Chinese, Bachelor of Arts (624)
Program Coordinator
Ke Peng, ke.peng@wku.edu, (270) 745-2118
Our Chinese majors combine language skills with knowledge of another discipline to prepare for successful careers.
Why is it important to learn Chinese?
- Chinese is the modern language with the oldest, continuously written language in the world.
- At the current pace of growth, China will surpass the U.S. to become the world's largest economy in 20 years.
A variety of career options will be open to those who have solid Chinese language skills: university scholars, teachers, international affairs, law, diplomacy, international business and trade.
Concentrations
- General (No concentration)
- Teacher Education (TCHR)
Program Requirements (36-73 hours)
A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours. More information can be found at www.wku.edu/registrar/degree_certification.php.
Students who began WKU in the Fall 2014 and thereafter should review the Colonnade requirements located at: https://www.wku.edu/colonnade/colonnaderequirements.php.
The proficiency-oriented Chinese major (reference # 624) is built upon student-centered curriculum and standards-based assessments. It provides WKU undergraduates with extensive language training and in-depth study of Chinese culture and society, which prepare them to use Chinese proficiency in their professional endeavors. Thirty-six credit hours are required in this major. Some of the required course work may be accomplished through approved methods for demonstration of previous knowledge or courses taken with the Chinese Flagship Program (CHNF). Chinese Flagship students must have been admitted to or be in good standing in the Mahurin Honors College. Study abroad is strongly recommended. A minor or second major is required for the non-teacher certification concentration. No course with a grade of “D” or below may be counted toward the major.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses | ||
| CHIN 102 | Elementary Chinese II | 3 |
| or CHNF 101 | Intensive Elementary Chinese I | |
| CHIN 201 | Intermediate Chinese I | 3 |
| or CHNF 102 | Intensive Elementary Chinese II | |
| CHIN 202 | Intermediate Chinese II | 3 |
| or CHNF 201 | Intensive Intermediate Chinese I | |
| CHIN 301 | Advanced Intermediate Chinese I | 3 |
| or CHNF 202 | Intensive Intermediate Chinese II | |
| CHIN 302 | Advanced Intermediate Chinese II | 3 |
| CHIN 401 | Advanced Chinese I | 3 |
| CHIN 402 | Advanced Chinese II | 3 |
| Elective Courses | ||
| Select at least four courses at the 300- or 400-level | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 36 | |
Elective Courses
Students may include among the five courses up to three credit hours of 200-level credit beyond CHIN 201 / CHIN 202 (only if taught in Chinese and taken in sequence) and six credit hours of 300- or 400-level courses delivered in English but related to Chinese studies (e.g., courses in Chinese history, philosophy, and/or religion), only after the student has completed 6 hours at 300-level with permission of program advisor. Electives may be chosen from the following:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Chinese Language Courses | ||
| CHIN 200-level courses other than CHIN 201 / CHIN 202 (3 hours maximum) | ||
| CHIN or CHNF 300- or 400-level courses | ||
| Study Abroad | ||
| CHIN 306 (maximum of 6 hours) | ||
| Courses on Chinese Studies (delivered in English) | ||
| HIST 460 | Traditional East Asia | 3 |
| HIST 461 | Modern East Asia | 3 |
| HIST 471 | Modern China | 3 |
| PS 366 | Government and Politics in East Asia | 3 |
| RELS 317 | Confucianism | 3 |
| RELS 318 | Daoism | 3 |
| Other courses with permission of program advisor (maximum of 6 hours) | ||
Major in Chinese with Teacher Certification
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses | ||
| CHIN 102 | Elementary Chinese II | 3 |
| or CHNF 101 | Intensive Elementary Chinese I | |
| CHIN 201 | Intermediate Chinese I | 3 |
| or CHNF 102 | Intensive Elementary Chinese II | |
| CHIN 202 | Intermediate Chinese II | 3 |
| or CHNF 202 | Intensive Intermediate Chinese II | |
| CHIN 301 | Advanced Intermediate Chinese I | 3 |
| or CHNF 201 | Intensive Intermediate Chinese I | |
| CHIN 302 | Advanced Intermediate Chinese II (required for students not taking CHNF courses) | 3 |
| CHIN 333 | Chinese Culture and Civilization | 3 |
| CHIN 401 | Advanced Chinese I | 3 |
| CHIN 402 | Advanced Chinese II | 3 |
| Elective Courses | ||
| Select at least four courses at the 300- or 400-level | 14-15 | |
| Total Hours | 38-39 | |
Elective Courses
Students may include among the five courses up to three credit hours of 200-level credit beyond CHIN 201 / CHIN 202 (only if taught in Chinese and taken in sequence) and six credit hours of 300- or 400-level courses delivered in English but related to Chinese studies (e.g., courses in Chinese history, philosophy, and/or religion), only after the student has completed 6 hours at 300-level with permission of program advisor. Electives may be chosen from the following:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Chinese Language Courses | ||
| CHIN 200-level courses other than CHIN 201 / CHIN 202 (3 hours maximum) | ||
| CHIN or CHNF 300- or 400-level courses | ||
| Study Abroad | ||
| CHIN 306 (maximum of 6 hours) | ||
| Courses on Chinese Studies (delivered in English) | ||
| HIST 460 | Traditional East Asia | 3 |
| HIST 461 | Modern East Asia | 3 |
| HIST 471 | Modern China | 3 |
| PS 366 | Government and Politics in East Asia | 3 |
| RELS 317 | Confucianism | 3 |
| RELS 318 | Daoism | 3 |
| Other courses with permission of program advisor (maximum of 6 hours) | ||
Teacher Certification
Students interested in teacher certification in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, or Spanish should meet with the Modern Languages Academic Advisor as early in their academic career as possible for information on current program requirements. World Language teachers in Kentucky may be eligible for interest forgiveness on student loans.
