Chinese Language and Studies
China is a ‘rising power’ in the western Pacific region whose future importance for Australia is hard to over-estimate. China’s current levels of investment in research and development and in the tertiary sector indicate that China is poised to make a very rapid transition to a ‘knowledge economy’. This is a matter of direct relevance for the career planning of today’s undergraduates.
Melbourne is one of the few universities in Australia to offer students the opportunity to complete a major in Chinese Language, a minor in Chinese language and a minor in Chinese Studies. Undergraduate students may choose to complement their study of the Chinese language with a range of subjects on Chinese culture and society, acquiring not only a solid basis for language competence in later professional life but also the wherewithal for advancing their social and cultural literacy.
Teaching in the Chinese Program is informed by staff research in a wide variety of different fields, including Chinese language teaching and many aspects of contemporary and traditional China. One area of strong concentration is research on Chinese Regional Cultures: we have one member of staff working on the Northwest (Lewis Mayo, whose field is politics and the natural world in Tang-dynasty Dunhuang), two working on North China (Zhou Shaoming, who works on life-cycle rituals in Shandong, and David Holm, who works on local theatre in Shaanxi), one working on the Lower Yangtze area (Anne McLaren, who works on popular culture in the Shanghai region), and a number of people working on south China (Du Liping on the marketing of traditional medicines and local medical cultures, David Holm on ritual performance and textuality among the Tai-speaking Zhuang minority and the decipherment of the Zhuang character script, and Luo Yongxian on Tai and Sino-Tibetan linguistics). Research on Chinese language teaching is pursued by all lecturers who are involved in language teaching. Gao Jia pursues a range of topics on the sociology of contemporary China and the overseas Chinese.
Chinese is available as both a major and minor sequence of study for BA students. Most Chinese majors are a standard 100 points in length.
Chinese is taught across 5 streams of study to suit the language acquisition level of students upon first enrolling. They are:
- Beginners Stream (for second-language students with no previous study of the language)
- Post VCE Stream (Non-background Speakers)
- Background Speakers Stream 1 (Minimal Literacy)
- Background Speakers Stream 2 (Limited Literacy)
- Background Speakers Stream 3 (For students who have completed Secondary Education in a Chinese environment)
Students come to us with a great variety of linguistic skills and backgrounds, and all students are required to attend an interview at the outset of their course.
A key feature of the Chinese language program is advanced-level subjects like Chinese Economic Documents, which provide students with experience in applying their Chinese language skills to areas of major professional interest. Our intention is to encourage students to aim for Chinese-English bilingualism in their professional lives after graduation.
Overseas Study
The Chinese Program offers students a variety of opportunities for in-country study. The University has exchange programs with Peking University, Qinghua University, and Fudan University in China, and National Taiwan University in Taipei. Regular components of the undergraduate program include a 4-6 week summer course at 12.5 points. The University offers a number of exchange places every year. In addition, scholarships from the Chinese government and from the Taiwan Ministry of Education are advertised every year at the beginning of the academic year.
Ways to Study Chinese
Undergraduate students can study Chinese as:
- A major in a Bachelor of Arts
- A minor in a Bachelor of Arts
- A concurrent Diploma of Languages
- In a fourth year Honours program (pure or combined)
- Breadth or Elective subjects depending on your course
Chinese can also be studied as:
- A Graduate Diploma
- A Post Graduate Diploma
- Through the Community Access Program
At the Postgraduate level, Chinese Studies offer courses for:
Chinese can also a component in an Asian Studies program at both undergraduate or post-graduate levels.
Credit for Overseas Study
Please note that not all exchange programs are valid for credit. Please check this before leaving for overseas study. Also, all overseas study is subject to DFAT warnings.
The following policy on credit for study overseas is applicable for all study undertaken by students overseas, whether via an official university exchange, on government scholarships or on a self-funded basis. Students undertaking courses at non-Chinese universities (e.g the United States) will be given credit to the same level that such courses would attract here.
The maximum of 37.5 points will be recommended to the Arts Faculty for a semester of Chinese language study overseas in an approved university in China or Taiwan. This will also represent the maximum number of points that a student may have recommended for credit from overseas study towards the major or Diploma of Languages (DL) in Chinese. Credit is not available at honours level and is normally only available at levels 2/3. Students must have completed a minimum of one year's of Chinese study in the Institute before going overseas to study.
This policy will limit students seeking language credit for one semester of study in China or Taiwan during their degree. Students who wish to study overseas for longer may do so but there will be no additional credit towards the language major. Students who wish for additional credit will have to undertake discipline subjects within the university departments in China or Taiwan which will attract a maximum credit recommendation of 37.5 points (12.5 points per subject) towards the Chinese studies major. Students are also able to study subjects in China and Taiwan for credit in other departments of the University of Melbourne.
Students at National Taiwan University will need to complete more than one of its semesters in order to obtain credit.
