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General Description:
The autumn-quarter Beijing program is constructed around a three-quarter civilization sequence, treating aspects of East Asian culture, history, politics and society. This sequence is taught in English by Chicago professors, its emphasis shifting from year to year in accordance with the interests and expertise of that year's faculty. While China, in keeping with the location of the program, will hold a central position in the sequence, some professors may choose to focus on other Asian countries such as Korea or Japan.
In addition to the civilization sequence, students take a fourth course in Chinese language, taught at various levels, designed to facilitate their access to the local culture.
Beijing itself, the fabled "Northern Capital" of the Ming Dynasty, now the political and cultural capital of modern China, plays a key role in this program, and a series of excursions and site visits helps connect the courses with the physical reality, past and present of China. Chicago's host institution and headquarters in Beijing is CET, an organization that has operated its own programs in China (at Beijing's Capital Normal University) since 1982.
Chinese Language Pre-session:
Students interested in getting a head start in Chinese are urged to take advantage of the Chinese Language Pre-Session, an intensive Chinese language course held in September. This option is available to students at all levels of Chinese, including those with no previous coursework in the language. There is a modest surcharge for instruction and accommodation.
Housing:
Program participants will be housed with a Chinese roommate, at the new International Residence Hall at Capital Normal University, west of the city center. Each room in this facility includes high-speed internet access, telephone and television. Each floor has a shared kitchen.
For more information on roommates, housing and meals, click on Living in Beijing to be redirected to more specific information on CET's website.
If participating in the Chinese Language Pre-Session, students are encouraged to arrive in Beijing four weeks before the beginning date of the program.
Credits:
Blue Skies at the Forbidden City
Adrienne Yuen '09
Participants in the Beijing program take and receive credit for four courses: the three-course China in East Asian Civilization sequence and the Chinese in Beijing course. The civilization sequence meets the College's civilization requirement. Students who have already met this requirement may use these courses as electives. Their use, partial or total, in a major must be approved by the undergraduate chair of that major. The language course will normally count as an elective. Please note: this course is not keyed to Chicago's Chinese language sequences and will not normally be usable toward Chicago's language requirement. It is possible, however, for a program participant to sit for a Chinese placement examination after returning from Beijing and in this way continue the study of Chinese at Chicago (indeed this is very much encouraged).
Grades for these courses will be placed on each student's Chicago transcript at the end of the program. The normal quality grades in use at Chicago (A, B, C, D and F with or without pluses and minuses) will be used for both the civilization sequence and the Chinese course. Neither Pass/Fail grading nor the grade of I is available for these courses. Students are expected to hand in assignments as they come due, abiding by all course deadlines and submitting all work by the end of the program.
Students who attend the Chinese Language Pre-session will not receive a separate grade for that segment. The evaluation of the pre-session work will be folded into the grade for the regular language course (CHIN 15000).
Registration and Tuition:
Students in the program remain registered as full-time students in the College during autumn-quarter.
Program participants pay regular College tuition, the Beijing program fee and the non-refundable study abroad administrative fee required of all participants in Chicago's programs abroad. For precise figures, see Study Abroad Program Fees.
Financial Aid:
Students retain their financial aid eligibility. However, two expenses--the study abroad administrative fee and the round-trip air fare to Beijing--are not underwritten by College Financial Aid. On the other hand, since students are not expected to work part-time while in China, the self-help component of their financial aid package does not include a term-time employment factor.
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The program is designed for undergraduates in good standing who are beyond their first year in the College. While the program stipulates no minimum grade-point average, an applicant’s transcript should demonstrate that they are a serious student who will make the most of this opportunity. Because the civilization sequence is taught in English, there is no language prerequisite, although students are encouraged to take Chinese on campus before the program begins.
Because of the considerable demand for the Chicago civilization programs abroad, no student may participate in more than one of these programs. Each application is examined on the basis of the student's scholastic record, personal statement and academic recommendation.
A student accepting an offer of admission is expected to secure his or her place with a non-refundable study abroad administrative fee.
Further Information:
If you would like to discuss the Beijing program
and the possibility of participating in it, please contact Sarah Walter (Harper 207A; 834-3753).
Statements contained on this site are subject to change without notice.
