About Chinese
The teaching of Chinese at FSU started in 1962. Since then, the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics at Florida State University has grown to be one of the most dynamic centers of Chinese education in Florida. The Chinese major provides undergraduate students with a comprehensive range of courses in Chinese language from beginning to advanced levels, as well as courses in modern and premodern Chinese literature, Chinese civilization, Chinese cinema, Chinese linguistics and Chinese-English translation.
The department emphasizes the cultivation of cross-cultural awareness and solid understanding of the target-language communities. Students who want to obtain direct and fruitful exposure to the language and culture of contemporary Chinese society have the opportunity to attend FSU’s Summer Program in China organized by faculty, or study abroad through FSU’s partner institutions in China, Hong Kong or Taiwan.
Additionally, the department offers an M.A. degree program in East Asian Languages and Cultures (EALC) which enables students to pursue Chinese or Japanese studies at the graduate level.
UNDERGRADUATE
The department offers a 30-hour major in Chinese language and culture, a major with a concentration in business, and a co-major in Chinese and Japanese, in addition to a 12-hour Chinese minor.
GRADUATE
Students who want to pursue graduate-level Chinese studies are encouraged to apply to the M.A. program in East Asian Languages and Cultures. To earn the M.A. degree, students must successfully complete a minimum of 36 semester hours and take a comprehensive exam or complete a significant research project.
Why Study Chinese
Chinese is spoken by one out of every five people in the world and is the most-spoken language on the planet. It’s one of the six official languages for the United Nations. It’s the second most-used language on the Internet. It will make your resume much more competitive in the future job market.
It’s the key to a 5000-year-old civilization. At the heart of Chinese civilization are its fascinating and multifaceted cultural traditions, such as gourmet food, literary masterpieces, visual and performing arts, historical sites and modern films.