Masters Degrees (Chinese)

This SOAS Language Centre programme of professional development leads to highly sought after and widely accepted post-graduate qualifications (Certificate and Diploma) in teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language. These awards have contributed substantially to the professionalising of Chinese teaching in the UK and elsewhere and to the recognition of the expertise of teachers of Chinese as a Foreign or Second Language.

The Certificate in Teaching Chinese is designed:

- to meet the rapidly growing demand in the UK and elsewhere for trained and qualified teachers of Chinese as a foreign language.

- to equip trainees with the knowledge and skills which will enable them to teach Chinese to a broad spectrum of Chinese learners in UK, European and worldwide educational contexts.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching Chinese is designed to:

- equip trainees to be able to deal professionally with the teaching of Chinese in different contexts and through the integration of different varieties of the Chinese language.

- familiarise trainees with the theoretical principles underlying the content and design of instructional materials and teaching/testing techniques.

- provide trainees with the knowledge and skills and the supported teaching practice to enable them to teach Chinese using the latest communicative methods.

- show trainees how to create coherent and progressive schemes of work and design effective and efficient lesson plans that are adapted to students’ learning needs.

- show trainees how to analyse empirical data in order to evaluate second language learners’ performance objectively and how to describe achievement and proficiency levels using appropriate terminology.

- enable trainees to fulfil supervisory and pedagogical lead roles, such as those of syllabus designer, course co-ordinator, teacher mentor and materials developer.

Graduates will be qualified and well-prepared for teaching Chinese in higher education in the UK, Europe and other parts of the world, for teaching Chinese at private institutions or companies, for fulfilling administrative or consultative roles in educational organisations and for undertaking commissioning and editing in companies which create and market Chinese language courseware.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/languagecentre/languages/chinese/postgraduate-certificate-diploma-in-teaching-chinese-as-a-foreign-language.html

The overall learning required is full-time, though attendance in sessions at SOAS is not required 5 days per week. The course requires attendance on normally three days per week, depending on assignments set and appointments to observe live teaching, which may be on an evening or on a Saturday. The overall learning required is full-time, though attendance in session at SOAS is not required 5 days per week. The days where no presence at SOAS is required are to be devoted to lesson planning and materials preparation, writing of self-reflections and peer appraisals, readings of theoretical applied linguistics and teaching theory books/journal articles, self-access learning, specified VLE learning activities, guided independent study, assigned homework tasks and completion of formal assessments. The programme is very demanding and students will be expected to spend at least 20-30 hours of study outside of class every week.

Structure

The Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching Chinese is equivalent to 3 post-graduate level course units carrying 135 CATS credits.
The Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching Chinese is equivalent to 1.5 post-graduate level course units carrying 67.5 CATS credits.
Trainees take compulsory courses in two main areas.

1. Principles and Practice in Communicative Language Teaching for Chinese:
- Chinese Applied Linguistics (0.5 unit)
- Language Awareness, Methods and Techniques in Teaching Chinese (1 unit)

2. Knowledge and Skills for Second Language Teaching:
- Theories of Language Learning and Acquisition (0.5 unit)
- Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching and Language Assessment (1 unit)

Teaching Practice

A key component of the course is the opportunity for live observation of experienced teachers, followed by teaching practice of Chinese with different types of student groups, covering a range of levels. Trainees will be observed and assessed in teaching Chinese, including the quality of lesson plans and teaching materials they have created, competencies in using a range of different communicative teaching techniques and ability to create rapport and establish a co-operative learning environment.

All our teacher trainers are expert classroom teachers themselves. Have a look at one of them teaching (http://www.soas.ac.uk/languagecentre/languages/chinese/) and see the kinds of classroom skills you will learn to use yourself.

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/languagecentre/languages/chinese/postgraduate-certificate-diploma-in-teaching-chinese-as-a-foreign-language.html

Read less

Take advantage of one of our 100 Master’s Scholarships to study Chinese-English Translation and Language Teaching at Swansea University, the Times Good University Guide’s Welsh University of the Year 2017. Postgraduate loans are also available to English and Welsh domiciled students. For more information on fees and funding please visit our website.

The MA in Chinese-English Translation and Language Teaching is offered to Chinese students who are interested in pursuing a career in applied language skills, including translating and teaching English or Chinese as a foreign language.

Key Features of Chinese-English Translation and Language Teaching MA

The MA in Chinese-English Translation and Language Teaching is specifically designed for Chinese students who are first language Mandarin speakers and aims to equip them with languages- specific knowledge and skills in both translation studies and applied linguistics. In particular, the Chinese-English Translation and Language Teaching programme attempts to situate the broad area of translation studies in the specifically targeted context, translating between English and Chinese. The MA in Chinese-English Translation and Language Teaching also addresses the issue of non-native speakers as English teachers. The Chinese-English Translation and Language Teaching programme covers applied language studies, translating and teaching English or Chinese as a second language and is attractive not only to prospective students but to Mandarin teachers to develop appropriate knowledge and skills in applied linguistics theory and practice.

The College of Arts and Humanities has a Graduate Centre which fosters and supports individual and collaborative research activity of international excellence and offers a vibrant and supportive environment for students pursuing postgraduate research and taught masters study. The Centre provides postgraduate training to enhance academic and professional development and facilitates participation in seminar programmes, workshops and international conferences and you will benefit from this as a student of the MA in Chinese-English Translation and Language Teaching programme.

The full-time course structure is split across the year with three modules offered in each academic semester (a total of six modules in part one) and then a professional practice portfolio over the summer (part two). Students study two compulsory modules and four optional modules.

Modules

Modules on the MA in Chinese-English Translation and Language Teaching typically include:

• Chinese Language Studies
• Advanced Translation (English to Chinese)
• Communicative Language Teaching
• Young Language Learners
• Classroom Teaching Practice
• Interpreting - Law Option (Police & Introduction to Court Interpreting)
• Corpus Linguistics

Career Prospects

Career expectations are excellent for MA in Chinese-English Translation and Language Teaching graduates. MA degree holders may enter employment in senior or leadership teaching positions, work in syllabus or materials design test writing or teacher training, publishing, public relations and international organisations where advanced knowledge of English or Chinese teaching and the ability to explain and apply this knowledge are expected.