Short intensive courses of a minimum 4-6 weeks duration will be given 12.5 points credit. However, students will be required to show proof that they attended 90% of classes and will have to submit a 1000 character essay in Chinese to the department immediately on their return in order to obtain credit. Credit (with the exception of Intensive Chinese Program: China) is ungraded.
Students who have previously completed Intensive Chinese Program: China 110-303 may also undertake a semester on exchange.
For further information please contact Dr Du Liping by email, lpd@unimelb.edu.au.
Chinese LOTE Accreditation Examination
The Institute holds examinations for LOTE accreditation for prospective teachers of Chinese in the first or second week of January and June each year. The examination consists of written and oral components. Further information on how to apply, dates and fees for 2007 can be found here.
Chinese Language-Specific Scholarships
Usually at the beginning of each year the Chinese Program is asked to nominate a student for a scholarship offered by the Chinese Government for study in China for 6 or 12 months. In the normal course of events the Program is also asked to nominate a student for a scholarship offered by the Taiwanese Government for study in Taiwan for 12 months.
Students who are nominated must be prepared to take up the scholarships in September of the same year. We welcome expressions of interest from students by the end of February.
Lions Club of Melbourne Chinese Inc Scholarship
This scholarship will enable a student of Chinese at the University of Melbourne to undertake a period of short intensive study in China through the Intensive Chinese Program: China 110-303.
The value of the award is $3,500. Applications close on Monday 17 March 2008:
Guidelines and Application form.
The University of Melbourne and the Asia Institute acknowledge the generous support of the Lions Club of Melbourne Chinese Inc. which has made this scholarship opportunity possible.
More general scholarship information can be found here.
Subjects
The following subjects are taught in the Chinese program. Availability of particular subjects in a given semester, along with the requirements for major and honours are listed in the Arts Handbook - Chinese Studies. Some subjects have online content, which can be found via WebRAFT links (note some areas maybe be password protected).
Chinese Language
Chinese: Beginners Stream Level 1
Students undertaking a major in this stream must complete the following subjects:
| Code | Title | Semester | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 110-143 | Chinese 1A | 1 | 12.500 |
| 110-145 | Chinese 1B | 2 | 12.500 |
Chinese: Beginners Stream Level 2
Students undertaking a major in this stream must complete the following subjects:
| Code | Title | Semester | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 110-028 | Chinese 2A | 1 | 12.500 |
| 110-029 | Chinese 2B | 2 | 12.500 |
| 110-206 | Chinese 2C | 1 | 12.500 |
| 110-207 | Chinese 2D | 2 | 12.500 |
Chinese: Beginners Stream Level 3 Compulsory
Students undertaking a major in this stream must complete the following subjects:
Note:110-303 Intensive Chinese Program: China may be used as a substitute subject for either 110-040 Chinese 3B or 110-302 Chinese News Analysis.
| Code | Title | Semester | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 110-039 | Chinese 3A | 1 | 12.500 |
| 110-040 | Chinese 3B | 2 | 12.500 |
| 110-302 | Chinese News Analysis | 2 | 12.500 |
Chinese: Beginners Stream Level 3 Electives
Students undertaking a major in this stream must complete one subject from the following list:
| Code | Title | Semester | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 110-048 | Modern Chinese Literature | 1 | 12.500 |
| 110-133 | Great Chinese Classics | 1 | 12.500 |
| 110-303 | Intensive Chinese Program: China | Summer | 12.500 |
Chinese: Post VCE Stream (Non-background Speakers) Level 1
Students undertaking the major in this stream must complete the following subjects:
| Code | Title | Semester | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 110-160 | Chinese 2E | 1 | 12.500 |
| 110-161 | Chinese 2F | 2 | 12.500 |
Chinese: Post VCE Stream (Non-background Speakers) Level 2
Students undertaking a major in this stream must complete the following subjects:
| Code | Title | Semester | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 110-039 | Chinese 3A | 1 | 12.500 |
| 110-040 | Chinese 3B | 2 | 12.500 |
| 110-048 | Modern Chinese Literature | 1 | 12.500 |
Chinese: Post VCE Stream (Non-background Speakers) Level 3 Compulsory
Students undertaking a major in this stream must complete the following subjects:
| Code | Title | Semester | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 110-133 | Great Chinese Classics | 1 | 12.500 |
| 110-302 | Chinese News Analysis | 2 | 12.500 |
Chinese: Post VCE Stream ( Non-background Speakers) Level 3 Electives
Students undertaking a major in this stream must complete 1 of the following subjects:
