School of Languages and Area Studies (SLAS)
Chinese Language and Area Studies
Duration and mode: 4 years full time. These are four-year degrees with study in China for one year of the programme
Entry requirements: 200-280 UCAS tariff points
Chinese is spoken by more than a fifth of the planet’s population and China’s economy is on target to be the world’s largest within the next two decades. As China assumes ever more global significance, knowledge of this huge country and its language will become increasingly valued and provide clear opportunities in a wide range of careers.
Choosing a Chinese Pathway on one of the above courses will allow you to develop the cultural awareness and language skills essential to communicating effectively in Mandarin Chinese. The Pathway has two components: language study (ab initio or with prior knowledge), and area studies, focussing on history, politics, economics and contemporary society. For students choosing Chinese, you will be required to spend one year at a university in China.
The Chinese Pathway will combine with other parts of your degree course (another language, International Trade, or International Relations) to complete a BA (Hons) degree that will stand out from the crowd and give you a distinct competitive edge.
Chinese Language
Language units will introduce you to Mandarin and develop your competence in listening, speaking, and the reading and writing of Chinese script. In addition to an understanding of grammar and the acquisition of vocabulary, emphasis will also be placed on the appreciation of cultural and linguistic conventions. Mandarin – or Modern Standard Chinese – is the official language of the People’s Republic of China and understood by the vast majority of the 1.3 billion people there. It is also the main language of Taiwan, an official language in Singapore, and very important in other areas of the Chinese Diaspora such as Malaysia and Canada.
Chinese Area Studies
Four Chinese area studies units provide a solid foundation to understand the transformations that have taken place in China, the country’s circumstances now, and the reasons for its emergence as a global power.
Introduction to Chinese Studies (first year), familiarizes students with the historical background, geography, economics, politics, art, culture and society of contemporary China.
History and Politics in China from 1900 to 1976 (second year) reviews China’s tumultuous 20th Century including the fall of the Qing Dynasty, civil and foreign wars, communist revolution and Mao Zedong.
Chinese Politics, Economics, International Relations and Society Since 1976 (second year) covers the ‘open door’ and reform movement of Deng Xiaoping, rapid economic development and the emergence of a new China both domestically and on the world stage.
China and East Asian Economies (final year) contextualizes the modern Chinese economy and market within its region and looks at the economies of China’s neighbours as well as the impact of sudden growth on Chinese politics, society, environment and international relations.
For details of the degree courses that may include a Chinese Studies Pathway, please look at the University of Portsmouth Undergraduate Prospectus or the University website (http://www.port.ac.uk)