Student Quote

“I chose to study the MA in Chinese-English Translation and Language Teaching as it would be helpful for my academic career. After writing one of my essays for an MA module, I decided I would like to continue my study and go on to PhD. I found my ability and critical thinking skills changed a lot. I also studied the interpreting and translation practice MA module which gave me experience if I want to be a interpreter or translator in the future.

I like Swansea University. I have lived in the campus for nearly two years. I have to admit that I enjoy watching the sun shining over the campus and Singleton Park. Lecturers and staff are professional and friendly. They are always happy to help student solve different problems. I would like to continue my academic career here as a PhD student."

Zheng Ma, Chinese-English Translation and Language Teaching, MA

Read less

Programme description

This programme is designed to equip you with recognised masters-level training in both law and Chinese studies.

You will receive advanced legal training, enabling progression to PhD should you wish. You will also achieve competence (reading, writing and oral) in Modern Standard Chinese (Mandarin) and a solid understanding of contemporary Chinese society, culture, politics and business.

Once on the programme it will be possible for students to study more specialised areas of law and, where appropriate, graduate with a named LLM degree in one of the following areas:

Commercial Law & Chinese
Intellectual Property Law & Chinese
International Law & Chinese

Programme structure

This is a two year programme. There is no part-time option for this degree.

The programme structure for 2017/18 is currently being finalised. You will take a total of 120 credits in taught courses, 60 in each semester, which may include the following:

Year 1 core courses:

Chinese Language 1A or Chinese Language Intermediate 1A
Chinese Language 1B or Chinese Language Intermediate 1B
Politics and Economics of the People's Republic of China after 1978
Law courses worth 60 credits (40 credits in semester 1, 20 credits in semester 2)

Year 2 core courses:

Approved Residence in China (July-December)
Chinese Language Advanced 1 or Chinese Language Advanced 2
Law courses worth 40 credits

If you are taking one of the specialist LLM in Law and Chinese programmes (see list below) you must take 80 credits of core law courses over the course of the two years from the relevant specialist programme

Specialist LLM in Law and Chinese programmes:

LLM in Commercial Law and Chinese
LLM in Intellectual Property Law and Chinese
LLM in International Law and Chinese

Subject to satisfactory completion of the taught component of the degree you will complete a 10,000 word dissertation in Law (worth 60 credits), on an approved topic, over the summer of your second year.

Learning outcomes

The programme provides students with an in-depth understanding of broad areas of law and legal scholarship.

It will provide you with intermediate/advanced level competence in Modern Standard Chinese (Mandarin) and with a good understanding of contemporary issues in Chinese society, culture, politics and business.

The programme fosters independent thinking and provides students with the tools to conduct masters-level research in Law.

You will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in Chinese language and culture through Approved Residence Abroad. And gain a recognised advanced-level interdisciplinary qualification equipping you for work in a variety of legal institutions and policy-relevant positions, or further advanced level study.

Read less

The Programme focuses on the study and research of the ancient religions, languages and great texts of China. Students will study the ‘ancient wisdom’ of China, which is of great cultural significance and is increasingly seen as relevant to contemporary concerns, such as personal and societal well-being and sustainability.

Course Overview

This Programme will focus on advanced-level engagement with (Classical Chinese) Buddhist texts and the spiritual, cultural and political values and practices that they embody.

Modules will focus on enhancing understanding of Classical Chinese and methodologies such as textual criticism, commentary, and textual analysis, also aspects of Sanskrit and the communication of Buddhist texts through Sanskrit.

This will be followed by modules which are thematically organised around the study of key texts from within The Complete Library of the Four Branches Literature and The Essence Encyclopaedia of the Four Branches of Literature. Textual study modules are thematically focused, and will consider the issues such as the origins and content of key texts, and the history and developments in translation, commentary and reception of them.

Chinese Buddhist Scriptural Studies: the Sutras (SICH7005) will focus upon the value systems and philosophical ideas contained within the (Chinese) Buddhist Sutras, and translations and annotations of and on key texts. Engaging with the Chinese Buddhist Eight Schools (SICH7007) will focus on selected texts from the Eight Schools, concentrating in any given year on one or two Schools and the ideas they contain. Interpretation of The Four Books (SICH7002) will focus on the Great Learning, the Doctrine of the Mean, the Confucian Analects, and the Book of Mencius. Readings from the Governing Principles of Ancient China (SICH7003) will focus on the key Sinological texts.

An additional module, namely, Classical Chinese Texts in English (SICH7004), enables students to engage in a detailed study of the reception of Buddhism and its different traditions in the West and particularly in the English-speaking world, and to develop translation, annotation and commentary skills on Classical Chinese texts in English.

Building on the taught part of the Programme, the Dissertation (SICH7015) element allows the student to complete a detailed critical commentary of a Classical Chinese text; or to complete a shorter textual commentary Project (SICH7016) and to deliver and reflect upon a ‘teaching placement’ activity derived from this textual work.

Modules

-SICH7001 Research Methodologies for the Study of Sinology
-SICH7002 Interpretation of The Four Books
-SICH7003 Readings from the Governing Principles of Ancient China
-SICH7005 Chinese Buddhist Scriptural Studies: the Sutras
-SICH7007 Engaging with the Chinese Buddhist Eight Schools
-SICH7004 Classical Chinese Texts in English
-SICH7015 Dissertation
-SICH7016 Project

Key Features

The MA in Chinese Buddhist Textual Studies will have a special appeal to those students who wish to study ancient Chinese texts, to develop a rich and deep knowledge of traditional Chinese Classical texts; and to apply this knowledge to their own lives and those of others.

