CHN1005 : Introduction to Chinese Culture and Society
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Dr Jo Smith Finley
- Owning School: Modern Languages
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
In consonance with the overall aims and objectives of the degree programme:
1. To develop a knowledge of traditional Confucian cultural beliefs and social binaries in Chinese life.
2. To develop a knowledge of rural-urban and regional differences in Chinese culture and society.
3. To develop knowledge of specific sub-groups within Chinese society (women, ethnic minorities, sexual minorities, religious minorities).
3. To develop an understanding of key challenges to Chinese society in the present and future.
4. To develop independent, critical thinking skills in respect of core topics in Chinese culture and society.
Outline Of Syllabus
Lecture themes will include:
Topic 1 Individual, Family, Society, State
Topic 2 Woman
Topic 3 Population and Fertility
Topic 4 Environment
Topic 5 The Rural-Urban Divide
Topic 6 Internal Migration
Topic 7 Social Inequality
Topic 8 Sexuality
Topic 9 Ethnicity
Topic 10 Religion
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 11 | 1:00 | 11:00 | Present-in-person |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 22 | 1:00 | 22:00 | Present-in-person |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 167:00 | 167:00 | Non contact hours |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
In-person Lectures will cover each of the 10 Module Topics, supported by a Powerpoint presentation.
Online materials will allow students to do some pre-reading or listen to a podcast / watch a video ahead of the two in-person Seminars.
Students will explore, discuss and debate the critical issues covered in the lecture, as well as the online materials they have consulted, within the Seminar setting.
One seminar slot will be used to deliver an essay writing workshop mid-semester.
THIS MODULE IS TAUGHT AND ASSESSED IN ENGLISH.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Examination | 90 | 2 | M | 50 | N/A |
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 2 | A | 50 | 1750-2000 word essay in English |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
A 90-minute Mid-Term exam (50%) will test students’ understanding of Chinese cultural and social topics by requiring them to produce 1 x Critical Commentary on an unseen source text selected from among three choices.
The Assessed Essay (1750-2000 words) (50%), based on classroom learning as well as extensive independent study, encourages students to foster individual initiative and project management skills. A successful essay will require the development and application of library and research skills, the acquisition of word-processing skills, demonstration of a high level of understanding of the chosen topic, and evidence of skills of critical analysis and discourse organisation.
The assessment structure provides Stage 1 students with the necessary foundation to take further cultural context modules at Stages 2 and 4, including the UG dissertation option (SML4099).
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- CHN1005's Timetable