Chinese

The Duke Chinese Program offers a five-year, two-track curriculum designed for both traditional foreign language learners and bilingual or heritage learners of Mandarin Chinese. Lower-level courses focus on building students’ linguistic and cultural knowledge while developing practical daily communication skills. Upper-level courses emphasize content-based instruction, critical thinking, academic skills, and interdisciplinary learning. Across all levels, students benefit from interactive teaching, experiential learning, one-on-one tutorials, and a technology-enhanced learning environment. The program encourages meaningful engagement with both local and global communities through community-based and service-learning opportunities, allowing students to apply their language skills in real-world contexts and foster civic responsibility.  

In addition to regular language courses, the program offers interdisciplinary courses that integrate Chinese language learning with fields such as Chinese Philosophy, Environmental Science, Global Health, International Relations, Marketing, and Public Policy. Students may also take courses for specific purposes, including Business Chinese, Media Chinese, and Chinese for Technology. Beyond the classroom, students can participate in the Chinese Circle, which builds community through weekly Chinese language tables and a variety of cultural events—such as calligraphy and painting workshops, seal carving, festival celebrations, and wellness nights. Please follow the Chinse program on Facebook or Instagram for past and current curricular and extracurricular events.  

To further enrich their language and cultural learning, students are encouraged to study abroad—either in Taiwan through National Tsing Hua University-Huayu BEST program or in China through Duke Kunshan University’s Chinese Intensive Summer Language program or NYU in Shanghai 

Students who are interested in pursuing Asian and Middle Eastern Studies majors and minors with a Chinese concentration should check the AMES major & minor requirements webpage or contact the Chinese program director, Dr. Yan Liu. 

Video editing by Claire Budzik.

Placement in a Chinese language class follows the AMES department placement policy

To maximize your learning opportunities and enjoy yourself in a learning community that is conducive to everyone in your class, students who are interested in taking a Chinese language course at Duke have to follow the procedures below for placement.

  1. Refer to both course descriptions and self-placement guidelines (see the section below) when trying to make a decision on self-placement. 
  2. Verify your placement with the instructor who teaches the course into which you self-place by email, or make an appointment before or during the pre-registration period. The final placement decision lies with the instructor.
  3. Students may not enroll in a Chinese course below the level determined by the placement assessment as confirmed by a faculty member in the Chinese Program.

If you have any further questions regarding the courses at the 100-level, please consult with Professor Tianshu He, the Coordinator of First Year Chinese, at htianshu@duke.edu. For inquiries about courses at the 300-level and above or study abroad programs in Chinese-speaking regions, please contact Professor Carolyn Lee at kslee@duke.edu. If you have any questions concerning the overall Chinese language curriculum and 200-level Chinese courses, please consult with the Director of the Chinese Program, Professor Yan Liu, at yl286@duke.edu

Self-Placement Guidelines

The self-placement guidelines below are divided into two sections: “Placement Guidelines for Regular-Track Curriculum” and “Placement Guidelines for Bilingual-Track Curriculum.” Students who are traditional foreign language learners and receive a score of 5 on the AP Chinese exam will automatically pass CHINESE 203 (Intermediate Chinese) and be eligible to take CHINESE 204 (Intermediate Chinese II) or CHINESE 305D (Pre-Advanced Chinese I) . Students who are heritage learners and receive a score of 5 on the AP Chinese exam will automatically pass CHINESE 131 (First Year Chinese for Bilingual Learners) and be eligible to take CHINESE 232/321/331/332/333. Students need to do a placement interview with a Chinese instructor before enrolling in a specific course. Students who speak a Chinese dialect at home but barely understand Mandarin Chinese, and students who studied Chinese as a foreign language in the K-12 school system but did not have a strong foundation, may take CHINESE 105 (First-Year Chinese in Review) in the regular-track curriculum. Please note that students who lived in a Chinese speaking country such as China, Singapore or Taiwan into their teenage years and received schooling higher than the elementary level in any Chinese speaking country are considered to be native speakers. The student who finished secondary school is only eligible for courses at or above CHINESE 450s (Understanding China and the U.S.: Stereotypes, Conflicts, and Common Challenges) to fulfill language requirements.

Placement Guidelines for Regular-Track Curriculum (For students raised in homes where non-Chinese language was spoken)

Enroll in CHINESE 101 (First-Year Chinese I):

  • Students with no or minimal proficiency in Chinese
  • Students who have been exposed to Beginning Chinese in a high school program but do not think the program was strong

Enroll in CHINESE 102 (First-Year Chinese II):

  • Students who have successfully completed CHINESE 101 (First-Year Chinese I) or its equivalent, or students who studied Chinese for 2-3 years in high school program but do not think the program was strong
  • Students may read and write at least 250-300 Chinese characters

Enroll in CHINESE 105 (First-Year Chinese in Review):

  • Students who did not grow up in a household speaking Mandarin Chinese but studied over two years of Chinese in middle school and /or high school and didn't think the program was strong.
  • Chinese AP score of 2, or SAT-II score in the 240-410 range, or IB Chinese score below 4.
  • Students may read and write at least 100 characters.