Students will have the opportunity to learn from the best in the subject and to study using the unique pedagogic approach derived from the 'Royal Great Learning’ (皇家太学) educational model, which relies upon intensive textual study and reflection.

Students will study at the Academy of Sinology at UWTSD, a newly established Academy in Lampeter which focuses upon training for Sage teachers, who through example will have a real impact on society via their own daily moral practices and teaching activities.

Studying at UWTSD Lampeter:
-The University’s Royal Charter is the oldest in England and Wales after the universities of Oxford and Cambridge
-His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales became our royal patron in 2011
-The university’s campus, situated in the rural town of Lampeter, has a friendly environment created by staff and students
-The region of South West Wales, where our campus is based, is a much lower cost of living than some of the larger UK cities and London.

Assessment

An MA degree in Chinese Buddhist Textual Studies involves a wide range of assessment methods. Assessment will be both English medium and in the medium of Ancient Chinese, dependent on the particular module being studied.

Assessment methods include essays, translation into modern Chinese or English, translation with annotation or critical commentary, oral presentation, teaching placement portfolio and, of course, the dissertation.

This variety of assessment helps develop skills in presenting material in clear, professional and a lucid manner, whether orally or in writing.

Career Opportunities

Possible employment roles for graduates from this programme include:
-Teachers and educators in a range of settings in both China and the UK
-Academic researchers in traditional texts and ancient Chinese texts
-Translation work
-Educational administration and policy
-Ethical business and commercial ventures
-Community work and initiatives
-Voluntary and travel industries
-Heritage conservation; archive and museum work
-Corporate and personal coaches/trainers in ancient Chinese ‘wisdom’ and life skills

The expected employability skills gained by graduates from these programmes are: advanced information handling and communication skills; high levels of self and project management; the practical application of high level skills in textual analysis and interpretation.

Read less

MA Chinese/English Translation & Interpreting

The MA in Chinese/English Translation and Interpreting is jointly taught by specialist staff in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures, the Institute of Contemporary Chinese Studies, and the Centre for English Language Education. It is designed for native speakers of Chinese who have a high level of competence in English and wish to develop this further. The MA is also open to native speakers of English who have a high level of competence in Chinese. The course combines practical, technological and theoretical training in translation between English and Chinese along with training and practice in bi-lateral interpreting between the two languages. For native speakers of Chinese, modules in advanced English skills offer preparation for the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE, equivalent to Council of Europe level C2), or alternatively the Cambridge Advanced Certificate of English (CAE, equivalent to level C1).

This is a postgraduate qualification for prospective professional translators between English and Chinese and interpreters mediating between the languages. It is also suitable for Chinese teachers of English wishing to enhance their qualifications. In addition it provides a basis for those who might wish to go on to further academic study.

Additional Entry requirements

Candidates who are native speakers of English should hold an honours degree in Chinese Language and/or Chinese Studies, with a Chinese language component in every year of the degree, at 2:1 level or above or an international equivalent. Native speakers of English should also have at least a year of overseas work experience in a Chinese-speaking country. Passing advanced HSK is also essential.

Candidates whose first language is not English must achieve an overall score on the British Council IELTS test of at least 7 with no less than 6.5 in each element; or a TOEFL score of 600 with at least 5 in the Test of Written English (TWE); or TOEFL iBT score of 100, with no less than 21 in any element. Test results should be no more than two years old.

Course structure

The MA is structured around core modules in translation theory and practice, use of technological translating tools, training and practice in bi-lateral interpreting, and advanced English or Chinese skills, as appropriate to the native language of the student.

Optional modules allow the acquisition or extension of skills in a language other than English or Chinese, or development of existing expertise for technical translation purposes. These modules are taught across two semesters, running from the end of September to the following June. The remaining time is allocated to the preparation and submission of a targeted translation project with commentary, for submission in September. If appropriate arrangements can be made, the project may be a practical exercise undertaken during a placement with a local public body or charity.

The first semester modules can be taken separately as a Postgraduate Certificate in Chinese/English Translation and Interpreting. The first and second semester modules can be taken as a Diploma in Chinese/English Translation and Interpreting.

While providing generic training in the theory and practice of translating and interpreting, the course is dedicated to translation and interpreting between the specific languages and cultures of English and Chinese. It is therefore able to target specific theoretical, technical and practical issues relating to this particular cultural interface. Information about staff research interests and publications can be found at http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/modernlanguages

Read less

Acupuncture is now well known as a system of medicine that involves the insertion of needles to specific points on the body. However, traditional practice also utilises other techniques such as moxibustion and cupping. The Chinese word for acupuncture is zhenjiu; literally needle and moxibustion. It originated In China around three thousand years ago and soon spread to other countries in Asia such as Japan and Korea. Acupuncture is now widely used around the world.

This course provides a strong foundation in the theory and application of acupuncture, as well as extensive clinical experience and a grounding in Chinese language and culture. Over the four year course, you'll also gain a thorough understanding of western bio-medical sciences and the skills to be a reflective and professional practitioner. Research will play an important role in the future development of the profession of acupuncture and this programme is designed to equip you with excellent research skills.

Modules covering Chinese medicine, language and culture will be taught by experienced lecturers from China. You'll benefit from this wealth of clinical experience and extensive knowledge of the various traditions and historical developments in Chinese medicine. You'll also learn from practitioners based in the UK to gain a more complete picture and understanding of the skills required to be a professional acupuncturist in the West.

Clinical experience is central to understanding and good practice of acupuncture. You'll train throughout the course at our teaching clinic. You'll also undertake an extended clinical placement in a Chinese hospital and study at our partner institution the Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine.

All this combined will help you to develop the skills to be a reflective and professional acupuncturist.

