Required Courses:

Kunming Studies

The goal of this course is to help students gain a better understanding of Kunming by conducting an in-depth study on a variety of readings and field trips which cover many aspects of the city and its outlying areas, such as local businesses, the history of the region, local and provincial governments, tourism, environment, minority lives, media, family life, education and religion. Students will spend significant amount of time exploring topics out in the city, as well as time in the classroom working with a teacher and classmates. 
4 hours per week
Texts: Reading materials compiled by Middlebury School in China 


One-on-One Tutorial

The one-on-one is designed to bring the student’s four language skills to a higher level through exploring in-depth on a topic of the student’s own choosing.  The course emphasizes discussing and exchanging ideas with the teacher, reading authentic materials, mastering the terminology related to the chosen subject, and writing well-researched essays. As they progress in their studies, students are expected to be able to discuss their subject in greater and greater detail. Students are also expected to prepare formal presentations on their subject. In their presentations, students are expected to express their ideas clearly and are to use key terminologies skillfully and appropriately. Students also write research essays, and are expected to write with clarity, accuracy, and depth. The course is also combined with topic related class trips whose frequency depends on the course topic.
4 hours per week
Texts and materials prepared by School in China faculty

Electives: *

In addition to these required courses, students are required to choose two of the following seven language classes:

Everyday Chinese 

This class is designed to improve overall spoken language skills in an everyday speaking environment. Mastering close-to-native standard pronunciation, cultivating the ability to make ordinary conversation fluently, and gaining a better understanding of Chinese culture are all goals of this class. Students will study set dialogs on a range of subjects so that they can master the everyday terms and colloquial expressions that are commonly used in daily conversations. In addition, students will discuss with their teacher the cultural-related topics that are considered in the dialogs.
4 hours per week
Text: Shiyong Hanyu Kouyu Keben, Beijing Language and Cultural University Press, Book 2; Additional primary source materials. 
 

Contemporary Issues in China

In this class students will engage in vigorous debate with their classmates on a set collection of topics including both general discussions of interest and also important social issues of the day. Students prepare and debate a different topic every week. In addition to expanding vocabulary and mastering new sentence patterns, students will specifically develop and strengthen the ability to express opinions, debate, and argue viewpoints in both oral and written form.
4 hours per week
Text: 《话题讨论》; Materials compiled by Middlebury School in China; primary source materials.


Introduction to Chinese Newspaper Reading

In this class, students will learn the expressions and sentence patterns that are customarily used in Chinese newspapers and periodicals. Students will be trained in the basic skills required for reading Chinese newspapers. Discussion plays a key role in this class, as students will be required react to the contemporary issues they will be reading about.
4 hours per week
Text: A Course in Newspaper Reading Comprehension, Beijing University Press (tentative); Additional primary source materials.


Introduction to Classical Chinese 

This course is recommended for advanced students only. The fall semester course focuses on the learning of the syntactic structure and grammatical function words in Classical Chinese. During class students translate texts of Classical Chinese into modern Chinese paying particular attention to the content and philosophical implication of each. In the spring semester students will read a wide selection of wenyan texts that sample the classics of ancient Chinese thought, including Confucius' Analects, the Daoist texts Laozi and Zhuangzi, Mohist arguments against war, Sunzi's The Art of War, and Legalist writings on law.  Students will also learn to punctuate wenyan texts (which were originally unpunctuated) and compose sentences or short paragraphs in wenyan. All class discussion will be conducted in modern Chinese.
4 hours per week
Text: Language of the Dragon, Cheng & Tsui, vol. 1 or 2, as appropriate.

Chinese Film and Literature

This class is recommended for advanced students only, those with strong writing skills and a solid understanding of China’s history and culture. Students will be introduced to works of classical and popular Chinese literature that have been recreated for the wide-screen, and engage in in-depth discussions on the historical and cultural background as well as the cinematic/literary characteristics of each film. There is minimal teaching of new vocabulary and syntactic patterns in this class. Students are expected to master key words on their own before coming to class. All films will be screened outside of class.
4 hours per week
Text: <中国电影>; Materials compiled by Middlebury School in China

China's Environment

This course takes advantage of Yunnan University's Institute of Ecology and Geobotany and its well-established programs in Environmental Studies for YU students.  The course surveys environmental characteristics of the P.R.C. as well as some of the challenges it confronts in the face of rapid development.  In addition to this general survey, the course pays particular attention to the particular surroundings and challenges of Yunnan Province.
4 hours per week
Texts: Compiled by School in China faculty


China's Minorities

This course takes advantage of Kunming's diverse ethnic population of twenty-six ethnic groups as students study contemporary issues pertaining to China's fifty-five ethnic groups.  Students will also investigate the diversity within the majority Han group.  This class will incorporate and visits to and interviews with local residents, along with classroom work.
4 hours per week
Text: Compiled by School in China faculty

*Please note:
Elective course offerings are based, in part, on enrollment. Should fewer than three students select a particular elective during a term, that elective will not be offered. Each course will have a maximum of 8 students. Depending on their language level, some students may be required to enroll in Everyday Chinese.  In addition, textbooks may change at the discretion of the School in China faculty and as new teaching materials become available. Each student's total number of contact hours will be16 class hours per week. All courses will have written exams, with the exception of the Everyday Chinese course.