Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Chinese Language and Literature

Chinese is the most-spoken language in the world. With China's increasing presence on the world stage, being proficient in Chinese has many advantages. Through GW’s bachelor of arts in Chinese language and literature program, students are equipped with an oral and written proficiency in Chinese and an understanding of Chinese history, literature, and culture. Students have opportunities to study with world-renowned scholars, including Professor of Chinese Jonathan Chaves, a prominent author and lecturer on Chinese and Japanese culture and poetry. Seeking excellence and aiming to prepare students for real-world tasks, linguistically and culturally, the program helps students build a solid Chinese language foundation that benefits lifelong learning. Our graduates enter fields such as international diplomacy, international business, and education, working in agencies such as the U.S. Foreign Service, CIA, or U.S. Department of State.

Visit the program website for additional information.

For information about the admission process, including deadlines, visit the Office of Undergraduate Admissions website. Applications can be submitted via the Common Application.

Supporting documents not submitted online should be mailed to:

Office of Undergraduate Admissions
The George Washington University
800 21st St NW Suite 100
Washington, DC 20052

For questions visit undergraduate.admissions.gwu.edu/contact-us.

The following requirements must be fulfilled:

The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Undergraduate Programs.

39 credits in major-specific courses.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Prerequisite courses
These prerequisite courses are not required for students who demonstrate proficiency beyond the level of a given course. For example, a student who demonstrates proficiency beyond first-year level can be exempted from CHIN 1001 and CHIN 1002; a student whose proficiency exceeds that of CHIN 2004 is not required to take any of these courses.
CHIN 1001	Beginning Chinese I
CHIN 1002	Beginning Chinese II
CHIN 2003	Intermediate Chinese I
CHIN 2004	Intermediate Chinese II
Required for the major
CHIN 3105	Intermediate Chinese III
CHIN 3106	Intermediate Chinese IV
CHIN 3109	Introduction to Classical Chinese I
CHIN 3110	Introduction to Classical Chinese II
CHIN 3111	Chinese Literature in Translation I
CHIN 3112	Chinese Literature in Translation II
CHIN 4107	Readings in Modern Chinese I
or CHIN 4108	Readings in Modern Chinese II
CHIN 4121W	Advanced Conversation and Composition I
or CHIN 4122W	Advanced Conversation and Composition II
or CHIN 4119W	Business Chinese
Three additional upper-level courses (9 credits) in Chinese language and culture, selected from the following list:
CHIN 3116	Language Policy of China
CHIN 3123	Introduction to Chinese Linguistics
CHIN 3124	Introduction to Chinese Linguistics
CHIN 3136W	Chinese Women in Myth, Literature, and Film
or WGSS 3136W	Chinese Women in Myth, Literature, and Film
CHIN 3163	Taiwanese Literature and Film
CHIN 3171	Poetry of the Tang and Song Periods I
CHIN 3172	Poetry of the Tang and Song Periods II
CHIN 3173	Chinese Drama and Theatre
CHIN 3175W	Dream of the Red Chamber
CHIN 4108	Readings in Modern Chinese II
CHIN 4119W	Business Chinese
CHIN 4122W	Advanced Conversation and Composition II
CHIN 4179	Twentieth-Century Chinese Literature I
CHIN 4180W	Twentieth-Century Chinese Literature II
CHIN 4185	Directed Reading I
CHIN 4186W	Directed Reading II
CHIN 4198	Proseminar: Readings for the Major in Chinese Language and Literature
CHIN 4199	Proseminar: Readings for the Major in Chinese Language and Literature
Two additional courses related to China (6 credits), selected from the following:
AH 2190	East Asian Art
ANTH 3705	Anthropology of East Asia
ANTH 3709	Japanese Culture Through Film
or JAPN 3162	Japanese Culture Through Film
EALL 3811	Confucian Literature in East Asia
or REL 2811	Confucian Literature in East Asia
EALL 3814	Religion and Philosophy in East Asia
or EALL 3814W	Religion and Philosophy in East Asia
or REL 2814	Religion and Philosophy in East Asia
EALL 3831	Introduction to Daoism
or EALL 3831W	Introduction to Daoism
or REL 2831	Introduction to Daoism
ECON 2169	Introduction to the Economy of China
HIST 3610	Imperial China (Song-Qing)
HIST 3611	History of Modern China
HIST 3614	Writing Modern Chinese History
or HIST 3614W	Writing Modern Chinese History
HIST 3615	History of Chinese Communism
IAFF 2091	East Asia-Past and Present
JAPN 3111	Japanese Literature in Translation I
JAPN 3112	Japanese Literature in Translation II
KOR 3111	Korean Literature in Translation I
KOR 3112	Korean Literature in Translation II
PSC 2370	Comparative Politics of China and Northeast Asia
PSC 2371	Politics and Foreign Policy of China
PSC 2475	International Relations of East Asia
REL 2601	Buddhism