Modules

Year 1

Chinese medicine 1: basic principles
Concepts of inter-professional practice in health and social care
Tuina and Jingluo 1
Clinic 1: observation 1
Chinese language 1
Biomedicine 1: anatomy and physiology
History of Chinese medicine
Concepts of inter-professional practice in health and social care

Year 2

Tuina and Jingluo 2
Clinic 2: observation 1
Biomedicine 2: pathophysiology and pharmacology
Sociology of health
Chinese language 2
Chinese medicine 2: pattern differentiation
Running a practice

Year 3

Expertise, evidence and research: Informing clinical practice
Clinic 3: Patient management 1
Chinese medicine 3: integration
Biomedicine 3: diagnosis and treatment
Research in health and social care

Year 4
Clinic 4: Patient management 2 Dissertation

Option 1: China trip

Chinese hospital placement
Chinese language 3

Option 2: Remain in the UK

Chinese Medicine 4: Plurality and classics
Chinese language 3

Timetable

The course is delivered mostly on weekends and evenings, with clinic attendance on weekdays.

Professional links

This course is accredited by the British Acupuncture Accreditation Board (BAAB). BAAB accredits courses on behalf of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC).

This course is run in partnership with London South Bank University, the Confucius Institute at LSBU, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine and Harbin Normal University. All students on the course are eligible to apply for scholarships through the Confucius Institute to undertake studies in Chinese medicine and language in China.

Career progression

This course will enable you to work as a professional acupuncturist, and many recent graduates from this course have gone onto be professional clinical practitioners in acupuncture.

As a graduate from this course, you will be able to apply for further study at postgraduate level.

LSBU Employability Services

LSBU is committed to supporting you develop your employability and succeed in getting a job after you have graduated. Your qualification will certainly help, but in a competitive market you also need to work on your employability, and on your career search. Our Employability Service will support you in developing your skills, finding a job, interview techniques, work experience or an internship, and will help you assess what you need to do to get the job you want at the end of your course. LSBU offers a comprehensive Employability Service, with a range of initiatives to complement your studies, including:

• Direct engagement from employers who come in to interview and talk to students
• Job Shop and on-campus recruitment agencies to help your job search
• Mentoring and work shadowing schemes.

Read less

All prospective MPhil applicants are advised to peruse the staff profiles on our website to familiarise themselves with the research and teaching interests of staff members. Applicants should contact potential supervisors by email and discuss potential MPhil dissertation topics.

Once admitted into the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Chinese Studies), applicants will have the option of studying one of two streams:

Modern and contemporary Chinese Studies; or
Pre-modern Chinese Studies
With the consent of their supervisor and the relevant teacher(s), applicants may combine papers from both streams. Students can expect to receive one-to-one supervisions four times per year.

Students are required to choose three papers – courses usually run over two terms – in addition to doing a 15,000-word MPhil dissertation under the supervision of a supervisor. The dissertations are submitted no later than mid-August following the start of the course.

Visit the website: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/amammpchs

Course detail]

Students admitted for the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Chinese Studies) will have the option to choose from one of the following programmes of study:

(1) Modern and Contemporary Chinese Studies or (2) Pre-Modern Chinese Studies.

With the consent of their supervisor and relevant teachers, students may be permitted to combine papers from options (1) and (2).
Students taking the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Chinese Studies) choose three papers from either:

(1) Modern and Contemporary Chinese Studies:

REQUIRED: Asia in Theory - [Team taught; theoretical and methodological approaches]

Students then choose TWO optional papers from the following list:

- War and Modern China
- The Anthropology of China
- Japanese Imperialism in East Asia
- Chinese Linguistics
- Advanced Readings in Chinese on a relevant subject [e.g. Qing and Republican historical documents, Modern Literary texts etc.]
- Alternative Exercise (to be arranged with specific instructors).

or from:

(2) Pre-Modern Chinese Studies:

For pre-modern Chinese Studies, students need to choose THREE of the following papers:

- Classical and Literary Chinese Texts (received and excavated texts, manuscripts)
- Early China, specified topic - Medieval China, specified topic
- Asia in Theory [team-taught; theoretical and methodological approaches: with the supervisor's permission as the focus of this paper is on the modern period]
- Japanese for Sinologists [reading Japanese scholarship on pre-modern China]
- Alternative Exercise (to be arranged with specific instructors).

Most papers are assessed by long essays and research projects. Some advanced text papers are assessed through examination. Please note that not all papers will be available every year and are subject to modifications if necessary.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the MPhil programme, students will be expected to have:
- acquired the ability to read, interpret and translate primary sources in Modern and/or Classical Chinese;
- acquired a good knowledge of the general scholarship on Modern and/or Pre-Modern Chinese culture(s);
- acquired an in-depth knowledge of the secondary literature relevant to the subject of their dissertation;
- developed the ability to formulate original research questions and produce a well-constructed, argument to answer them, in the form - of an independent piece of research based on the use of primary and secondary sources;
- acquired the skills to use library and internet resources independently.

Continuing

Applicants for the PhD will be expected to have scored at least 67% or above (or the equivalent from an overseas University) in their Master's degree which should be related to the PhD programme they wish to pursue. All applicants should submit with their GRADSAF (graduate application) a workable and interesting research proposal and demonstrate that they have the required academic knowledge and skills to carry out their project.

Admission is at the discretion of the Degree Committee, which judges each graduate applicant on his or her own merits and in accordance with its own set rules and regulations.

How to apply: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying

Funding Opportunities

- Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) -

NB: Applicants should check the Faculty's website before the academic year 2016 - 2017 is due to start to see if AHRC funding is available to apply for. Home PhD and MPhil students and EU students who satisfy home residency criteria may be eligible for a full studentship which covers the University Composition Fee and College Fees plus an annual maintenance stipend. EU students are eligible for a fees-only award.

