Chinese Studies–Language & Culture Track, BA

About the Program

The Chinese Studies major offers academically rigorous courses in Chinese language, history, literature, culture, religion and film studies. Students will acquire the general literacy and appreciation of the richness and variety of traditional and modern Chinese studies in its broadest sense. They will also gain a deep understanding from reading and pondering the issues presented in the carefully selected materials regarding all the above areas. The goals of this major is to provide opportunities to Purdue students to study in depth about China and Chinese speaking regions and develop their academic skills and qualifications for careers related to China. Courses in the Chinese Studies major form broad perspectives to provide students with the experience that is fundamental to multicultural education and interdisciplinary studies.

Before undertaking this major, the student must establish language proficiency in Chinese equivalent to Chinese Level IV. Proficiency may be established by taking and passing Chinese 20200, by examination or by other evidence acceptable by the School of Language and Cultures.

College of Liberal Arts Website

Degree Requirements

120 Credits Required

Liberal Arts Curriculum

Each liberal arts major is designed as a four-year plan of study and includes three types of courses: Major, Core, and Elective. Most students take five courses per semester, with some of each type.

Professional academic advisors meet individually with each of our students on a regular basis to help with course selection, academic planning, and career development, as well as to help students find additional resources on campus.

Departmental/Program Major Courses (33 credits)

Other Departmental - Liberal Arts Core (31-55 credits)

The College of Liberal Arts Other Departmental area is designed to be experiential, informative, and relevant to life in a rapidly changing universe. It combines courses that fulfill University Core foundational outcomes, discipline diversity, social diversity, and other languages to produce a well-rounded background for students. Coursework is integrative and collaborative and fosters insight, understanding, independence, initiative, and the desire to reach across divides and redefine our relationship to the peoples and the worlds that surround us.

Electives (32-56 credits)

Grade Requirements

• No course with a grade lower than C- may be counted toward the Major. The P/NP option is not available for this requirement.
• No Department credit beyond CHNS 202, nor credit by exam, may be counted toward the Major.
   

GPA Requirements

• A minimum GPA of B- (2.67/4.0) in the Major is required for the student to graduate with a Chinese Studies Major.
• 2.0 Graduation GPA required for Bachelor of Arts degree.

Course Requirements and Notes

• For native speakers of Chinese who wish to major in Chinese Studies, CHNS 30100-40200 and 31300 do not count toward the Major. Students need to choose 33 credits from Areas B, C (except for CHNS 24100), and D.
  
  
• * Indicates courses that can be repeated with different content.
  
  

College of Liberal Arts Pass/No Pass Option Policy

• P/NP cannot be used to satisfy Liberal Arts Core, Liberal Arts major, minor, or certificate requirements.

University Requirements

Additional Information

• Students completing a Chinese Studies Major may not also declare a Chinese Minor, Asian Studies Major, or Asian Studies Minor.
• Liberal Arts offers a streamlined plan of study for students pursuing a second degree outside CLA. Contact the CLA Advising Office for more information.

Sample 4-Year Plan

Pre-Requisite Information

For pre-requisite information, log in to mypurdue.purdue.edu and click here.

World Language Courses

World Language proficiency requirements vary by program. The following list is inclusive of all world languages PWL offers for credit; for acceptable languages and proficiency levels, see your advisor. (ASL-American Sign Language; ARAB-Arabic; CHNS-Chinese; FR-French; GER-German; GREK-Greek(Ancient); HEBR-Hebrew(Biblical); HEBR-Hebrew(Modern); ITAL-Italian; JPNS-Japanese; KOR-Korean; LATN-Latin; PTGS=Portuguese; RUSS-Russian; SPAN-Spanish)

Critical Course

The ♦ course is considered critical.

In alignment with the Degree Map Guidance for Indiana’s Public Colleges and Universities, published by the Commission for Higher Education (pursuant to HEA 1348-2013), a Critical Course is identified as “one that a student must be able to pass to persist and succeed in a particular major. Students who want to be nurses, for example, should know that they are expected to be proficient in courses like biology in order to be successful. These would be identified by the institutions for each degree program.”

Disclaimer

The student is ultimately responsible for knowing and completing all degree requirements. Consultation with an advisor may result in an altered plan customized for an individual student. The myPurduePlan powered by DegreeWorks is the knowledge source for specific requirements and completion.

Comparative information about Purdue University and other U.S. educational institutions is also available through the College Navigator tool, provided by the National Center for Education Statistics, and through the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.