Bachelor of Chinese: Concentration in Chinese Language at San Francisco State University

The Concentration in Chinese Language is designed for beginning language learners with little or no background in a Chinese language. The program places emphasis on the building of proficiency in Mandarin Chinese (putonghua/guoyu) and an appreciation and understanding of literature and culture.

Note: Native speakers of Chinese and international students who have completed secondary and/or tertiary education in Chinese language in a Chinese-speaking country are discouraged from choosing this concentration.

Upon completion of the Bachelor of Arts in Chinese: Concentration in Chinese Language:

1. Language and Linguistics: Students will speak, write and understand the Chinese language. They will also be able to analyze the language in its morphology and syntax.
2. Culture: Cultural competence is gained through courses dedicated to culture and is further reinforced in the variety of advanced literature courses that students take to complete the major. Students will be familiar with the historical and cultural development of Chinese culture, especially in its international context. They will engage in cultural analysis not only of historical and geographical terms, but also as part of a debate about the very notion of culture.
3. Literature: Primarily through the study of complex literary texts, students will develop critical thinking by identifying issues and problems associated with their object of study, breaking the problem down to its component parts and critically examining them.
4. Writing skills: Students should be able to write coherent, engaging, and rigorous critical essays in Chinese that conform to accepted academic standards.