Further information: http://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/funding/ahrc-funded-students

- Louis Cha Scholarship in Pre-Modern Chinese Studies at St John's College -

St John's College at the University of Cambridge is offering a Louis Cha Scholarship, which will commence in October 2015 to help financially assist students to undertake their research in the fields of Chinese Literature, Chinese History and/or the Culture of Early and Dynastic China (Pre-1912). The successful applicant will be selected from those who have secured a place at St John's College in Cambridge to read for the MPhil or PhD degree in a relevant subject. The scholarship will be available for the duration of the student's course and given for us up a maximum of three years. The scholarship will comprise of (a) a maintenance grant of up to £13,500 per annum and (b) approved College and University fees. Applicants applying for this award should note payments which they have secured from other sources. For further information, please refer to the following webpage on the Faculty's website:

http://www.ames.cam.ac.uk/postgraduate/funding/other

Read less

Overview

The MA in Chinese Studies aims to provide students who already have a background in Chinese language and culture at undergraduate level with an opportunity to specialise in the area of cultural and literary analysis with particular emphasis on the conflict and communication within the Sinosphere (mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau) and between China and the West. The programme introduces students to academic research, new ideas and theoretical approaches. It aims to equip students with academic, analytical, creative, reflective and presentation skills in order to foster interest and involvement in the field of Chinese languages, literatures and cultures. It also aims to enhance students’ knowledge and understanding of important concepts of Chinese languages, literatures, cultures and societies, in particular with regard to mainland China.

It is possible to study modules of particular interest without completing a Masters degree or to exit with a Postgraduate Diploma (Level 9) in Chinese Studies after completing 60 credits of taught modules.

Course Structure

The programme involves two elements: a set of modules (60 ECTS) on which students will be examined in January (30 ECTS) and in May/June (30 ECTS), and a dissertation (Minor Thesis) which students complete after their second semester (30 ECTS).

1. In each semester, students are obliged to take one language module (5 ECTS) and two content modules offered by Chinese Studies.

2. Students have to take three content modules offered by the SMLLC: Research Skills/Research Methodology ML610 (5 ECTS), Introduction to Intercultural Studies GN612A (5 ECTS) and Approaches to Translation Studies ID611 (5ECTS).

3. The Viva Voce Examination (conducted – at least partly – in Mandarin Chinese) will take place in early June. Normally, the external examiner, the Head of Chinese Studies and the thesis supervisor will all be present and act as examiners so as to ensure international standards.

4. The minor theses will be supervised by SMLLC full-time members of staff after consultation with the student.

Semester 1

CN610 Mandarin Chinese Level A-1 (5 ECTS)

CN611 Readings in Contemporary Chinese Culture and Current Affairs A-1 (5 ECTS)

ML610 Research Skills/Research Methodology (5 ECTS)

GN612A Introduction to Intercultural Studies (5 ECTS)

ID611 Approaches to Translation Studies (5 ECTS)

CN613 Conflict and Communication: A Changing China in a Globalizing World I (10 ECTS)


Semester 2

CN620 Mandarin Chinese Level A-2 (5 ECTS)

CN621 Readings in Contemporary Chinese Culture and Current Affairs A-2 (5 ECTS)

CN622 Conflict and Communication: A Changing China in a Globalizing World II (10 ECTS)

CN624 Viva Voce Examination (5 ECTS)

CN625 Minor Thesis (30 ECTS)

Career Options

The programme can deliver much-needed specialisms (and ultimately specialists) in Chinese language, culture, history and society. It was designed for competent students with a BA in Chinese Studies who want to pursue a professional career in the field of Chinese-EU (and Irish) relations in political, economic, business, diplomatic, pedagogical, historical, cultural and related fields.

How to Apply

Online application only http://www.pac.ie/maynoothuniversity

PAC Code
MH70A

The following documents should be forwarded to PAC, 1 Courthouse Square, Galway or uploaded to your online application form:

Certified copies of all official transcripts of results for all non-Maynooth University qualifications listed MUST accompany the application. Failure to do so will delay your application being processed. Non-Maynooth University students are asked to provide two academic references and a copy of birth certificate or valid passport.

Find information on Scholarships here https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/study-maynooth/postgraduate-studies/fees-funding-scholarships

Read less

Programme description

This programme is based at the University’s Scottish Centre for Chinese Studies, which has an international reputation for research excellence in modern Chinese literature, media and mass culture.

It provides you with the opportunity to develop your knowledge and understanding of cultural issues of modern China, and allows you to develop analytical skills as you apply cultural and literary theories to the context of modern China.

You will be trained in the study of Chinese texts, and learn to assess them in the context of current academic discourse in Chinese studies, leading to an understanding of changing perceptions of key issues in Chinese cultural studies.

Programme structure

Over two semesters, you will take compulsory and option courses, plus research skills courses. You will then complete an independently researched dissertation.

Compulsory course:

Keywords of Chinese Modernity

Option courses may include:

Contemporary Chinese Literature
Chinese Silent Cinema: 1920-1935
Gender, Revolution and Modernity in Chinese Cinema
Introduction to Chinese Society and Culture
Literary Criticism and History in Modern China
Chinese Religions: Confucianism, Daoism and 'Popular Religion'
Theories and Methods of Literary Study

Learning outcomes

You will be thoroughly trained in studying modern Chinese texts and in assessing them in the context of current academic discourse in Chinese Studies. You will be able to understand changing perceptions of key issues in Chinese cultural studies and reflect critically on your own academic research.

Career opportunities

You will gain a foundation on which you may choose to pursue doctoral studies, potentially leading to an academic career. Your skills will also be suited to a career in a number of fields that are concerned with Chinese issues.

Alternatively, you may choose to apply the transferable skills you gain in project management, research and communication to an unrelated career.

Read less

The Programme focuses on the study and research of the ancient religions, languages and great texts of China. Students will study the ‘ancient wisdom’ of China, which is of great cultural significance and is increasingly seen as relevant to contemporary concerns, such as personal and societal well-being and sustainability.

Course Overview

This Programme will focus on advanced-level engagement with Classical Chinese Daoist texts and the spiritual, cultural and political values and practices that they embody.

Modules will focus on enhancing understanding of Classical Chinese and methodologies such as textual criticism, commentary, and textual analysis.

This will be followed by modules which are thematically organised around the study of key texts from within The Complete Library of the Four Branches Literature and The Essence Encyclopedia of the Four Branches of Literature. Textual study modules are thematically focused, and will consider issues such as the origins and content of key texts, as well as history and developments in translation, commentary and reception of them.

