Chinese

Chinese is a four-year direct honours programme which provides a concrete foundation in both classical and modern Chinese literature, a deeper understanding of Chinese language, and a broader perspective on Modern China and the Chinese Diaspora in Southeast Asia.

The programme aims to equip students with multidisciplinary research skills and bilingual capabilities. Our faculty members are dedicated to high quality in teaching and research. We have strong and active interests in Modern Chinese Literature, Chinese Language, and especially the Chinese Diaspora in Southeast Asia.

The Minor in Translation is another unique programme within the Chinese Programme. This programme is open to all NTU students who are interested in receiving practical and professional trainings in translation between Chinese and English.

We also partnered the National Arts Council to run a Chinese creative writing residencies programme. Critically acclaimed writers, both local and international, will work on a literary project of their own and teach creative writing courses in NTU. Eminent writers who have been in residence include Yeng Pway-Ngon (Singapore) and Su Wei-Chen (Taiwan). 

Curriculum Structure 

To graduate, students must complete two categories of requirements, totaling at least 128 Academic Units (AUs):  

A. Major Requirements (69 AUs) 
B. Interdisciplinary Collaborative Core (ICC)

  • Common Core (17 AUs)
  • Foundational Core (10 AUs)

C. Broadening & Deepening Electives (32 AUs)

Curriculum Structure | AY2023-2024 Intake onwards
A. Major RequirementsB. Interdisciplinary Collaborative Core (ICC)C. Broadening & Deepening Electives (BDE)Total (AUs)
CorePrescribed ElectivesFYP or Two HC4000 level coursesCommon CoresFoundational Cores
24378171032128

 

Duration of study 

The curriculum is designed as a four-year course. Well-prepared students can complete the degree in three and a half years. 

A. MAJOR REQUIREMENTS (69 AUs)

The requirements for a Chinese major consist of 3 components:


A1. Chinese Core Courses (24 AUs)
A2. Chinese Prescribed Electives (37 AUs)
A3. Graduation Project (FYP) or 2 HC4000 level courses (8 AUs)
     (The two HC4000 level courses are for those who are not eligible to do FYP.)


A1. Chinese Core (Compulsory) Courses (24 AUs) 

Students majoring in Chinese are required to complete the following courses to earn 24 AUs. 

Chinese Major Core (24 AUs) 
​Course Code & Title [Click here to view course descriptions.]AUs
​HC1001 Introduction to the Study of Literature and Culture3
​HC1002 Introduction to Chinese Language3
​HC2001 Directed Readings of Literary Works: Pre-Qin, Han, Wei and Jin3
HC2003 Directed Readings of Literary Works: Tang and Song3
​​HC2004 Directed Readings of Literary Works: Yuan, Ming and Qing 3
​​HC2006 Introduction to Chinese History 3
HC3001 Modern Chinese Literature3
HC3003 Southeast Asian Chinese3

 

A2. Chinese Prescribed Electives Courses (37 AUs)

Students can pursue in-depth studies in any of the four categories in the Chinese programme such as (A) Chinese Literature and Culture, (B) Chinese History, Thought and China Studies, (C) Linguistics and Chinese Linguistics, or (D) Studies of Ethnic-Chinese.  Click here to view course descriptions.

Category A: Chinese Literature and Culture
Course Code & Title [Click here to view course descriptions.]AUs
HC2010 Classical Chinese Fiction 3
HC2011 Tang Poetry3
HC2014 Chinese Theatre and Performance3
HC2015 Coming of Age in Modern China​ 3
HC2017 Writing Places: Nativism, Ecology, Politics3
HC2018 Book Culture, Chinese Print History, and Technology3
HC3011 Studies of Su Shi's Literature and Art3
HC3014 Cultural Study of Chinese Cinemas3
HC3015 City and Culture in Modern China3
HC3016 Readings of Classical Chinese Prose3
HC3017 Text and Image Studies3
HC3018 Posthumanism in Chinese Literature, Film and Culture 3
HC3019 Aesthetics of the South 3
HC4010 Classical Chinese Literary Theory4
HC4013 Gender and Sexuality in Chinese Literature4
HC4015 Special Topics in Classical Chinese Literature4
HC4016 Comparative Literature Studies: Theory and Practice4
HC4019 Chinese Literary Canon and Images of Art4
HC4020 Literary Criticism and Critical Theories4
HC4021 Hong Kong Literature and Culture in Global perspective4
HC4022 Art and Revolution in Modern China4
HC4023 Fiction and Society in Contemporary China4

