Interdisciplinary Major - Chinese Language & Literature

Universal Curriculum Requirements

To be awarded a degree from the College of Arts and Sciences, students are required to complete universal curriculum requirements in addition to the program requirements provided below. The school universal curriculum requirements can be found on the school Degree Programs page .

Program Information

The major in Chinese prepares students to handle a wide array of Chinese language materials and to communicate in Chinese on a broad array of topics with a robust of modern and classical Chinese language courses. The literature curriculum features many of the high points of China’s literary past and present in English translation, from the ancient The Book of Odes to classic poems of Tang and Song dynasties, classic fiction like Journey to the West and Dream of the Red Chamber, to modern works like Mao Dun’s Rainbow, Eileen Chang’s Love in a Fallen City, and Yu Hua’s To Live. Through extensive coverage of language and literary culture, the Chinese major aims to produce students with the skills of cultural literacy and interpretation as well as linguistic proficiency. Students are also encouraged to demonstrate the integration of their skills and knowledge through the translation of literary works into English.

Program Requirements

31 credits with the following distribution:

EAST 1010 - East Asian Canons and Cultures Credits: 3
15 credits must be in CHIN courses numbered at or above the 3000-level, 6 of these credits can come from CHTR courses at the advisor’s discretion
CHTR 3010 - Survey of Traditional Chinese Literature Credits: 3
CHTR 3020 - Survey of Modern Chinese Literature Credits: 3
CHIN 4830 - Introduction to Classical Chinese Prose Credits: 3
CHIN 4840 - Introduction to Classical Chinese Poetry Credits: 3
CHTR 4991 - Chinese Capstone Credits: 1
3-credit course at the 3000-level or higher taken within or outside of the department and that is not being counted elsewhere towards the major (and approved by both the Course Instructor and Major Advisor), in which the final paper uses Chinese language materials.
A maximum of 15 study abroad credits and domestic transfer credits are allowed at the discretion of the student’s advisor.
Students must maintain a grade of C or better in all courses that count toward the major.
Students who wish to double major are reminded that only two courses may count towards both majors.

Study Abroad

Shanghai Chinese Language Program: the UVA-in-Shanghai Intensive Chinese Language Program in the Department of East Asian Languages, Literatures and Cultures at the University of Virginia is hosted by Fudan University. It is intended to enable students who are serious about studying Chinese language in a total immersion environment to cover a year’s worth of material and to earn 8 UVA credits. This rigorous, demanding, and rewarding language program allows the student to have first-hand experience using Chinese in real world situations as well as studying and practicing it in the classroom. For more information, use the “Find a Program” link at http://www.studyabroad.virginia.edu.
UVA in Shanghai: Fudan University is offered through the partnership of University of Virginia, Fudan University, and The Education Abroad Network (TEAN). This program offers students the opportunity to spend a semester or year in Shanghai studying Chinese language for direct UVA credit, while choosing from a variety of English-taught electives for transfer credit.
Students will take a Chinese Language course at Fudan University, which is offered at the Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced level. The Chinese Language program is designed and guided by DEALLC professor Hsin-hsin Liang, and students will receive direct UVA credit.
Students will take non-language elective courses taught in English for transfer credit. Elective courses are available in areas such as Marketing, Economics, Management, Accounting, Finance, Sociology, Journalism, History and Political Science. Visit the Academics page on the TEAN website for course listings. Students will also have the option to participate in a part-time internship at a multinational or Chinese organization. Please visit the ISO Education Abroad website and select Program Search for detailed information: https://www.programs.studyabroad.virginia.edu/.
The Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies (IUP) is also a consortia program jointly administered by the 14 North American universities distinguished in Chinese studies. Established in Taipei, Taiwan in 1963, IUP has for more than a half century been the gold standard for advanced Chinese instruction, and attracts more graduate and professional school students with China-related career plans than any other language program. Located at Tsinghua University in Beijing since 1997, IUP is headquartered at the University of California at Berkeley. The University of Virginia joined the consortium in 2010. IUP is a purely language instruction program with a proficiency threshold for admission of approximately the completion of third year college-level Chinese. Students are in classes no larger than 3, with daily one-on-one sessions, and enjoy a student-teacher ratio well under 2:1. The basic program is one academic year, but qualified students may attend for the summer, fall, or spring terms only, or any combination thereof. For application, fees, schedule, and other program information, please visit http://ieas.berkeley.edu/iup/.
In addition to study abroad programs administered by U.Va., students are encouraged to develop their language skills at the many other study-abroad programs that are available throughout East Asia. Please note that in order to receive transfer credit for language courses offered at such programs, students must first consult with our faculty and the International Studies Office in Minor Hall.

Scholarships

East Asia Center Scholarship: A generous endowment from the Weedon family allows the East Asia Center to award travel grants to undergraduates enrolled in language programs in East Asia as well as research travel grants to graduate students and faculty. Applications are due in mid-March.
Mastercard Asian Studies Scholarship: This scholarship is awarded annually to a rising fourth-year major in Asian Studies, be it in the East Asian Studies Major or Chinese or Japanese Language and Literature. To be competitive, students applying for this scholarship should also be applying for the Distinguished Majors Program. This scholarship is in the amount of approximately $4000 for tuition, and it carries with it the possibility to apply for a paid summer internship with Mastercard. Unless we are informed otherwise, we assume that all applicants for the DMP are also applying for this scholarship.

Centers and Programs

Arts and Sciences Center for Instructional Technology (ASCIT): A resource containing many audio-visual materials which are used to help bring the culture surrounding our different languages alive for students. It is conveniently located in Cabell Hall along with most DEALLC classrooms and offices. The language laboratory is used to help students practice and reinforce their speaking and listening skills.

East Asia Center: For more than thirty years the East Asia Center has promoted activities and events that enhance the study of East Asia at the University of Virginia. The Center sponsors more than twenty lectures and other events each year. It also manages graduate programs granting an M.A., in East Asian Studies as well as an MA/MBA in conjunction with the Darden School of Business.

For a comprehensive list of funding available for study abroad, please visit the East Asia Center website, www.virginia.edu/eastasia.

Additional Information

For more information, contact DEALLC@virginia.edu; http://eastasian.virginia.edu.