Chinese

Mandarin Chinese is an ancient language, but it also the language of the present and the future. 

One fifth of the planet speaks Chinese, making it the most widely spoken first language in the world. Our program emphasizes a deep exposure to Chinese language, literature and civilization, because understanding the culture behind the language is an important element in learning to write and speak Chinese effectively. Employers in business, education, government, finance and many other fields are looking for people who can speak Chinese and operate successfully in a Chinese cultural context.

After completing the Chinese Program at UVM, Majors should be able to:

• Speaking/Listening: Understand spoken Chinese/Japanese and express one's opinion concerning a variety of social topics, and be able to conduct an oral presentation in Chinese/Japanese.
• Reading: Read and comprehend written texts in Chinese/Japanese from a variety of forms and contexts (e.g., newspapers, essay collections, novels).
• Writing: Express own thoughts and summarize readings in one's own words in written Chinese/Japanese.
• Literature: Identify and describe major authors, works, features, forms, and styles of Chinese/Japanese literature from premodern and/or modern eras.
• Analyze and interpret works of Chinese/Japanese poetry, prose, and drama, read both in translation and in the original Chinese/Japanese, using terms appropriate to each genre.
• Situate and evaluate Chinese/Japanese literature in its social, historical, intellectual, and religious contexts.
• Research:Use a variety of Chinese/Japanese reference works and sources, including dictionaries and encyclopedias in digital and hardcopy form.
• Conduct independent research on topics in Chinese/Japanese literature and/or China/Japan related topics, and effectively communicate the results.