In addition to the University General Education Requirement, undergraduate students in Columbian College must complete a further, College-specific general education curriculum—Perspective, Analysis, Communication (G-PAC) as well as the course CCAS 1001 First-Year Experience. Together with the University General Education Requirement, G-PAC engages students in active intellectual inquiry across the liberal arts. Students achieve a set of learning outcomes that enhance their analytical skills, develop their communication competencies, and invite them to participate as responsible citizens who are attentive to issues of culture, diversity, and privilege.

Coursework for the University General Education Requirement is distributed as follows:

• One course in critical thinking in the humanities.

• Two courses in critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, or scientific reasoning in the social sciences.

• One course that has an approved oral communication component.

• One course in quantitative reasoning (must be in mathematics or statistics).
• One course in scientific reasoning (must be in natural and/or physical laboratory sciences).
• UW 1020 University Writing (4 credits).
• After successful completion of UW 1020, 6 credits distributed over at least two writing in the discipline (WID) courses taken in separate semesters. WID courses are designated by a "W" appended to the course number. 

Coursework for the CCAS G-PAC requirement is distributed as follows:

• Arts—one approved arts course that involves the study or creation of artwork based on an understanding or interpretation of artistic traditions or knowledge of art in a contemporary context.
• Global or cross-cultural perspective—one approved course that analyzes the ways in which institutions, practices, and problems transcend national and regional boundaries.
• Local or civic engagement—one approved course that develops the values, ethics, disciplines, and commitment to pursue responsible public action.
• Natural or physical science—one additional approved laboratory course that employs the process of scientific inquiry (in addition to the one course in this category required by the University General Education Requirement).
• Humanities—one additional approved humanities course that involves critical thinking skills (in addition to the one course in this category required by the University General Education Requirement).
• CCAS 1001 First-Year Experience

Certain courses are approved to fulfill GPAC requirements in more than one category.

Courses taken in fulfillment of G-PAC requirements may also be counted toward majors or minors. Transfer courses taken prior to, but not after, admission to George Washington University may count toward the University General Education Requirement and G-PAC, if those transfer courses are equivalent to GW courses that have been approved by the University and the College.

Lists of approved courses in the above categories are included on each undergraduate major's page in this Bulletin.

Students may apply to earn special honors in Chinese to be noted on their transcript. Departmental faculty will recommend a student for special honors only if they meet the requirements for eligibility:

• Meet the general requirements for special honors stated under University Regulations.
• Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.7 in courses in the major and a 3.4 GPA overall.
• Complete an honors thesis. Before the beginning of the fall semester of their senior year, qualified students may be invited to write an honors thesis. Candidates for special honors enroll in CHIN 4199 and work on the thesis under faculty supervision; a grade of A or A- must be earned in the course. The program in Chinese language and literature recommends no more than two students per year for special honors, based on the student’s overall performance in the program. A committee of three faculty members must approve a recommendation for special honors.