Course summary

This four-year combined degree is provided by our renowned Department of Languages and Cultures and the highly-ranked Department of Linguistics and English Language. The international placement year gives you the unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the language and culture. You don’t need to have studied Chinese before as we offer an Intensive course for beginners. In Chinese Studies, we aim to help you become truly fluent. Taking Linguistics in tandem with Chinese Studies will give you increased awareness of the grammar of the language, and allow you to really understand the structure of English, Chinese, and a wide range of other languages from around the world. The first year comprises an exploration of the Chinese language and its cultural context, as well as a core module in Linguistics. Alongside this, students can choose a minor subject. Building on your language skills in Year 2, you will study the culture, politics and history of the Chinese-speaking world in more depth in the module, Shaping Chinese Society: Moments and Movements, as well as selecting a module, which is international in scope and promotes comparative understanding at a global level, such as Understanding Cultures. You will combine these with core Linguistics modules, such as Structures of the World's Languages, and choose from a range of linguistics option modules. Your third year - the International Placement Year - will deepen your intercultural sensitivity and your command of the language. You can study at a partner institution or carry out a work placement and practise your language skills in a real-world context. Staff members within the department will work with you to ensure that you are fully prepared before embarking on your placement in a Chinese-speaking country. In your final year, you will consolidate your Chinese language skills, and study specialist culture and comparative modules, such as Sinophone Literature and Film, Mirrors across the Media, or Translation as a Cultural Practice. You will also choose from modules such as Psycholinguistics or Linguistic Theory. You could choose to complete a dissertation on a topic you would like to explore in depth, which provides the opportunity to combine your interests in both subjects. Given the range of expertise available, our academics will be able to supervise most topics that fit your interests.