Chinese
Department of Linguistics
College of Arts and Sciences
609 Baldy Hall
North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260-1030
Phone: 716.645.2177
Fax: 716.645.3825
Web: linguistics.buffalo.edu/chinese
Karin Michelson
Chair
Tsan Huang
Program Director
thuang3@buffalo.edu
About the Program
†This area of study is available as a special major in consultation with the program coordinator and the student's academic advisor. It is not a separately registered degree program. Refer to the Special Majors section in this catalog for more information.
China has the world's oldest living civilization, and its culture has had significant impact on its neighboring countries. Now China is rapidly becoming a major player in world politics, and its economy is expanding fast. Not only is China a country that one must deal with politically, economically, and culturally, it also provides opportunities to the world in business, scholarly research, and within many other contexts. Mandarin Chinese (or Putonghua) is the official language.
The Chinese curriculum provides a solid foundation for an understanding and appreciation of the rich and diverse culture of China. The language (Mandarin Chinese) and culture courses offered are useful to students who aspire to an East Asia–related academic or professional career in education, government, communication, business, or other fields in the United States and abroad.
The curriculum of the Chinese program includes:
Courses designed to develop or improve competence in spoken and written Chinese.
Courses for the advanced study of Chinese language and culture.
Courses that examine Chinese business etiquette.
About Our Degrees
The curriculum of the Chinese program includes:
- Courses designed to develop or improve competence in written and spoken Chinese
- Courses for the advanced study of Chinese language and culture
- Courses that deal with Chinese business etiquette
Acceptance Information
Minimum GPA of 2.0 in prerequisite and required courses.
Application should be made when the student has completed the prerequisite courses or during the semester in which they will be completed.
Degree Requirements
See the Undergraduate Catalog.
About Our Courses
For course descriptions, please see the Undergraduate Catalog.
About Our Faculty
Dr. Tsan Huang's research focuses on phonetics, in particular speech perception and the phonetics/phonology interface, as well as Chinese linguistics.
Practical Experience and Special Academic Opportunities
Study Abroad
Programs for study abroad are available for those who pursue studies in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. Study abroad is particularly encouraged for majors and minors in these languages. For more information, see Study Abroad.
Extracurricular Activities
See the UB Student Association.
Complementary Programs and Courses
Many students opt to combine a minor in Chinese, Japanese, or Korean with a major in Asian studies, business administration, engineering, geography, international studies, or other humanites and social sciences.
Career Information and Further Study
The courses offered in the Chinese program give students the opportunity to develop advanced skills in a strategic Asian language and to study the people and cultures of China. Many students opt to combine a minor in Chinese with a major in the social sciences, engineering, the humanities, the sciences, or management.
Students majoring in business administration, geography, international business and world trade, and the interdisciplinary social sciences programs in international studies and Asian studies would find their bachelor’s degrees complemented by the study of the Chinese language. Given China's huge population, its geopolitical importance, its massive and growing economy, and U.S. interest in that country as a trading partner, the need for large numbers of U.S. citizens who are fluent speakers of Chinese and are knowledgeable about Chinese culture will continue to grow.
Links to Further Information About This Program
- Undergraduate Catalog
- Undergraduate Admissions
- Graduate Admissions
- Department of Linguistics (Program in Chinese)
- College of Arts and Sciences
Last Modified: Tuesday, 7-Nov-2006 10:26:05 EST