Professional Education Coursework
Required for Certification in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, & Spanish are listed as follows:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDU 250 | Discover Teaching: Introduction to Teacher Education | 3 |
| EDU 260 | Classroom Assessment | 3 |
| EDU 350 | Student Diversity and Differentiation | 3 |
| EDU 360 | Behavior and Classroom Management in Education | 3 |
| EDU 489 | Student Teaching Seminar | 3 |
| MLNG 410 | Second Language Acquisition | 3 |
| or ENG 469 | 2nd Language Acquisition Theory | |
| MLNG 474 | Teaching Foreign Language | 3 |
| PSY 310 | Educational Psychology: Development and Learning | 3 |
| SEC 350 | Clinical Practices in Secondary Teaching I | 4 |
| SEC 490 | Student Teaching | 10 |
| Total Hours | 38 | |
All students seeking teacher certification must take the official Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) given by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).
Finish in Four Plan
Chinese
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| CHIN 101 or CHNF 101 | 3 | CHIN 102 or CHNF 102 | 3 |
| ENG 100 | 3 | COMM 145 | 3 |
| HIST 101 or HIST 102 | 3 | MATH 109 | 3 |
| ARC 100 | 3 | Colonnade - Natural & Physical Sciences w/ no lab | 3 |
| PSY 100 | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| CHIN 201 or CHNF 201 | 3 | CHIN 202 or CHNF 202 | 3 |
| Colonnade - Natural & Physical Sciences w/ lab | 3-4 | Second Major or Minor Course or General Elective | 3 |
| ENG 200 | 3 | RELS 318 | 3 |
| Second Major or Minor Course or General Elective | 3 | Second Major or Minor Course or General Elective | 3 |
| Second Major or Minor Course or General Elective | 3 | Second Major or Minor Course or General Elective | 3 |
| 15-16 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| CHIN 301 or CHNF 301 | 3 | CHIN 302 or CHNF 302 | 3 |
| CHIN 320 | 3 | CHIN 420 | 3 |
| ENG 300 | 3 | RELS 317 | 3 |
| Second Major or Minor Course or General Elective | 3 | Second Major or Minor Course or General Elective | 3 |
| Second Major or Minor Course or General Elective | 3 | Second Major or Minor Course or General Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| CHIN 401 or CHNF 420 | 3 | CHIN 402 or CHNF 440 | 3 |
| CHIN/CHNF Elective (300/400 level) | 3 | CHIN/CHNF Elective (300/400 level) | 3 |
| Colonnade - Local to Global | 3 | CHIN Elective (300/400 level) | 3 |
| Second Major or Minor Course or General Elective | 3 | Second Major or Minor Course or General Elective | 3 |
| Second Major or Minor Course or General Elective | 3 | Second Major or Minor Course or General Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours 120-121 | |||
With Teacher Certification
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| CHIN 101 or CHNF 101 | 3 | CHIN 102 or CHNF 102 | 3 |
| ENG 100 | 3 | COMM 145 | 3 |
| HIST 101 or HIST 102 | 3 | MATH 109 | 3 |
| ARC 100 | 3 | Colonnade - Natural & Physical Sciences w/ no lab | 3 |
| PSY 100 | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| CHIN 201 or CHNF 201 | 3 | CHIN 202 or CHNF 202 | 3 |
| Colonnade - Natural & Physical Sciences w/ lab | 3-4 | CHIN Elective (200/300 level) | 3 |
| ENG 200 | 3 | RELS 318 | 3 |
| CHIN Elective (200/300 level) | 3 | Colonnade - Local to Global | 3 |
| EDU 250 | 3 | PSY 310 | 3 |
| General Elective | 2 | ||
| 15-16 | 17 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| CHIN 301 or CHNF 301 | 3 | CHIN 302 or CHNF 302 | 3 |
| CHIN 320 | 3 | CHIN 420 | 3 |
| ENG 300 | 3 | RELS 317 | 3 |
| SPED 330 | 3 | MLNG 410 | 3 |
| SEC 351 | 3 | LTCY 421 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| CHIN 401 or CHNF 420 | 3 | EDU 489 | 3 |
| CHIN/CHNF Elective (300/400 level) | 3 | SEC 490 | 10 |
| Colonnade - Local to Global | 3 | ||
| SEC 453 | 3 | ||
| MLNG 474 | 3 | ||
| 15 | 13 | ||
| Total Hours 120-121 | |||