Chinese and International Relations BA Honours

Course summary

Our Chinese and International Relations course focuses on questions of governance, democracy and human rights while training competent Chinese linguists ready to enter graduate employment.

This course will enable you to achieve a good or high level of linguistic competence in Chinese in all four skill areas (reading, writing, listening and speaking), and a critical understanding of culture and politics from the perspective of the changing dynamics of the global political order. You'll have the opportunity to study language, culture and international relations in an integrated way, exploring the connections between them and the broader geopolitical and cross-cultural contexts in which they are produced. You'll also gain the transferable and cognitive skills necessary for lifelong personal and professional development.

We place particular emphasis on employability and the contemporary cultural context and offer high-quality teaching in all language skills.

Our Chinese courses are only available to beginner or intermediate entrants – intermediate entrants are students who have obtained or might be studying for an A level in Chinese, or who might have achieved the equivalent of HSK Chinese Proficiency Test Level 3. Please note that we may need to test you to determine your entry point.

You'll develop a high level of competence in oral and written communication in Chinese, proficiency in language transfer skills, a thorough knowledge of Chinese culture, and the ability to thrive linguistically in diverse cultural situations.

You'll have the opportunity to spend a full academic year abroad at a partner institution and/or, depending on your language level, an approved form of employment in a country where Chinese is the official language. You can also study an elective module from across the University in each year.

Top reasons to study with us

• Combine language skills with a knowledge of global affairs – develop your language skills against a backdrop of political and social understanding
• Learn Chinese in context – our authentic teaching, which focuses on language in a cultural context, equips you for real-life situations in the Chinese-speaking world
• Practise your language skills abroad – spend a year abroad perfecting your communication skills in a Chinese-speaking country
• Benefit from an expert teaching team – you'll learn from internationally recognised experts and benefit from the significant amount of contact time allocated to language learning on the course

This course prepares graduates for roles and industries including:

• Bilingual consultant
• International affairs consultant
• Interpreter
• Public relations expert
• International organisations, NGOs and charities

Graduate employers

Previous graduates of our Chinese, Arabic, French, or Spanish and International Relations courses have found positions with organisations including:

• British Council
• Deutsche Bank
• European Parliament
• Italian Trade Agency
• TransPerfect