Enroll in CHINESE 203 (Intermediate Chinese I):

  • Students who have successfully completed CHINESE 102 (First-Year Chinese II) or its equivalent, or students who had over 3 years of high school Chinese and did well in the courses
  • AP score of 3 or 4, or SAT-II score of 550-600, or IB Language B (HL) score of 4.
  • Students may read and write at least 500-600 characters without a dictionary.

Enroll in CHINESE 204 (Intermediate Chinese):

  • Students who have successfully completed Chinese 203 (Intermediate Chinese) or its equivalent, or students who have over 3 years of high school Chinese and did well in the courses.
  • AP score of 4 or 5, SAT-II score of 600 to 700, or IB Language B (HL) score of 5 or 6.
  • Students may read and write at least 700-800 characters without a dictionary.

Enroll in CHINESE 205 (Intermediate-Mid Chinese):

  • Students who have successfully completed Chinese 105 (First Year Chinese in Review) or its equivalent, or students who had over 3 years of Chinese in a very strong high school program.
  • AP score of 3 or 4, or SAT-II score in the 420-480 range, or IB score of 4.
  • Students may read and write at least 800-850 characters.

Enroll in CHINESE 305D (Pre-Advanced Chinese):

  • Students who have finished CHINESE 203/204 (Intermediate Chinese) or students who studied Chinese for more than 4 years in a very strong high school program and did very well in the courses
  • Students whose family does not speak Chinese at home and who learned Mandarin Chinese for 2-3 years when they attended international school in a Chinese speaking country
  • Students may read and write at least 950-1000 characters

Enroll in CHINESE 306 (Advanced Chinese):

  • Students who have successfully completed CHINESE 305D (Pre-Advanced Chinese) or students who had over 3-4 years of high school Chinese and studied in an immersion Chinese language program in the U.S., China or Taiwan
  • Students may read and write at least 1100-1200 characters

Enroll in CHINESE 321 (Business Chinese and Interculturality in China):

  • Students who have successfully completed Chinese 232,306 or 407.
  • Students who did not grow up in a household speaking Mandarin Chinese but studied over 3-4 years of Chinese in a very strong high school program and studied in an immersion Chinese language program in China or Taiwan.
  • Students may read and write at least 1200-1300 characters.

Enroll in CHINESE 371S (Classical Chinese in the Modern Context I):

  • Students who finished CHINESE 407 (Issues in Chinese Language and Society I) or 408 (Issues in Chinese Language and Society II)in regular track curriculum, or their equivalent, are eligible to take this course

Enroll in CHINESE 407S (Issues in Chinese Language and Society I):

  • Students who have finished CHINESE 305D/306 (Pre-Advanced Chinese/Advanced Chinese II) or their equivalent
  • Students who can read simple passages and produce fairly accurate piece of writing on familiar topics
  • Students who learned Mandarin Chinese for 3-4 years when they attended international school in a Chinese speaking country
  • Students may read and write at least 1300-1400 characters

Enroll in CHINESE 408S (Issues in Chinese Language and Society II):

  • Students who have successfully completed CHINESE 407 (Issues in Chinese Language and Society I) or students who can read long texts and produce fairly accurate piece of writing on some complex topics
  • Students who learned Mandarin Chinese more than 5 years when they attended international school in a Chinese speaking country
  • Students may read and write at least 1500-1600 characters
 
Placement Guidelines for Alternative/Bilingual-Track Curriculum (For students raised in homes where Chinese was spoken or students were raised in homes where non-Chinese language was spoken but had formal Chinese language education in a Chinese-speaking region.)

Enroll in CHINESE 131 (First Year Chinese for Bilingual Learners):

  • Students who have been exposed to Chinese at home and can communicate very basic things in Chinese, but reading and writing skills in Chinese are very minimal or almost zero
  • Students may read and write 100 Chinese characters or less

Enroll in CHINESE 232 (Intermediate Chinese for Bilingual Learners):

  • Students who have successfully completed CHINESE 131 or its equivalent, or students studied Mandarin Chinese in a Chinese community school for more than 2 years
  • Students may read and write at least 300 characters

Enroll in CHINESE 331D (Modern Chinese Media):

  • Students who have finished CHINESE 131/232 or their equivalent.
  • Students who can read simple news, blogs or other authentic articles of several paragraphs in length and write simple descriptive or narrative texts.
  • Students may read and write at least 800-1000 characters.

Enroll in CHINESE 332 (Chinese Translation and Interpretation):

  • Students who have finished CHINESE 232, or CHINESE 333, or CHINESE 407S/408S (Issues in Chinese Language and Society I/II), or CHINESE 371S (Classical Chinese in the Modern Context I), or CHINESE 435S (Chinese in Humanities), or their equivalent.
  • Students who can read Chinese texts (2/3 to 1 page in length) on various topics related to Chinese culture or society and can write descriptive, narrative, and argumentative texts (one to one and a half pages) in Chinese with a dictionary.
  • Students may read and write at least 900-1000 characters without a dictionary.

