Chinese
Browse course samples and faculty profiles for Chinese Studies.
Putting Language to Practice
I started studying Chinese in high school. I feel very comfortable using the language, not only communicate in daily life, but also for use in my research. At the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, I work as a Graduate Research Assistant for the East-Asian Nonproliferation Program. And in that role, a lot of my research that I do is conducted in Chinese.
So, for example, I’ve worked on open source analysis on submarines, and so one of my projects was modeling their nuclear submarines and so I had to go online, look for schematics, and from there, build a resource pool so that I could build a 3D model with that.
Our job at the research center isn’t to teach language, but we can offer on the job training in, not just English, but also in their second, or third, or fourth language as well.
The Middlebury Institute differs from a lot of other institutions, and that we’re required to study language here, but also we’re expected to put that language into practice.
While I’m in school, I’m able to build a portfolio of work using the target language to show to future employers or if I wanna go to get a PhD, these are real world skills that I’ve put into practice.
It’s also great to have a lot of experts that are right here that have practical experience. And it really is a professionally oriented master’s degree, so I’m able to work with people who have worked in the field before as well as academics.
Sample Courses in Chinese Studies
Business Conversation
Introduces business terminology commonly used in daily situations. Emphasis on oral proficiency and polite business conversation within the cultural context.
Introduction to Chinese Stratagems
Introduces 36 stratagems and principles of Art of Sunzi in Chinese philosophy. Emphasizes comprehension and vocabulary development of special terms of each stratagems and current events related to each stratagem. Uses traditional and simplified character texts.
Art of Sunzi: Applications to Policy and Business Studies
This course contains materials that cover 36 stratagems and Art of Sunzi and its applications to US presidential election, military, business, leadership and life philosophy. It aims to open door for learners of Chinese to classical Chinese with insights from proverbs, idiomatic expressions from Art of Sunzi. An individualization research component to this class. It provides diplomatic and international strategies applied in pre- and post-pandemic world.
Silk Road and Belt Road Initiative: East and West
This course contains materials that cover from Han dynasty to Xi’s Belt and Road initiative, and its applications to geopolitics, world history, and cultural and trade exchanges. Authentic materials include documentaries, online articles, book chapters, and guest speaker’s lecture. It emphasizes the insights of re-interpretation of Chinese Dream strategy from the Silk Road historical perspective and its relevance to Belt and Road initiative in pre- and post-pandemic world.
Resources
You may find this resource helpful before you start your Chinese courses.
Faculty
Jinhuei Enya Dai
Professor; Program Head, Chinese Language Studies
- Email:
- jdai@middlebury.edu
- Tel:
- (831) 647-6570
- Office:
- McCone Building M107