Chinese Studies
The Department of Chinese Studies is in the School of Languages and Cultures (SLC).
About the major
China is one of the world’s greatest civilizations, alongside the European and Middle Eastern traditions. The Chinese Studies program will provide you with a solid understanding of Chinese society and culture, the foundational language skills essential to functioning with confidence in the Chinese-speaking world, a basic ability to work in China-related professions and the competence to conduct research in Chinese studies. The modern Chinese language program caters for students with a wide range of language abilities: complete beginners, advanced learners, and speakers with backgrounds in both standard and non-standard forms of vernacular Chinese. The program focuses on developing effective communicative skills at the lower and intermediate levels, including Chinese for professional purposes. At the advanced levels, we teach research and academic writing skills in the Chinese language. The teaching of classical Chinese is integrated with the study of the literature, culture and thought of pre-modern China.
All students, regardless of prior experience of the language, have access to the full range of units of study offered by the department, including the opportunity to go on exchange or attend Intensive Summer/Winter Programs at Peking University in Beijing and Fudan University in Shanghai. Whether you are an absolute beginner in the language or a background-speaker, or have HSC attainments at different levels of Chinese language, you can major in Chinese Studies and go on to complete an honours year or postgraduate study in the subject. Graduates have future careers in international relations, multinational corporations, media, tourism, NGOs, academic research, and education relating to China.
Pathways through the major
Pathways through a Chinese Studies major differ from student to student, depending on the level of Chinese language ability at entry to the program. Starting at the appropriate level is essential. If you are unsure where you should start, contact the department’s Undergraduate Coordinator for advice.
A major in Chinese Studies requires at least 36 senior credit points including at least 24 from language units of study of which 6 must be at 3000 level.
Background speakers with advanced literacy are exempt from completing the language requirement of the major.
The units of study for the major can be found in Table A, which shows the units on offer in the current handbook year. You may find information regarding a full list of units of study available to the major on the departmental website.
A semester exchange or intensive in-country study program in China is strongly recommended if you have low and intermediate literacy and want to develop advanced communication skills in Chinese.
If you are already fluent in a spoken Chinese language (eg Putonghua or Cantonese) but have very limited knowledge of characters, you will enter the language program beginning with CHNS1201. Those who already have some literacy in Chinese often enter the language program beginning with CHNS3601.
If you can read Chinese fluently, you will begin with CHNS1303 (Chinese for Background Speakers 1) and CHNS1601 (Understanding Contemporary China). In Semester 2, CHNS1304 (Chinese for Background Speakers 2), CHNS3611 (Chinese for Specific Purposes 1) and CHNS2612 (Classical Chinese B) are possible options.
Pathway 1: Absolute Beginners
Absolute beginners commence with CHNS1101. Beginners with some exposure to Chinese may commence in Semester 2 with CHNS1102. In addition to the language acquisition units in the table below you can also complete additional language units to extend your ability or take units of study in Chinese literature, film, media, culture, translation, history, and thought, listed under Culture in the unit of study table.
A semester or a summer program in China is strongly recommended to students who want to develop advanced communication skills in Chinese.
| Sample Pathway - Chinese (beginners) stream | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Year | S1 | CHNS1101 Chinese 1A |
| S2 | CHNS1102 Chinese 1B | |
| Second Year | S1 | CHNS2601 Chinese 2A and Senior elective CHNS unit |
| S2 | CHNS2602 Chinese 2B | |
| Third Year | S1 | CHNS3601 Chinese 3A and Senior elective CHNS unit |
| S2 | CHNS3602 Chinese 3B | |
Pathway 2: School Leaver (HSC or equivalent)
School leavers generally commence with CHNS2601, joining those who have successfully completed CHNS1102 This pathway is also available to learners with sufficient background knowledge. High-performing school leavers or those with sufficient background knowledge may commence with CHNS3601, joining students who have successfully completed CHNS2602.
In addition to the Chinese language acquisition units in the table below you can also complete additional language units to extend your ability or take units of study in Chinese literature, film, media, culture, translation, history, and thought listed under Culture in the unit of study table.
