Courses
Brandeis University’s one-year Master of Arts in Chinese Language and Culture at the college level offers a full range of modern Chinese (Mandarin) erudition courses.
Courses are taught by experienced instructors who follow the highest standards of Chinese teaching in the United States and employ proven pedagogy and new technology to make courses highly efficient.
Program of Study
Required Courses
- CHIN 201A: Chinese Pedagogy I, the theory and practice of Chinese language teaching in the U.S. (offered in the fall)
- CHIN 201B: Chinese Pedagogy II, advanced Chinese teaching and learning (offered in the spring)
- Chinese Teaching Practicum I and II (CHIN 211A and CHIN 212B), two semesters, 3-4 hours per week
- CHIN 140A: Yin Yu Tang Documents, Decoding the Late Qing and Early Republic Writings, teaches fundamental skills to decode the late Qing and early Republic writings in print or in hand-writing by recognizing and translating the Yin Yu Tang documents. Students of this course will also gain knowledge of Chinese society and culture of this period.
Students must take two of the following three courses and another course relating to Chinese history, culture, art or society taught in English, such as FA 70b, FA 197a, HIST 182b, POL 148a, REL 151a.
- CHIN 100A: Introduction to Chinese Literature, introduces Chinese literature, focusing primarily on Chinese "classical" literary traditions and their metamorphosis in modern times
- CHIN 130B: China on Film: The Changes of Chinese Culture, focuses on the enormous changes underway in Chinese society, politics, and culture. Helps students to identify and understand these fundamental transformations through a representative, exciting selection of readings and films.
- HIST 80A: Introduction to East Asian Civilization, a selective introduction to the development of forms of thought, social and political institutions, and distinctive cultural contributions of China and Japan from early times to the beginning of the nineteenth century.
Students will be assigned to teach beginning and advanced Chinese language courses in order that they are ready to teach Chinese language courses at all levels successfully.
Capstone Project
Each student must complete a Chinese course design project. Work toward this capstone project will be undertaken with the advisor.