Daoist Text Studies (SICH7008) will enable students to engage in detailed study of the key Daoist text the Dao De Jing. Interpretation of The Four Books (SICH7002) will focus on the Great Learning, the Doctrine of the Mean, the Confucian Analects, and the Book of Mencius.

Readings from the Governing Principles of Ancient China (SICH7003) will focus on the key Sinological texts. Readings from The Compilation of Books and Writings on the Important Governing Principles (SICH7010) will focus on key Daoist texts from the Compilation, for example the Book of Zhuangzi and the Book of Liezi.

An additional module, namely, Classical Chinese Texts in English (SICH7004), enables a detailed study of key Doaist texts, notably the Dao De Jing, and the reception of Daoism and its different traditions in the West and particularly in the English-speaking world, and to develop translation, annotation and commentary skills on Classical Chinese texts in English.

Building on the taught part of the Programme, the Dissertation (SICH7015) element allows the student to complete a detailed critical commentary of a Classical Chinese text; or to complete a shorter textual commentary Project (SICH7016) and to deliver and reflect upon a ‘teaching placement’ activity derived from this textual work.

Modules

-SICH7001 Research Methodologies for the Study of Sinology
-SICH7002 Interpretation of The Four Books
-SICH7003 Readings from the Governing Principles of Ancient China
-SICH7010 Readings from The Compilation of Books and Writings on the Important Governing Principles
-SICH7008 Daoist Text Studies
-SICH7004 Classical Chinese Texts in English
-SICH7015 Dissertation
-SICH7016 Project

Key Features

The MA in Chinese Daoist Textual Studies will have a special appeal to those students who wish to study ancient Chinese texts, to develop a rich and deep knowledge of traditional Chinese Classical texts; and to apply this knowledge to their own lives and those of others.

Students will have the opportunity to learn from the best in the subject and to study using the unique pedagogic approach derived from the 'Royal Great Learning’ (皇家太学) educational model, which relies upon intensive textual study and reflection.

Students will study at the Academy of Sinology at UWTSD, a newly established Academy in Lampeter which focuses upon training for Sage teachers, who through example will have a real impact on society via their own daily moral practices and teaching activities.

Studying at UWTSD Lampeter:
-The University’s Royal Charter is the oldest in England and Wales after the universities of Oxford and Cambridge
-His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales became our royal patron in 2011
-The university’s campus, situated in the rural town of Lampeter, has a friendly environment created by staff and students
-The region of South West Wales, where our campus is based, is a much lower cost of living than some of the larger UK cities and London.

Assessment

An MA degree in Chinese Daoist Textual Studies involves a wide range of assessment methods. Assessment will be both English medium and in the medium of Ancient Chinese, dependent on the particular module being studied.

Assessment methods include essays, translation into modern Chinese or English, translation with annotation or critical commentary, oral presentation, teaching placement portfolio and, of course, the dissertation.

This variety of assessment helps develop skills in presenting material in clear, professional and a lucid manner, whether orally or in writing.

Career Opportunities

Possible employment roles for graduates from this programme include:
-Teachers and educators in a range of settings in both China and the UK
-Academic researchers in traditional texts and ancient Chinese texts
-Translation work
-Educational administration and policy
-Ethical business and commercial ventures
-Community work and initiatives
-Voluntary and travel industries
-Heritage conservation; archive and museum work
-Corporate and personal coaches/trainers in ancient Chinese ‘wisdom’ and life skills

The expected employability skills gained by graduates from these programmes are: advanced information handling and communication skills; high levels of self and project management; the practical application of high level skills in textual analysis and interpretation.

Read less

Research profile

Scotland’s engagement with China is set to become even stronger, particularly in light of Scotland’s China Strategy. Given this, and the international standing of our Scottish Centre for Chinese Studies, researching this field from the Scottish capital makes perfect sense.

Our internationally respected academic staff, excellent facilities and academic, professional and cultural links with the Chinese community and Chinese organisations reinforce the world-leading nature of our research, and the prestige of our postgraduate opportunities.

Our research options centre on the interests of our Chinese members of staff, which include modern culture, both classical and modern literature, media and film, ancient philosophy and religion, and modern Chinese politics.

Training and support

As a postgraduate student you will be part of the Scottish Centre for Chinese Studies, with strong links to researchers at other Scottish institutions that provide a wealth of networking and collaboration opportunities.

In addition, interdisciplinary seminars will widen your perspectives and introduce you to fellow students in related areas of research. You will enjoy comprehensive library resources and exceptional computer facilities, including Chinese word processing.

We encourage engagement with Chinese culture during your research. The Confucius Institute for Scotland – a national centre promoting ties between Scotland and China, based at the University of Edinburgh – offers flexible language programmes as well as courses on many aspects of contemporary China, lectures by distinguished visiting speakers, cultural events and space for leisure and social contacts with the Chinese community.

You are also able to take part in cultural and social events organised by the Edinburgh University Chinese Cultural Society and the Scotland China Association.

Facilities

The University Library contains an open-access collection of books and journals in modern and classical Chinese intershelved with Western-language works on China. It has also recently invested extensively in electronic databases and other online resources on China. Postgraduate students can access the National Library of Scotland and Edinburgh Central Library.

The nearby Royal Scottish Museum has a fine collection of Chinese artifacts. The Chinese section holds a small reference library with a good collection of books and videos. Word-processing facilities including CJK are available in the Chinese section and in the 24-hour College microlab.

Read less

This programme enables students to engage critically with the varied aspects of Chinese literature.

This new degree covers both pre-modern and modern literatures of China. It includes the study of literary works written in the original languages, as well as an introduction to literary theory.

The programme comprises two compulsory courses, a minor option, and a dissertation.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/cia/degrees/machinlit/

Structure

The MA degree consists of four components:

Not all courses may be available every year.

