The Chinese Studies major and minor are interdisciplinary in nature. Students are offered a structured approach to the study of Chinese history, art, language, literature, customs, culture, economy, and politics while allowing the flexibility to pursue individual areas of interest.
Students pursuing a program in Chinese Studies are strongly encouraged to study abroad for a semester or a year in China. Gettysburg College is affiliated with study-abroad programs in Beijing and Shanghai jointly administered by CET Academic Programs, Capital Normal University, and Donghua University. In addition to language study through the advanced level, the program offers a wide range of courses appropriate to the China specialization within the East Asian Studies major or minor.
East Asian Studies Major – Chinese Track Requirements: Effective with the Class of 2018
Students pursuing the East Asian Studies Major – Chinese Track must complete eleven courses consisting of three core courses, two language study courses, two electives, three disciplinary cluster courses, and a capstone course.
- Core Courses:
AS 151 Chinese Culture & Society, HIST 223 Modern China, and one comparative course. A comparative is either a course with a broad East Asian Focus or a course on Japan.
Potential Comparative Courses:
PHIL 240: World Philosophy
REL 244: Introduction to Buddhism
ARTH 131: Introduction to Asian Art
ECON 213: East Asian Economic History and Development
HIST 221: History of East Asia to 1800
HIST 222: History of East Asia from 1800 to the Present
PSYCH 210: Cultural Psychology
REL 210: Buddhist Spiritual Autobiographies
- Language study:
CHN 301 and CHN 302 or their equivalent as determined by placement tests.*
*Kindly note that CHN 101 & 102: Beginning Chinese and CHN 201 & 202: Intermediate Chinese are pre-requisites for CHN 301 and CHN 302, but do not count towards the major. However, students who have previously studied Chinese may enter the 200-level as determined by the language placement exam. Chinese language proficiency at the 202 level is required and determined by the department.
- Electives:
Students will select two courses that focus on China from the following three categories: Arts & Humanities, History & Social Sciences, and Language (beyond CHN 302 or in Japanese).
Arts & Humanities:
ARTH 131: Introduction to Asian Art
ARTH 234: Arts of China
ARTH 235: Chinese Painting and Aesthetics
FILM 262: Hong Kong Cinema
AS 225: Contemporary Chinese Writers
AS 222: China: 30 Years in Literature and Film
REL 210: Buddhist Spiritual Autobiographies
REL 244: Introduction to Buddhism
REL 248: Religions of China
REL 254: Intro to Confucianism
History & Social Sciences:
AS 224: Chinese Folklore
AS/ANTH 229: Tourism and Culture in China
ECON 213: East Asian Economic History and Development
HIST 221: East Asia to 1800
HIST 222: East Asia 1800 to the Present
HIST 223: Modern China
POL 270: Government and Politics in China
PSYCH 210: Cultural Psychology
SOC 243: Chinese Diaspora
Language:
CHN 401: Advanced Chinese
CHN 407: China in Literature and Media – High Advanced Level Chinese
JPN 101: Elementary Japanese
JPN 102: Elementary Japanese
- Disciplinary cluster:
Students will select two courses in a discipline and the methods course of that discipline. Courses must be approved by the East Asian Studies Department, and at least one course must focus on China or East Asia. Potential areas of disciplinary focus are listed below:
Potential Areas of disciplinary focus:
Anthropology:
ANTH 103: Intro to Cultural Anthropology
AS/ANTH 229: Tourism & Culture in China
ANTH 323: Field Methods in Cultural Anthropology
Art History:
ARTH 131: or other approved 100-level
ARTH 214: Methods
ARTH 234 or 235
History:
HIST 110 or other approved 100-level
HIST 300: Methods
Course on East Asian history
Political Science:
POL 104: Intro to Comparative Politics
POL 215: Methods
POL 270: Politics of China
Economics:
ECON 104: Intro to Macroeconomics
ECON 213: East Asian Economics
ECON 251: International Economics
Religious Studies:
REL 244: Intro to Buddhism
REL 200 level Research/Methods
East Asian Religion course
Sociology:
SOC 101, 102, or 103
SOC 243: Chinese Diaspora
SOC 302: Methods
Film Studies:
FILM 101: Introduction to film
FILM 252 or FILM/IDS226
East Asian film course
Literature:
ENG 299: Methods
A 200 level English course (except 205)
AS Literature Course
- Capstone experience:
Students will complete one capstone course taken in the form of seminar or an independent study to be completed in the senior year. A substantial paper (25+ pages) and an oral presentation open to the faculty, majors and minors and guests are required. The topic of the paper must be mutually agreed upon by the student and his or her advisor. It is expected that the paper will build upon the courses constituting the student's "disciplinary focus."
Check Sheet for East Asian Studies Major-Chinese Track – Effective with the Class of 2018
East Asian Studies Minor –Chinese Track Requirements: Effective with the Class of 2018
The East Asian Studies minor with a specialization in China requires six courses.
- Core Courses: Students take one core course: AS 151: Chinese Culture & Society
- Electives: Students take three elective courses specializing in China. These courses must come from three different disciplines, with at least one course from the arts & humanities and one from the history & social sciences.*
- Comparative Course: Students take one course that offers a comparative perspective within East Asia or focuses on Japan.*
- Language: Students specializing in China must take CHN 201: Intermediate Chinese.**
* Categories and potential courses appear above in the description for the Chinese major requirements.
**CHN 101 & 102: Beginning Chinese are pre-requisites for CHN 201 but do not count towards the minor. However, students who have previously studied Chinese may enter the 200-level as determined by the language placement exam. Chinese language proficiency at the 202 level is required and determined by the department.
Check Sheet for East Asian Studies Minor - Effective with the Class of 2018