China and Taiwan

Faculty Contact: Chi-chiang Huang, Modern Languages (Offered every semester or for a full academic year.)

Also See: CIEE, Nanjing University, Beijing University, National Chengchi University (Taipei, Taiwan)

The semester length program at Peking University (for more advanced students) or at Nanjing University offers students an opportunity to study at China's most prestigious universities, to improve their fluency in spoken and written Mandarin Chinese, and to gain an understanding of contemporary Chinese society. The program offered through the Colleges' affiliate membership with the Council on International Educational Exchange is approximately 15?17 weeks including 16 weeks of classes and one week of independent travel. Language classes are held 16 hours per week and are divided into sections based on language level. A Chinese area studies course, taught in English is offered every semester. The program at National Chengchi University, Taipei offers Mandarin Chinese language training with a set of electives in economics, sociology, history, and art. The courses focus on Taiwan's modern realities, balanced by an understanding of its history. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the location of the university (13 kilometers from the center of Taipei) and explore their surroundings through frequent visits to museums, local temples and other activities

PROGRAM DATES
 (Nanjing) August 24 to December 16, 2001 (Beijing) August 24 to December 16, 2001 (Taipei) August 24 to December 20, 2001 Spring 2002 dates - TBA

ACCOMMODATIONS
Students live in foreign student dormitories at Peking University or with Chinese roommates in Nanjing and Taipei. Meals are taken in the dormitory dining hall or in local restaurants.

EXCURSIONS
Excursion destinations include sites of historical and cultural importance such as the Great Wall and centuries old Buddhist and Daoist temples in Beijing. Students are also provided with a glimpse of everyday life through visits to a factory, kindergarten, and retirement home or other social service facilities. In Taipei students may visit the National Palace Museum, the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Taroko Gorge, Yehliu, Danshui and Kenting.

ELIGIBILITY
 Applicants must generally have a minimum of two years of college-level Mandarin Chinese or the equivalent and one Chinese area studies course in Beijing and a minimum of one year of college-level Mandarin Chinese or the equivalent and one Chinese area studies course in Nanjing and Taipei. An overall 2.75 GPA is required for all three sites.

APPROXIMATE COSTS
The cost of the program is equivalent to on-campus tuition, $500 administrative fee, and room and board charges for a semester (prorated for the longer session) in Beijing and Nanjing. In Taipei meals are not included in the fee. It is estimated that students should budget to cover meals during the program. Airfare, personal items and individual travel are extra. These additional costs vary according to individual needs and tastes, but we estimate a total of $3400. The tuition and room charge is approximately $16,300 with variation between the three sites according to the meal plan that is offered..

COURSE TITLES

Beijing

  • all students - "Readings in Chinese" , "Spoken Chinese", "Listening in Chinese", "Grammer", "Classical Chinese"
  • intermediate students - "Readings in Chinese", "Spoken Chinese", "Listening in Chinese" , "Newspaper Reading", "Reading Comprehension", "Writing"
  • advanced students - "Readings in Chinese", "Spoken Chinese", "Listening in Chinese", "Grammar" and select two from the following: "Advanced Newspaper Writing" , "Advanced Writing" , "Modern Chinese Literature", "Classical Chinese", "Useful Chinese", "Function Words", "Grammer", "Poetry", "Culture", "Idioms", "Customs of Chinese National Minorities"

Nanjing

  • all students - "Readings in Chinese", "Spoken Chinese", "Contemporary Chinese Studies", "Selected Topics in Chinese Studies"

Taipei

  • all students - "Intermediate or Advanced Chinese"
  • electives - "Introduction to Politics in Taiwan", "Traditional Beliefs as Expressed in Chinese Lyric Poetry", "Language", "Traditional Chinese Art", "Political and Economic Aspects of Taiwan's Economic Development", "Social Change and Modernization in Taiwan", "History of Chinese Art"

Special Cocurricular Features in Beijing: As a supplement to classroom language instruction, program participants are paired with Peking University students for weekly one-on-one Chinese language tutorials. Through these tutorials, students are provided extra practice in conversational Mandarin, as well as the opportunity to learn about the daily life of their Chinese peers. Students will also have the opportunity to take advantage of special lectures by U.S. journalists, diplomats and business people working in Beijing and to take noncredit courses in Chinese calligraphy, Chinese cooking and Taijiquan (the ancient Chinese form of physical and mental discipline).

Special Cocurricular Features in Nanjing: Ten trips are integrated into the academic curriculum reflecting the weekly topics covered in the language and area studies courses. They have included visits to an old age home, a population management training institute, special economic zones and various neighborhoods and temples around Nanjing. Special calligraphy and taijiquan are also offered.

Special Cocurricular Features in Taipei: Students will be invited to meet with professionals working in Taiwan, including journalists, government officials, and business people. Through these discussions, students learn more about contemporary Taiwanese society and gain valuable insight into future careers opportunities.

Please note: A regular on-campus semester course load is the normal that can be earned on the Beijing, Nanjing and Taiwan programs. For more information about the China programs please consult the brochure: "Council Study Centers-China" in the Office of Off-Campus Programs or on the website www.ciee.org.