Bachelor of Arts - Chinese

As the native tongue of more than 1.2 billion people, Mandarin Chinese is the primary language for approximately one-fifth of the human race. Spoken and written Chinese are also widely used throughout Southeast Asia and in other parts of the world, where it has emerged as an increasingly important medium of cultural, educational, and commercial interaction.

The Chinese major is designed to provide students with linguistic and cultural competency to function successfully within a Chinese-speaking society. Students are also expected to present a senior project in consultation with an advisor. Students learning Chinese are encouraged to take a January course in China or spend one semester or more in their junior year studying Chinese in one of the many studies abroad programs available in Beijing, Shanghai, or Hong Kong.