1. Core Course
Take one of these courses

- Traditional Chinese Literature in Translation - 15PCHC004 (1 Unit) - Full Year
- Modern Chinese Literature in Translation - 15PCHC002 (1 Unit) - Full Year

2. Compulsory Course
- Theory and techniques of Comparative Literature - 15PCSC002 (1 Unit) - Full Year

3. Minor Courses
For non-fluent Chinese speakers
Students who do not have advanced or native-speaker competence in Chinese are required to select one of the following two courses, which offer advanced training in reading and translating Chinese literary texts. These courses are also taken by fourth-year undergraduate students, but MA students will be required to do additional work.

- Traditional Chinese Language and Literature - 15PCHC005 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2016/2017
- Modern Chinese Literature (MA) - 15PCHC003 (1 Unit) - Full Year

For fluent Chinese speakers:
For students with advanced or native speaker competence in Chinese, alternative minor units may be selected from the MA Sinology programme, or the second core course may be selected as a minor, with approval from the programme convenor.

4. Dissertation
A 10,000-word dissertation on an approved topic

MA Chinese Literature - Programme Specifications 2012/13 (pdf; 28kb) - http://www.soas.ac.uk/cia/degrees/machinlit/file80703.pdf

Teaching & Learning

The degree programme consists of two compulsory courses, a minor option and a dissertation of 10,000 words.
The taught part of the course consists of core lectures introducing basic concepts, theory and methodology; and the additional seminars that extend the core material into other areas. At Masters level there is particular emphasis on seminar work where students may be expected to make full-scale presentations for units they take.

Destinations

A postgraduate degree in Chinese Literature from SOAS equips students with essential skills such as competency in language skills and intercultural awareness and understanding. Familiarity with the region will have been developed through the indepth study of Chinese Literature, both pre-modern and modern and the study of literary theory in relation to this literature.

Postgraduate students gain linguistic and cultural expertise enabling them to continue in the field of research or to seek professional and management careers in business, public and charity sectors. They leave SOAS with a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek, including written and oral communication skills; attention to detail; analytical and problem solving skills; and the ability to research, amass and order information from a variety of sources.

A postgraduate degree is a valuable experience that provides students with a body of work and a diverse range of skills that they can use to market themselves with when they graduate.

For more information about Graduate Destinations from this department, please visit the Careers Service website (http://www.soas.ac.uk/careers/graduate-destinations/).

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

Read less

The two-year MA Advanced Chinese Studies offers comprehensive language-based training across a wide range of disciplines in the humanities and social sciences.

Students on the programme take four taught courses at SOAS during their first year, including a team-taught core course provided by a range of SOAS China experts. In addition, students take a text-reading seminar, allowing them to integrate their Chinese reading skills into their disciplinary studies, or an approved language-based course. Further courses can be selected from available disciplines including Anthropology, Art and Archaeology, Cinema, Cultural and Regional Studies, Economics, History, Law, Literature, Music, Politics, and Study of Religions.

In their second year, students will undertake an extended period of study at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, where they will follow a tailor-made bilingual programme in Chinese Studies. Options for short-term internships with local companies will be made available. The second half of the second year will be taken up with the writing of the dissertation under close supervision back in London.

The programme is aimed at students pursuing careers in the academic world, business, government and the media that require a skill set which encompasses disciplinary rigour, comprehensive area knowledge and cultural and linguistic fluencies. Applicants should have at least intermediate-level proficiency in modern Chinese (HSK Level 4). The language element of the training will be tailored to meet the needs of students’ existing language skills. Alternative elements are available for applicants not in need of further Chinese language training, such as native speakers of Chinese.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/china-institute/ma-advanced-chinese-studies/

Structure

In the first year at SOAS students on the programme take the team-taught core course provided by a range of SOAS China experts Approaches to Chinese Studies - 15PCIC001 and two taught courses (2 Units) from the list given below. In addition, students take a Reading Seminar in Chinese Studies - 15PCIC003 (1 Unit) or an approved language-based course (1 Unit).

In their second year, students will undertake a Period of Postgraduate Study in China (15PCIC004) at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, where they will follow a tailor-made bilingual programme in Chinese Studies. Options for short-term internships with local companies will be made available. The second half of the second year will be taken up with the writing of the dissertation under close supervision back in London (Extended Dissertation in Chinese Studies 15PCIC999).

These courses should be chosen in close consultation with the programme convenor.

MA Advanced Chinese Studies - Programme Specification 2014/15 (pdf; 207kb) (http://www.soas.ac.uk/china-institute/courses/file93666.pdf)

Teaching & Learning

Lectures and Seminars
Most courses require students to attend two or three hours of classes each week. This time will be spent in lectures, seminars, tutorial discussions and student presentations: the exact mixture of activities varies somewhat from course to course. At Masters level there is a particular emphasis on students’ contributions and presentations, and students are also expected to read extensively and prepare for each class in advance.

Language courses typically involve more hours of contact time, especially at elementary level, and regular homework.

The assessment on most courses consists of two or three coursework essay assignments and an unseen written examination, sat in April or May. However, some courses are assessed purely on the basis of coursework, including essays and reaction papers.

Dissertation
A 20,000-word dissertation will be written by each student on this programme after his/her return from China, for submission in September of the second year. The dissertation will be on an approved topic linked with one of the taught courses.

Learning Resources
SOAS Library is one of the world's most important academic libraries for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, attracting scholars from all over the world. The Library houses over 1.2 million volumes, together with significant archival holdings, special collections and a growing network of electronic resources. The China and Inner Asia collection consists of approximately 200,000 volumes and 5,000 periodicals.

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

Read less

This one-year programme is intended for graduates of Chinese Studies programmes and native Chinese speakers who wish to gain further understanding and develop expertise in a range of subjects concerned with Chinese health and wellbeing and the impact of China, historically and in the present day, on health around the world.

