Standard Modern Chinese (Mandarin) is the official language of China and one of the world's major languages. As Australia's future is increasingly tied to the rise of China as a world power, the importance of Mandarin will continue to grow. Knowledge of Mandarin not only provides a means of understanding Chinese society and culture but it is also a skill valued in a wide range of professions, both in Australia and internationally.
The Advanced Chinese Language Minor is for students who already have a high level of competence in Mandarin. It deepens students’ knowledge and critical understanding of Chinese languages and cultures, continuing to improve their proficiency in reading and listening comprehension as well as oral and written expression. The courses included in this Advanced Minor allow students to examine in more detail cultural, social, and linguistic aspects of the Chinese – speaking world. This Advanced Minor is also designed for heritage students, or background learners, of Chinese.
Learning Outcomes
- Speak confidently and accurately in polite and informal registers, in a style appropriate to the situation, content, and audience.
- Identify and use advanced grammatical rules and complicated sentence structures relevant to a range of conversational situations and texts.
- Engage with authentic materials in Chinese such as offical news, literary works and social media by summarising, analysing, and critically evaluating the content.
- Write texts in the appropriate genre, with correct grammatical structures and thematic vocabulary relevant to the level of the student.
- Write, perform and record presentations or interviews either individually or in cooperative groups, and answer questions based on those performances or interviews. It's based on real-time situation and research.
- Through the development of language and cultural skills, develop and deploy critical thinking through reflection on the similarities and differences between cultures and systems of meaning.
Other Information
Students with previous “language experience or exposure” are required to take a language proficiency assessment to ensure enrolment at the most appropriate level.
Relevant past experience includes:
- Previous study of the language (both formal and informal, for example but not limited to, at school, or, home, or through online activities, etc.)
- Being exposed to the language in childhood via a family member or friend
- Travel or living in a country where the language is spoken
- The language being spoken in your home (even if you do not speak it yourself)
Students who are not sure if they need to take a proficiency assessment should seek advice from the course or language convenor.
Students who intentionally misrepresent their language proficiency level may be investigated under the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 as having failed to comply with assessment directions and having sought unfair advantage. This may results in a penalty such as reduced grades or failure of the course.
Students are not permitted to enrol in a language course below one that they have already successfully completed, except with permission of the language and/or course convenor.
Relevant Degrees
Requirements
This advanced language minor requires the completion of 24 units, which must consist of:
18 units from completion of the following sequence of Chinese language course:
CHIN3023 Modern Chinese 6
CHIN3024 Modern Chinese 7
CHIN3025 Modern Chinese 8
Minimum of 6 units from completion of the following associated language courses:
ASIA2103 Language in Asia and the Pacific (L)
ASIA2100 Linguistic Histories in Asia and the Pacific (L)
CHIN2019 Literary Chinese 1
CHIN2021 Literary Chinese 2
CHIN2024 Cantonese 1
CHIN2025 Cantonese 2
ASIA3525 Learning Language Locally (6-12 units)
CHIN3041 Chinese-English Translation
CHIN3216 Chinese-English Interpreting
CHST3211 Reading China: Past and Present
CHST3212 Reading Chinese Literature: Theory and Criticism
Students who receive an exemption through a Language Placement Assessment (LPA) may choose from the above list of associated language courses to complete their advanced language minor.
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