursework prior to MAT 120. Students who complete MAT 120 and both a Computational Reasoning course and a Statistical Reasoning course in the Math and Computing Learning Domain take one less Learning Domain course. Students may not apply the course reduction to any Domain where only one course is required, and cannot be applied to the Scientific Inquiry Learning Domain.  The MAT 120 requirement may be waived by passing a dedicated proficiency exam or it may be fulfilled by credit for advanced math coursework earned  in-residence at DePaul (MAT 135MAT 136MAT 147MAT 148MAT 149MAT 150MAT 151MAT 152 MAT 155MAT 156MAT 160MAT 161MAT 162 MAT 170MAT 171MAT 172, or equivalent) or earned externally either as transfer credit from another college/university or as test credit through AP, CLEP, IB, or International A and A/S Level exams. Calculus course(s) may be used to fulfill any of the three QR/MCD requirements.

Learning Domains

Arts and Literature (AL)

  • 1 Course Required

Historical Inquiry (HI)

  • 2 Courses Required

Math and Computing (MC)

  • 2 Courses Required
    [1 CR Course and 1 SR Course]​​

Philosophical Inquiry (PI)

  • 2 Courses Required

Religious Dimensions (RD)

  • 2 Courses Required

Scientific Inquiry (SI)

  • 2 Courses Required
    [1 Lab Course and 1 SWK Course]​​

Social, Cultural, and Behavioral Inquiry (SCBI)

  • 3 Courses Required

Notes

A student whose only major is in Modern Languages is required to complete the Capstone offered by the Department of Modern Languages (MOL). A student who is double majoring (or pursuing dual degrees) with the primary major (or primary degree) in MOL may substitute the Capstone of the secondary major or degree. An MOL major in the University Honors Program shall take only the University Honors Capstone, not both the Honors Capstone and the MOL Capstone.​​

Courses offered in the student's primary major cannot be taken to fulfill LSP Domain requirements. If students double major, LSP Domain courses may double count for both LSP credit and the second major. Students who choose to take an experiential learning course offered by the major may count it either as a general elective or the Experiential Learning requirement.

In meeting learning domain requirements, no more than one course that is outside the student’s major and is cross-listed with a course within the student’s major, can be applied to count for LSP domain credit. This policy does not apply to those who are pursuing a double major or earning BFA or BM degrees.

Major Requirements

Course Requirements

  • 24-32 credit hours of 200/300 level courses in Chinese Language
  • 20-28 credit hours of Allied Courses from at least three different departments

Students who begin their study of Chinese at DePaul with CHN 202 or higher may substitute a 300-level Chinese elective course for any of the required 200-level courses.  No English-language ("E-designation") courses can be applied toward the "Six Advanced Level Courses in Chinese Language" requirement of the major.

Chinese Studies Allied Course List

Course Title Quarter Hours
Select 20-28 credit hours as noted above20-28
Art and Architecture, History of
INTRODUCTION TO ASIAN ART
CHINESE ART
ARTS OF THE SILK ROAD
BUDDHIST ART
ILLNESS AND DISABILITY IN CHINESE ART
Chinese Culture
CHINA'S CULTURAL SOFT POWER AND ITS FUTURE
CHINESE YOUTH CULTURES
CHINESE MYTHOLOGY
CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY
CHINESE CINEMA -- A WINDOW ON CHINA
Economics
UNDERSTANDING CHINA'S ECONOMY
English
SCIENCE FICTION
Geography
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND REGIONAL INEQUALITY
WORLD ECONOMY: STATES, MARKETS AND LABOR (when 1/3 content is about China)
THE STATE AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
Global Asian Studies
CHINA'S CULTURAL SOFT POWER AND ITS FUTURE
CHINESE YOUTH CULTURES
ASIAN ART
BUDDHIST ART
CHINESE MYTHOLOGY
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND REGIONAL INEQUALITY
CHINESE ART
THE RISE OF MODERN CHINA
RELIGION IN CHINESE HISTORY, SOCIETY, AND CULTURE
LITERATURE AND RELIGION IN CHINA
TRADITIONS OF CHINESE POPULAR CULTURE
ASIAN FOREIGN POLICY
CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY
CHINESE CINEMA: A WINDOW ON CHINA
ASIAN POLITICS
INTRODUCTION TO ASIAN PHILOSOPHY
ILLNESS AND DISABILITY IN CHINESE ART
THE STATE & ECONOMIC GROWTH IN EAST ASIA
ASIAN POLITICAL ECONOMY
CHINESE POLITICS
MORAL PHILOSOPHY, POLITICAL POWER, & RELIGION IN PRE-MODERN CHINA
History
EAST ASIA TO C. 1200
EAST ASIA c. 1200 TO 1800
EAST ASIA , c.1800-PRESENT
CULTURE AND POLITICS IN IMPERIAL CHINA
THE RISE OF MODERN CHINA
TOPICS IN ASIAN HISTORY
HISTORY FROM PICTURES: VISUAL CULTURE IN EAST ASIAN HISTORY
COLLOQUIUM IN ASIAN HISTORY
Intercultural Communication
ASIAN CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION
Management
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS SEMINAR
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS (when 1/3 content is about China)
Marketing
MARKETING ACROSS CULTURES: A CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE ON MULTICULTURAL MARKETS
INTERNATIONAL MARKETING (when 1/3 content is about China)
Modern Languages
CLASSICAL CHINESE I
CLASSICAL CHINESE II
CLASSICAL CHINESE III
CHINA AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Philosophy
INTRODUCTION TO ASIAN PHILOSOPHIES
TOPICS IN COMPARATIVE PHILOSOPHY
Political Science
ASIAN FOREIGN POLICY
ASIAN POLITICS
INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY OF THE PACIFIC RIM
INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY (when dealing with China)
ADVANCED TOPICS IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (International Political Economy of the Pacific Rim)
CHINESE POLITICS
Religious Studies
BUDDHIST RELIGIOUS WORLDS
RELIGION IN CHINESE HISTORY, SOCIETY AND CULTURE
TRADITIONS OF CHINESE POPULAR CULTURE
LITERATURE AND RELIGION IN CHINA

Open Electives

Open elective credit also is required to meet the minimum graduation requirement of 192 hours.