Enroll in CHINESE 333 (Advanced Chinese for Bilingual Learners):

  • Students who have finished CHINESE 131/232 or equivalent
  •  Students who can read somewhat longer prose of several paragraphs in length and write simple descriptive or narrative texts
  •  Students may read and write at least 800-1000 characters.

Enroll in CHINESE 371S (Classical Chinese in the Modern Context I):

  • Students who finished CHINESE 333 (Advanced Literacy in Chinese) in alternative track curriculum, or their equivalent, are eligible to take this course.
  • Students may read and write at least 1300 Chinese characters.
  • Students may take this course with another Chinese language course at the same time or out of the sequence.

Enroll in CHINESE 435S (Chinese in the Humanities I):

  • Students who have finished CHINESE 333, or CHINESE 371S (Classical Chinese in the Modern Context I), or CHINESE 408S (Issues in Chinese Language and Society II), or their equivalent
  • Students who can read long texts and write reflective essays about them
  • Students who completed elementary school and attended middle school for less than 2 years in a Chinese speaking country

Enroll in CHINESE 450S (Understanding China and the U.S.: Stereotypes, Conflicts, and Common Challenges):

  • Students who completed most of elementary and secondary education in Chinese speaking country
  • Students who have finished CHINESE 333, or CHINESE 407S/408S, or CHINESE 371S, or CHINESE 435S, or their equivalent
  • Students who can read news articles and can express their opinions about the articles in oral or written discourses

Enroll in CHINESE 455/456 (Modern Chinese Culture: Narratives of Home and Abroad/Aspects of Chinese Culture and Society):

  • Students who completed most of elementary and secondary schooling in a Chinese speaking country

Studying abroad is essential to language and culture learning. Students can choose a variety of Duke-approved study abroad programs (listed below) or petition programs that are not approved by Duke. Please check the Duke Global Education Office for more information about petitioning for a program. When studying abroad, students must submit course syllabi to the Asian and Middle Eastern Studies Department and follow the guidelines to receive Chinese and/or Foreign Language credit. Please note that if students wish for study abroad credit to fulfill Trinity Foreign Language requirements, they must complete a language placement test with the language program after returning from study abroad.  

 

Duke-approved SUMMER study abroad programs: 

1. National Tsing Hua University-Huayu BEST program: offered by a top-ranked comprehensive university based in Hsinchu, Taiwan. It provides full scholarships to students from select universities to study Chinese language in Taiwan. For more information, please check NTHU - Huayu BEST Website:https://oga.site.nthu.edu.tw/p/412-1524-18683.php?Lang=en 

 

Duke-approved SEMESTER study abroad programs: 

1. NYU in Shanghai: Located on the campus of East China Normal University (ECNU)—a leading institution in China—NYU Shanghai provides a wide range of courses taught by NYU professors, ECNU faculty members, and prominent experts from across the country. Students can choose from NYU content courses conducted in English, as well as Chinese language classes offered at all proficiency levels, from beginner to advanced. For more program information, visit the NYU Shanghai Website:https://www.nyu.edu/shanghai.html 

2. Duke Kunshan University (DKU): not administered by Duke, but Duke students can receive transfer credit while studying at DKU. Located in Kunshan—at the intersection of Shanghai and Suzhou—DKU offers a unique opportunity to experience both modern urban life and traditional Chinese culture. For more information, please visit the DKU Website: https://globaled.dukekunshan.edu.cn/visiting/ 

The Chinese Program hosts a variety of cultural events throughout the academic year, providing students with opportunities to explore Chinese culture in a relaxed and fun setting. Past events have included the Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration, Lunar New Year Celebration, Chinese Program Information Night, Chinese Game Night, Destress Night, Mahjong Night, Chinese Calligraphy and Painting workshops, and Chinese Seal Making workshops. These extracurricular activities are an integral part of the Chinese language learning experience. Participants include students from all proficiency levels, and most events are open to the entire Duke community—welcoming anyone interested in Chinese language and culture to join. 

Chinese Language Tables 

The Chinese Program hosts weekly Chinese Language Tables during the fall and spring semesters, offering students a chance to enjoy lunch or dinner while practicing their Chinese conversation skills with Chinese faculty and fellow students in a relaxed and friendly setting that encourages meaningful language use. The tables are usually on Wednesdays evenings from 6-7 PM or Fridays from 12-1 PM at the Brodhead Center. For more information, please email cjhsieh@duke.edu. 

Chinese Language Program Director

Yan Liu

Chinese Language Program First-year Coordinator

Tianshu He

Chinese Program Faculty

Mandarin for All:

The Duke Chinese Program offers courses with community-engaged learning projects. Since the fall semester of 2019, the website "Mandarin for All" has documented these projects, which aim to assist students of various age groups in self-learning the Chinese language and culture in the United States. We invite you to explore these projects and reach out to the program faculty if you have any questions.

 

Videos Created by AMES Students: