Required Courses:
Hangzhou Studies
The goal of this course is to help students gain a better understanding of Hangzhou by conducting an in-depth study on a variety of readings and field trips which cover many aspects of the city, such as local businesses, the history of the Hangzhou region, famous literature from or about Hangzhou, environment, the tea and silk industries, local village life near Hangzhou and religions practiced in Hangzhou. 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
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 and present research essays, and are expected to write with clarity, accuracy, and depth. The course is also combined with class trips whose frequency depends on the 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 students' overall spoken language skills in an everyday speaking environment, with an emphasis on language used in the workplace. 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.
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, both in print and on line. Discussion plays a key role in this class, as students will be required to present reports on, debate, and discuss 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.
Selected Readings in Modern Literature
This class is a seminar on Chinese literature. Students are introduced to a wide range of authentic works of modern literature collected from a variety of genres including fiction, prose, and poetry. Students will engage in in-depth discussions on the historical and cultural background of each work. Appreciation, analysis, and criticism of each literary work are among the primary goals of this class. Students should be prepared to do a good deal of reading and will be expected to tackle new grammar and terminology on their own in advance of each class. Writing essays on a weekly basis is also a requirement of this class.
4 hours per week
Text: Chinese Literature Reading, compiled by Middlebury School in China
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 Studies
Students will study reviews and articles written about each film and engage in in-depth discussions on the historical and cultural background as well as the cinematic characteristics of each film. All films will be screened outside of class.
4 hours per week
Text: <中国电影>, Materials compiled by Middlebury School in China
Modern Chinese History
The course will cover the main events since the establishment of the PRC in 1949 but will focus on the period following the Cultural Revolution and the death of Mao Zedong in 1976. Vocabulary and terminology pertaining to Chinese history will be emphasized.
4 hours per week
Texts: Compiled by Middlebury School in China
Business Chinese
This class is recommended for students who are interested in business and the topic of foreign businesses in China in particular. Students will study several accounts of foreign enterprises and their market-entry strategies in China. This class will focus on both improving general language proficiency and will also engage in in-depth discussions on each particular case study. The class format includes oral presentations, group discussions and debate. Outside of class, students are required to conduct small weekly independent research projects, the results of which will be presented to the class. In this class, one’s weekly quiz grade is based on the written essays that accompany this presentation.
4 hours per week
Text: Open for Business: Lessons in Chinese Commerce for the New Millennium, Cheng & Tsui (tentative).
* 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 be 16 class hours per week. All courses will have written exams, with the exception of the Everyday Chinese course.