Chinese

Globally, China occupies a prominent position in many respects. With 1.4 billion inhabitants, it is the most populous country in the world. It spans five time zones, has a surface area roughly the size of the United States, and its economy is projected to become the world’s largest before the end of this decade. China is the place of origin of one of the oldest cultural traditions in the world, with written records dating back more than three thousand years. Many elements of the traditional cultures of neighboring East Asian countries (such as Vietnam, Korea, and Japan) can be traced back to China. Finally, rapid economic development over the past few decades has bolstered China’s political and military aspirations to become a global superpower. A knowledge of Chinese language and culture will enable students to explore the long and complex history of China and better understand China’s role in the 21st century.

The Chinese program offers an extensive array of courses in Chinese (Mandarin) language, premodern and modern Chinese and Sinophone literature, history, philosophy, society, and film. This allows students to satisfy foreign language requirements, major or minor in Chinese, or complete a Chinese track M.A. degree. Students benefit from one of the strongest Chinese language curriculum programs in the country and extensive resources, including advanced courses in Chinese, language-intensive study abroad opportunities, Chinese library resources, the Chinese Undergraduate Student Association, the Chinese Living-Learning Residential Community, the student-led Duke–UNC China Leadership Summit, and the Chinese Language Table. Students who complete this major acquire the linguistic and cultural competence to work in various fields including diplomacy, law, health and STEM fields, finance, business, journalism, non-profit organizations, education, and academia.