Degree information

This MA offers an interdisciplinary approach to health in China including history of medicine in China, population studies, the built and natural environment, climate change, law and medical ethics, public health and policy making. Intensive training in academic English and translation for publication online is provided.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of one core course (15 credits), direct reading and translation modules (60 credits), dissertation (60 credits) and two or three options or elective modules (45 credits).

Core modules
-An Interdisciplinary Approach to China: Health and Humanity
-Translation and Direct Reading
-Dissertation (see below)

Optional modules
-History of Chinese Medicine I: the Classical World and its Legacy
-History of Chinese Medicine II: from Song Public Health to the Chinese Medical Diaspora
-Chinese Health and Heritage
-Chinese Law and Health
-Chinese Film and the Body
-Chinese Nutrition: History, Culture and Society
-Elective Modules within SOAS, Institute of Global Health, and Anthropology
-Suitable elective module from other departments at UCL

NB: Not all options will be available every year.

Dissertation/report
All students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of up to 12,000 words.

Teaching and learning
The programme is taught by specialists in the field and is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, seminars, presentations, workshops and direct reading. Assessment is through examination, presentations, essays and the dissertation.

Careers

This programme aims to train the next generation of professionals in the interdisciplinary approaches and skills necessary for understanding and improving population and individual health in China and internationally. It will be invaluable for all those intending to work in professions with an interest in Chinese health including: health systems and reform, the health environment, integrated health, in NGOs and multilateral organisations as policymakers, administrators, and workers in the field. It will also prepare students to work in art and media where Chinese health issues are concerned.

Employability
Graduates from the MA will be well prepared to take advantage of job opportunities that are also available to graduates from the Institute of Global Health and Anthropology, but with the added advantage of an expertise in China: health administration policy and consultancy, health law, in bilateral and multiliteral organisations, NGOs, built and natural environment, climate change, health research in China and the UK. The programme also aims to create new expertise on China's health culture that will open up job opportunities as China begins a rapid programme of developing private health-care partnerships.

Why study this degree at UCL?

UCL History enjoys an outstanding international reputation for its research and teaching.

The department is strongly committed to the intellectual development of all our students; if you come to UCL, you will receive individual supervision from leading academics.

Located in Bloomsbury, UCL History is just a few minutes' walk away from the exceptional resources of the British Library, the British Museum and the research institutes of the University of London, including the Warburg and the Institute of Historical Research.

Read less

The MPhil programme in Chinese Studies is offered as a one-year programme which aims to give graduate students an opportunity to develop their analytical, research and writing skills in preparation for further academic research or entry to professions requiring such skills.

This MPhil programme is taken by dissertation only. This entails working closely with one supervisor throughout the year on a 25,000 word dissertation to be submitted in mid-August.

See the website http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/amammpchr

Course detail

At the end of the MPhil programme, students will be expected to have:

- acquired the ability to read, interpret and translate primary sources in Modern and/or Classical Chinese;
- acquired a good knowledge of the general scholarship on Modern and/or Pre-Modern Chinese culture(s);
- acquired an in-depth knowledge of the secondary literature relevant to the subject of their dissertation;
- developed the ability to formulate original research questions and produce a well-constructed, argument to answer them, in the form of an independent piece of research based on the use of primary and secondary sources;
- acquired the skills to use library and internet resources independently.

Format

The MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies by Research (Chinese Studies) is studied entirely by research.

All prospective MPhil applicants are advised to peruse the staff profiles on our website to familiarise themselves with the research and teaching interests of staff members. Applicants should contact potential supervisors by email and discuss potential MPhil dissertation topics.

Assessment

For the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies by Research (Chinese Studies), students will submit a thesis of not more than 25,000 words, including footnotes and appendices but excluding bibliography on a subject approved by the Degree Committee. All MPhil dissertations must include a brief Abstract at the start of the dissertation of no more than 400 words.

Students who take the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies by Research (Chinese Studies) must have a viva examination, which is normally held in September.

Continuing

Applicants for the PhD will be expected to have scored at least 67% or above (or the equivalent from an overseas University) in their Master's degree which should be related to the PhD programme they wish to pursue. All applicants should submit with their GRADSAF (graduate application) a workable and interesting research proposal and demonstrate that they have the required academic knowledge and skills to carry out their project.

Admission is at the discretion of the Degree Committee, which judges each graduate applicant on his or her own merits and in accordance with its own set rules and regulations.

How to apply: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying

Funding Opportunities

- Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) -

NB: Applicants should check the Faculty's website before the academic year 2016 - 2017 is due to start to see if AHRC funding is available to apply for. Home PhD and MPhil students and EU students who satisfy home residency criteria may be eligible for a full studentship which covers the University Composition Fee and College Fees plus an annual maintenance stipend. EU students are eligible for a fees-only award.

Further information: http://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/funding/ahrc-funded-students

- University Composition Fee Waivers 2016-2017 for the 1-Year MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Chinese Studies) -

The Department of East Asian Studies proposes to award one or two University Composition Fee waivers at Home and EU rates for the academic year 2016-2017. These awards will be made to applicants who intend to take the one-year MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Chinese Studies). Candidates should indicate their wish to be considered for this award in the Personal Statement section which they submit as part of their GRADSAF (graduate application). For further information, please contact Professor Roel Sterckx: [email protected]

- Louis Cha Scholarship in Pre-Modern Chinese Studies at St John's College -

St John's College at the University of Cambridge is offering a Louis Cha Scholarship, which will commence in October 2015 to help financially assist students to undertake their research in the fields of Chinese Literature, Chinese History and/or the Culture of Early and Dynastic China (Pre-1912). The successful applicant will be selected from those who have secured a place at St John's College in Cambridge to read for the MPhil or PhD degree in a relevant subject. The scholarship will be available for the duration of the student's course and given for us up a maximum of three years. The scholarship will comprise of (a) a maintenance grant of up to £13,500 per annum and (b) approved University fees. Applicants applying for this award should note payments which they have secured from other sources. For further information, please refer to the following webpage on the Faculty's website:

http://www.ames.cam.ac.uk/postgraduate/funding/other

Read less