| Code | Title | Semester | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 110-204 | Chinese Economic Documents | 1 | 12.500 |
| 110-303 | Intensive Chinese Program: China | Summer | 12.500 |
| 110-304 | Advanced Translation | 2 | 12.500 |
Chinese: Background Speakers Stream 1(Minimal Literacy) Level 1
Students undertaking a major in this stream must complete the following subjects:
| Code | Title | Semester | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 110-121 | Chinese 4A | 1 | 12.500 |
| 110-123 | Chinese 4B | 2 | 12.500 |
Chinese: Background Speakers Stream 1(Minimal Literacy) Level 2 Compulsory
Students undertaking a major in this stream must complete the following subjects:
| Code | Title | Semester | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 110-041 | Chinese 5A | 1 | 12.500 |
| 110-042 | Chinese 5B | 2 | 12.500 |
Chinese: Background Speakers Stream 1(Minimal Literacy) Level 2 Electives
Students undertaking a major in this stream must complete 1 of the following subjects:
| Code | Title | Semester | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 110-048 | Modern Chinese Literature | 1 | 12.500 |
| 110-133 | Great Chinese Classics | 1 | 12.500 |
| 110-190 | Chinese Cinema | 2 | 12.500 |
Chinese: Background Speakers Stream 1(Minimal Literacy) Level 2
Students undertaking a major in this stream should complete 3 subjects from the following list:
| Code | Title | Semester | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 110-204 | Chinese Economic Documents | 1 | 12.500 |
| 110-303 | Intensive Chinese Program: China | Summer | 12.500 |
| 110-304 | Advanced Translation | 2 | 12.500 |
| 110-305 | Analysis of Contemporary Chinese Society | 2 | 12.500 |
| 110-310 | Advanced Seminar | 1 | 12.500 |
Chinese: Background Speakers Stream 2 ( Limited Literacy) Level 1
Students undertaking a major in this stream must complete the following subjects:
| Code | Title | Semester | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 110-041 | Chinese 5A | 1 | 12.500 |
| 110-042 | Chinese 5B | 2 | 12.500 |
Chinese: Background Speakers Stream 2 ( Limited Literacy) Level 2
Students undertaking a major in this stream must complete the following subjects:
| Code | Title | Semester | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 110-048 | Modern Chinese Literature | 1 | 12.500 |
| 110-190 | Chinese Cinema | 2 | 12.500 |
| 110-204 | Chinese Economic Documents | 1 | 12.500 |
Chinese: Background Speakers Stream 2 ( Limited Literacy) Level 3
Students undertaking a major in this stream must complete 3 of the following subjects:
| Code | Title | Semester | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 110-303 | Intensive Chinese Program: China | Summer | 12.500 |
| 110-304 | Advanced Translation | 2 | 12.500 |
| 110-305 | Analysis of Contemporary Chinese Society | 2 | 12.500 |
| 110-310 | Advanced Seminar | 1 | 12.500 |
Chinese: Background Speakers Stream 3 (Students who have completed Secondary Education in a Chinese Environment) Level 1
This stream is only available as a minor area of study in the Bachelor of Arts and is not available as breadth study outside the BA.
Students completing the 75 point minor in this stream must complete the following subjects:
| Code | Title | Semester | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 110-048 | Modern Chinese Literature | 1 | 12.500 |
| 110-190 | Chinese Cinema | 2 | 12.500 |
Chinese: Background Speakers Stream 3 (Students who have completed Secondary Education in a Chinese Environment) Level 2
This stream is only available as a minor area of study in the Bachelor of Arts and is not available as breadth study outside the BA.
Students completing the 75 point minor in this stream must complete the following subjects:
| Code | Title | Semester | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 110-204 | Chinese Economic Documents | 1 | 12.500 |
| 110-304 | Advanced Translation | 2 | 12.500 |
Chinese: Background Speakers Stream 3 (Students who have completed Secondary Education in a Chinese Environment) Level 3
This stream is only available as a minor area of study in the Bachelor of Arts and is not available as breadth study outside the BA.
Students completing the 75 point minor in this stream must complete the following subjects:
| Code | Title | Semester | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 110-305 | Analysis of Contemporary Chinese Society | 2 | 12.500 |
| 110-310 | Advanced Seminar | 1 | 12.500 |
Staff in Chinese Program
| Name | Room | Telephone | Email address |
|---|---|---|---|
| David HOLM, Prof | 213 | 8344 5990 | dlholm@unimelb.edu.au |
| DU Li Ping, Dr (Convenor) | 318 | 8344 5393 | lpd@unimelb.edu.au |
| GAO Jia, Dr | 229 | 8344 8894 | jia@unimelb.edu.au |
| LUO Yongxian, Dr | 227 | 8344 4282 | yongxian@unimelb.edu.au |
| MAYO Lewis, Dr | lmayo@unimelb.edu.au | ||
| McLaren Anne , Dr | 228 | 8344 5149 | mclaae@unimelb.edu.au |
| ZHOU Shaoming, Mr | 234 | 8344 4945 | shaoming@unimelb.edu.au |
Web Resources
This page of links provides various on-line resources for Chinese Studies.