Category B: Chinese History, Thought and China Studies
Course Code & Title [Click here to view course descriptions.]AUs
HC2030 Pre-Qin Thought3
HC2031 Confucian Thought3
HC2032 Division and Integration: From the Spring-Autumn/Warring States to Sui, Tang and the Five Dynasties3
HC2040 Understanding China3
HC2041 Contemporary Chinese Politics and Society3
HC3031 Conquering and Conquered Dynasties: From Song to Qing3
HC3043 Chinese Ecological Thoughts and Philosophy3
HC4030 Modern Chinese Intellectuals and Political Movements4
HC4033 Special Topics in Chinese History and Thought4
HC4035 Western Influences on Modern Chinese Thought4
HC4040 Cross-Taiwan Straits Relations4
HC4042 China and Globalisation 4
HC4043 Special Topics in Modern China 4
HC4044 Late Imperial and Modern China: History and Social Change4

Category C: Linguistics and Chinese Linguistics
Course Code & Title [Click here to view course descriptions.]AUs
HC1050 The Science of Chinese Characters3
HC1051 Modern Chinese3
HC2050 Chinese Lexicology3
HC2052 Language and Society3
HC2053 Varieties of Chinese3
HC2054 Understanding Classical Chinese Texts3
HC3050 Sound and Prosody in Chinese3
HC3051 Sociolinguistics and Bilingualism3
HC3052 Chinese Language and Grammatical Theories3
HC4050 Chinese Semantics4
HC4051 Text, Rhetoric and Style4
HC4052 Special Topics in Chinese Linguistics4
HC4055 Chinese Language Acquisition4
HC4056 Chinese Semasiology4
HC4057 Conversational Pragmatics in Chinese4
HC4059 Chinese-English Contrastive Linguistics4

Category D: Studies of Ethnic-Chinese
Course Code & Title [Click here to view course descriptions.]AUs
HC1060 History of Singapore and Malaysian Chinese 3
HC2060 Chinese Education in Southeast Asia3
HC2061 Chinese Literature in Singapore and Malaysia3
HC2062 Chinese-language Cultural Production in Singapore3
HC2063 Chinese Literature in Singapore3
HC3062 Chinese Overseas and China3
HC3063 Critical Study of Singapore Society and Culture3
HC3064 Overseas Chinese in the United States 3
HC4060 Globalisation and Chinese Overseas4
HC4061 Chinese Migration 4
HC4062 Special Topics in the Studies of Ethnic-Chinese4
HC4063 A Study of Sinophone Culture in Singapore and Malaysia4
HC4064 History and Issues: Transcultural Chinese Theatre in Singapore 4
HC4065 Overseas Chinese in the United States4

 A3. Graduation Project (FYP) or 2 HC4000 level courses (8 AUs)

The two HC4000 level courses are for those who are not eligible to do FYP.

Important Note: 

For the 37 AUs (MPEs), students must take at least 2 HC3000 level courses, and 4 HC4000 level courses.  

All students whose CGPA earned by the end of their sixth semester placed them in line for Honours (Distinction) and Honours (Highest Distinction) will be required to complete the final year project (FYP). Those who opt out will be able to substitute this project with two additional HC4000 level courses. 


B. OTHER REQUIREMENTS (59 AUs)

  • ICC-Common Cores (17 AUs)
Course TitleAUs
Inquiry and Communication in an Interdisciplinary World2
Navigating the Digital World2
Ethics & Civics in a Multi-Cultural World2
Career and Entrepreneurial Development for the Future World2
Science & Technology for Humanity3
Sustainability: Society, Economy & Environment3
Healthy Living & Well-being3

 

  • ICC-Foundational Core (10 AUs)
Course TitleAUs
Effective Communication II2
Digital Literacy II3
Internship5

 

  • Broadening & Deepening Electives (32 AUs)

There are no restrictions on the selection of courses to make up broadening & deepening electives. Students can choose any of the following:

- Complete a 2nd Major.
- Complete a Minor in another discipline.
- Earn AUs under an International Exchange programme.
- Any course offered by any School as long as the pre-requisites are satisfied​.