Chinese Studies

This is a four-year multidisciplinary degree based in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures (MLaC), where the core Chinese language and culture modules are taught. Students take a double language module in each of the three years spent in Durham, plus a culture module. The fourth module in each year is a module on Chinese history to be taken in the Department of History. The fifth and sixth modules in years one and two are to be chosen either from a list of modules offered by the Department of History or from a list of modules offered by the departments of Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Government and International Relations, Law, Philosophy and Religious Studies. All final year students will take a double module dissertation on some aspect of China. All third year students will spend the studying Chinese at one of our partner universities in China (currently Peking University and Tsinghua University, both in Beijing, and Zhejiang University in Hangzhou). 

The aim of the course is to equip students with the linguistic ability, cultural knowledge and disciplinary skills necessary to be able to engage confidently and competently with China in a future professional capacity. The multidisciplinary approach is designed to allow students to choose one or more disciplinary areas on which to focus their study of China, whilst the language training ensures that graduates have the necessary language skills, both written and spoken, to work in a Chinese language environment.

Click here to see the programme regulations which give details of the core and optional modules to be taken in each year of the course.

The basic A2 offer is AAB with a minimum of a B in a foreign language, or equivalent other qualification. . For students wishing to take the specialized pathway in Chinese Studies with History, an A grade in A level history is required.