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Chinese

Study Chinese as part of your Combined Honours degree. Explore Chinese culture and a combination of practical language study and communication skills.

About the programme

UCAS Code: BA Combined Honours (Y001) 

We adopt a largely sociological and anthropological approach to understanding East Asian cultures, rather than seeking an understanding through the study of literature.

As a Combined Honours student, you'll spend one third of your time on Chinese language study.

Stage overview

  • In Stage 1, there are introductory modules in Chinese. The emphasis here is on communication skills and no prior knowledge of Chinese is needed.
  • At Stages 2 and 3, you build on your language skills with a choice of modules on Chinese culture and society.
  • In Stage 3, you can choose to write a dissertation on an approved topic relating to the culture of China. 
  • You get to spend an intercalating year abroad in China, studying at a university with which we have established links.

This is an outstanding opportunity to practise your language skills and experience first-hand the culture of China.

Chinese is offered by the School of Modern Languages.

You may also be interested in the Modern Languages Society or the cultural activities and educational talks from the Anglo-Chinese Society

Pre-requisites

Chinese can be studied from scratch, post-GCSE or post-A level (or equivalent) standards. A maximum of two language subjects can be taken together in Combined Honours - and only one of these can be at beginners’ level.

It's not possible to study two language subjects on their own, you will need to select a third non-language subject.

Chinese and Japanese cannot be taken together.

Modules

Find out about our typical modules. Modules are subject to change and could differ on an annual basis.

Stage 1

Select the module code for specific module information including the module summary and aims, knowledge and skills you'll gain, and the module leader.

You will follow either Level A (if you are a beginner) or Level B (if you have an A Level).

Level A

Compulsory modules

Module CodeModule Title Credit Value Semester
CHN1065 Level A (HE Entry Level) Chinese I 20 1
CHN1066 Level A (HE Entry Level) Chinese II (Pre-requisite CHN1065) 20 2

Optional module

Module Code Module Title Credit Value Semester
CHN1005 Introduction to Chinese Culture and Society  20 2

Level B

Compulsory module

Module CodeModule Title Credit Value Semester 
CHN2010 Level B (HE Intermediate) Chinese  40 1&2

Optional module

Module CodeModule Title Credit Value Semester
CHN1005 Introduction to Chinese Culture  20 1
Stage 2

Students study 40, 60 or 80 credits from the lists below at Stage 2.

You will follow either Level B or Level C.

Select the module code for specific module information including the module summary and aims, knowledge and skills you'll gain, and the module leader.

Level B

Compulsory module

Module CodeModule Title Credit Value Semester
CHN2010 Level B (HE Intermediate) Chinese 40 1&2

Optional modules

Module CodeModule Title Credit Value Semester 
SML2011 Cities in East Asian Cinema: Culture, History & Identity 20 1
SML2017 Korean l (Pre-requisite: students must have achieved a minimum of 60% in CHN1066 in Stage 1) 20 1&2

Level C

Compulsory module

Module CodeModule Title Credit ValueSemester
CHN4010  Level C (HE Advanced) Chinese 40 1&2

Optional modules

Module CodeModule Title Credit ValueSemester
SML2011 Cities in East Asian Cinema: Culture, History & Identity 20 1
SML2016 Reading in Translation  20 2
SML2017 Korean l (Pre-requisite: students must have achieved a minimum of 60% in CHN2010 in Stage 1) 20 1&2
Intercalating Year

All students taking a language must spend an entire academic year abroad in a country where their chosen language is spoken between Stages 2 and 3; this shall be their Intercalating Year. While abroad they shall take the following modules: SML3004 Year Abroad Tutor Posts (100 credits) and SML3006 Study Abroad (20 credits).

Find further information about your Intercalating Year Abroad.

Stage 3

Select the module code for specific module information including the module summary and aims, knowledge and skills you'll gain, and the module leader.

You can follow either Level C or Level D. Students study 40, 60 or 80 credits from the lists below at Stage 3.

Level C

Compulsory module

Module Code Module Title Credit Value Semester
CHN4010 Level C (HE Advanced) Chinese 40 1&2

Optional modules

Module CodeModule Title Credit Value Semester
CHN4004 China and its Peripheries: Repression, (In)stability and Conflict in the 21st Century 20 1
CHN4012 Historical and Cultural Interpretations of China through classics and newspaper reading 20 2
SML2016 Reading in Translation 20 2
SML4099 Dissertation 20 1&2

Level D

Compulsory module

Module CodeModule Title Credit Value Semester
CHN4061 Level D (HE Further Advanced) Chinese 40 1&2

Optional modules

Module CodeModule Title Credit Value Semester
CHN4004 China and it's Peripheries: Repression, (In)stability and Conflict in the 21st Century 20 1
CHN4012 Historical and Cultural Interpretations of China through Classics and newspaper reading 20 2
SML4099 Dissertation 20 1&2

Get in touch

If you have any questions about choosing this subject as part of your Combined Honours degree, contact us and we'll be more than happy to help. 

Subject adviser

Dr Patricia Oliart, School of Modern Languages

Our address

Combined Honours Centre
9th Level, Henry Daysh Building
Newcastle University
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 7RU

Tel: +44 (0)191 208 7479