Increase employment opportunities: Many companies, large and small, are increasing their presence in China. China is a most important trading partner with the U.S.
汉语 • Chinese
Learning Mandarin Chinese presents both rewarding and challenging aspects. Mastering Chinese opens up vast opportunities for communication, business, and cultural understanding in one of the world's oldest and most influential civilizations. Delving into Chinese characters and tones fosters cognitive skills, such as attention to detail and pattern recognition. However, the challenges lie in the complexity of the writing system, with thousands of characters, as well as the tonal nature of the language, requiring precision in pronunciation. The journey of learning Chinese, however, offers immense personal growth, cross-cultural enrichment, and the chance to engage with over a billion speakers worldwide.
Why Learn Chinese?
Converse in the most popular language: There are more people speaking Chinese than any other language. One in every five people speaks Chinese in the world. Chinese is spoken not only in China but also in Southeast Asia and many other regions.
Be part of the most rapid economic growth: China is the fastest growing economy in the world. Chinese economy is second only to that of the U.S. An example of the importance of this economy is that China has the world’s largest auto market.
Understand and appreciate a different culture: Chinese culture is very different from western cultures. It is one of the oldest civilizations in the world. Learn the subtleties and intricate interpersonal relationships. Learn the do’s and don’ts in Chinese customs.
Explore a fascinating history: China has one of the longest recorded histories. Learn the evolution of the Chinese civilization. Climb the Great Wall, see the Forbidden City and Terracotta warriors. You will learn what they mean to China.
Discover the beauty of the land: China boasts one of the most varied landscapes in the world. Enjoy the serenity of Li River, or immerse yourself in the beautiful scenery of famous Zhangjiajie National Forest Park.
Find the artist in yourself: Chinese calligraphy is a time-honored art form. See yourself through your handwriting.
Enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine: Chinese cuisine is an art form and culture. Knowing Chinese helps you to enjoy fascinating and authentic Chinese food, and get what you really want. Do you want Phoenix’s Feet or Lion’s Head?
Enrich your mind with different ways of thinking: Chinese differs from English both in grammar and written form. Learning Chinese opens your mind to other perspectives and enables you to become aware of cultural differences.
Mingle with hundreds of native speakers on campus, and a fast growing population in U.S: There are ahundreds of native Chinese speakers on Miami campus. They will be very happy talking with you in Chinese. Chinese population is also a fastest growing segment in the U.S.
Advising
For questions relating to Chinese courses or advising guidance, please contact:
Ms. Lihong WangDeprtmental Advisor for Chinese
Irvin Hall 162
(513) 529-2521
Course Placement
For general information about placement in Chinese, please access the language placement guide at the ILRC.
If this is a new language for you (i.e., no prior experience in this language), students should enroll in Chinese 101 and do not need to take a placement exam or advisement evaluation.
If you have had previous experience or education in this language,you will need to take the Chinese Placement Test first to see which level you should enroll in. Go to Miami's Foreign Language Placement test web site and select Chinese for your language. Then select the number of years you have previously had learning Chinese. If you have had 1/2 years, round up to the next whole year of previous experience. When you are finished with the test, you will receive a raw score and a suggested placement.
If you believe that the language placement is incorrect or have doubts about the placment, please talk to the language advisor, who would be able to interview you briefly and recommend a best placement based on your written, spoken, listening, literary, and cultural competence.
Learning Outcomes
- Employ correct and appropriate grammar, vocabulary, syntax, and style to describe personalities, events, and ideas in the past, present, future, and hypothetical situations;
- Contextualize cultural information in a manner that reveals familiarity with past and present trends and differences between one’s native culture and Chinese culture;
- Construct a persuasive argument intelligible to native speakers of the language;
- Locate, analyze, evaluate, summarize, integrate, synthesize, and cite information and ideas from sources typically used in contemporary Chinese newspaper articles;
- Apply the grammatical, rhetorical, and cultural competencies outlined above to the types of writing typically used in the graduates’ intended professions
Contact the Department
Department of German, Russian, Asian, and Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures
Irvin Hall 172
400 East Spring Street
Oxford, OH 45056-3645
United States
(513) 529-2526
General Inquiries: gramelac@MiamiOH.edu
