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.
| First Year Program | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Quarter | ||
| LSP 110 or LSP 111 | 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. The MAT 120 requirement may be waived by passing a dedicated proficiency exam, or by credit earned for advanced math coursework at DePaul (MAT 135, MAT 136, MAT 147, MAT 148, MAT 149, MAT 150, MAT 151, MAT 152, MAT 155, MAT 156, MAT 160, MAT 161, MAT 162, MAT 170, MAT 171, MAT 172, or equivalent) or any transfer, CLEP, IB, or AP Calculus credit. Calculus course(s) may be used to fulfil 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 above | 20-28 | |
Art and Architecture, History of | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO ASIAN ART | ||
| CHINESE ART | ||
| ARTS OF THE SILK ROAD | ||
| BUDDHIST ART | ||
Chinese Culture | ||
| CHINA'S CULTURAL SOFT POWER AND ITS FUTURE | ||
| CHINESE YOUTH CULTURES | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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.