Students interested in pre-modern Chinese thought, literature and/or the history of the Chinese language are strongly encouraged to take the basic Classical Chinese units, CHNS2611 and CHNS2612. CHNS2611 is only for non-native speakers of Chinese. CHNS2612 is either a continuation of CHNS2611 or a starting place for native speakers of Chinese who have some background in classical Chinese but need to improve their classical Chinese reading and translation skills. The higher level units in classical Chinese poetry, prose, historical narrative, and fiction are conceived as a next step after CHNS2612.
A semester or a summer/winter in-country study program in China is strongly recommended to students who want to develop advanced communication skills in Chinese.
| Sample Pathway - Chinese (school leavers) stream | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Year | S1 | CHNS2601 Chinese 2A |
| S2 | CHNS2602 Chinese 2B | |
| Second Year | S1 | CHNS3601 Chinese 3A and Senior elective CHNS unit |
| S2 | CHNS3602 Chinese 3B | |
| Third Year | S1 | CHNS3604 Chinese 4B and Senior Elective CHNS unit |
| S2 | CHNS3605 Chinese 5A | |
Pathway 3: Background Speaker (with low literacy)
Designed for background Chinese speakers, near-native speakers and advanced learners (including students who have successfully completed CHNS3604). In addition to the Chinese language acquisition units in the table below, you can also complete additional language units to extend your ability or take units of study in Chinese literature, film, media, culture, translation, history, and thought, listed under Culture in the unit of study table.
| Sample Pathway - Chinese (background speaker with low literacy) stream | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Year | S1 | CHNS1201 Chinese 1C |
| S2 | CHNS1202 Chinese 1D | |
| Second Year | S1 | CHNS3603 Chinese 4A and Senior elective CHNS unit |
| S2 | CHNS3604 Chinese 4B | |
| Third Year | S1 | CHNS360X and CHNS364X Senior-advanced elective unit |
| S2 | CHNS360X and CHNS364X Senior-advanced elective unit | |
Pathway 4: Background Speaker (with intermediate literacy)
In addition to the Chinese language acquisition units in the table below, you can also complete additional language units to extend your ability or take units of study in Chinese literature, film, media, culture, translation, gender and social studies, listed under Culture in the unit of study table.
| Sample Pathway - Chinese (background speaker with intermediate literacy) stream | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Year | S1 | CHNS3601 Chinese 3A |
| S2 | CHNS3602 Chinese 3B | |
| Second Year | S1 | CHNS3603 Chinese 4A and Senior elective CHNS unit |
| S2 | CHNS3604 Chinese 4B | |
| Third Year | S1 | CHNS364X Senior-advanced elective unit and Senior elective CHNS unit |
| S2 | CHNS364X Senior-advanced elective unit | |
Pathway 5: Background Speaker (with advanced literacy, typically from Chinese-medium high schools)
In addition to the Chinese language acquisition units in the table below, you can also complete additional language units to extend your ability or take units of study in Chinese literature, film, media, culture, translation, history, and thought, listed under Culture in the unit of study table.
| Sample Pathway - Chinese (background speaker with advanced literacy) stream | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Year | S1 | CHNS1303 Chinese for Background Speakers 1 |
| S2 | CHNS1304 Chinese for Background Speakers 2 | |
| Second Year | S1 | CHSN3611 Chinese for Specific Purposes 1 and Senior elective CHNS unit |
| S2 | CHNS3612 Chinese for Specific Purposes 2 or CHNS3610 Chinese Translation | |
| Third Year | S1 | CHNS364X Senior-advanced elective unit and Senior elective CHNS unit |
| S2 | CHNS364X Senior-advanced elective unit | |
Honours
The Honours program in Chinese Studies will provide you with an opportunity to engage in in-depth study of social, political, cultural, literary or linguistic topics related to Chinese Studies.
All students with good academic records in Chinese Studies should consider an honours year. There will be a range of options for students with different levels of Chinese language proficiency and research interest. However, the more Chinese you have learned before you start, the more interesting the options that will be available to you.
The minimum requirement for admission to Honours is an average of 70 or above in Chinese Studies a major.
You are advised to consider taking ASNS3690 Approaches to Research in Asian Studies, in the semester before you intend to commence Honours.
It is also possible to enrol in a joint honours program with Chinese Studies and another department.
For further information see the department website.
Contact/further information
Department website: sydney.edu.au/arts/chinese
Chair of Department: Professor Yingjie Guo
Email: