East Asian Languages and Cultures

The Major/Minor in Chinese

Chinese Language Major/Minor Fact Sheet

CC student Eric Schluessel '04 dressed up as a court official with the Chinese Taiyuan Jin Opera Troupe

The strength of the Chinese program at Connecticut College has long been recognized among American liberal arts colleges. In addition to a solid four-year language program (from the elementary to advanced levels), we have curricular offerings in the such fields as Chinese literature and contemporary culture, history, and government.

EALC currently offers two different majors in Chinese: (1) Chinese Language and Literature and (2) East Asian Studies w/concentration in Chinese. An East Asian Studies minor is also offered.

Please view the course requirements for these two majors on the CC online course catalog.

Students majoring in Chinese Language and Literature are expected to gain advanced proficiency in modern Mandarin and develop a broad knowledge and appreciation of Chinese culture. The backbone of the major is a rigorous four-year program of language study, beginning with the intensive elementary sequence (CHI 101-102) in which students master the fundamentals of oral and written Chinese. At the more advanced levels, a broad range of authentic primary materials (including newspaper and journal articles, literary texts, and films) are incorporated into the curriculum and students can expect to address contemporary topics in oral discussions and formal compositions. In addition to language study, the major includes a foundation course on critical approaches to East Asian culture, a survey course on modern Chinese fiction and film (in translation), and an advanced senior seminar.

Students majoring in East Asian Studies are expected to gain a broad comparative knowledge of Chinese civilization through an interdisciplinary program of study that includes courses in Chinese literature, history, and politics, as well as at least one course on Japan or Korea. The major is anchored in language study, and all students are required to complete two full years of the Chinese program through the intermediate level.

All students in Chinese at Connecticut College are strongly encouraged to apply what they have learned in the classroom to the "real world" by taking advantage of resources and opportunities at the college: Knowlton House international residence hall and dining hall, where students can speak Mandarin with each other as well as faculty; the East Asian Student Advisory Board, a club that sponsors cultural events; independent studies with professors using primary Chinese sources; and study away programs and internships in Mainland China and Taiwan.