Binghamton University, State University of New York
Chinese Studies (BA, Minor)
Binghamton University, USA
BA
DURATION
4 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Aug 2026
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Key Summary
About: The Chinese studies BA or minor at Binghamton University (SUNY) covers Chinese language, culture, and society. It stresses verbal and textual mastery and cultural competency, includes courses in linguistics, language pedagogy, literature, arts, history, philosophy. Faculty research spans Chinese history, linguistics (phonology, prosody), poetry, Confucianism, 20th‑century literature and film. Students often double major, pursue internships, research, or study abroad for language immersion and cultural experience.
Career Outcomes: Graduates enter language teaching, translation and interpretation, international business, diplomacy and government, journalism, museum work, research, graduate study, and film and media. Skills include Mandarin proficiency, cross‑cultural communication, critical analysis, and pedagogy.
The Chinese studies program offers students a diverse curriculum centered on the Chinese language, culture, and society. Its rigorous language curriculum stresses verbal and textual mastery and cultural competency and includes courses in Chinese linguistics and language pedagogy. Courses explore both ancient and modern Chinese literature, visual arts, society, history, philosophy, and economics.
Some students who choose this major also choose to double major within a different discipline to build a holistic degree plan.
Internships, Research Opportunities, and More
The faculty of the Chinese studies program are not only outstanding educators but are recognized and published scholars within their respective fields of research which include:
- Ancient, pre-modern, modern, and contemporary Chinese history and culture
- Chinese linguistics: phonology, poetic prosody, and prosodic acquisition
- Classical and Chinese poetry and poetics
- Confucianism language pedagogy
- 20th-century Chinese literature and film
- Many Chinese studies majors choose to study abroad to immerse themselves in the culture and language.
High-performing students are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships.
Some courses to consider in your first year:
CHIN 101 - ElementaryChinese I NoBackgrnd
Foundation course aimed at enabling students to communicate in Chinese for everyday purposes. Introduction to Chinese characters. For students with no previous formal training in Chinese. 4 credits. Levels: Graduate, Undergraduate
CHIN 102 - Elementary Chinese II
Continuation of CHIN 101 with emphasis on format mastery of basic sentence patterns, with practice in usage for real-life situations. 4 credits. Levels: Undergraduate
CHIN 103 - Elementary Chinese I Heritage
This is a foundation course for heritage speakers of Chinese, who have a certain level of spoken or listening proficiency in Mandarin or other Chinese dialects, such as Cantonese. Attention will be concentrated on pronunciation, the core vocabulary, basic survival expressions, and the fundamentals of the grammar of Mandarin Chinese. Upon the completion of the course, students will be able to converse in Mandarin in the three communicative modes on the most basic communication topics covered in the course, such as greetings, self‐introduction, invitation and appointment making, asking for/giving directions, and simple shopping. Students will also be able to read and write short dialogues in Chinese characters on the subject matters covered in the course. Offered every Fall. 4 credits. Levels: Undergraduate
CHIN 203 - Intermediate Chinese I
Third-semester intermediate course in the Chinese language. Completes study of first 1,000 words and all main grammar points continued from CHIN 101 and 102. 4 credits. Levels: Graduate, Undergraduate
CHIN 204 - Intermed. Chinese II
Fourth-semester course in the Chinese language. Emphasis on reading, with continued spoken-language exercise. Practice reading newspapers. 4 credits. Levels: Undergraduate
AAAS 230 - Contemporary Chinese Cinemas
Cinematic survey of post-Mao era PRC, Hong Kong, and Taiwan film. Emphasis on historical background, prominent directors and films, the terminology of film study, theoretical approaches to film, written analyses and group presentations of specific films, and making connections between form, content, context, and ideology in movies. Knowledge of the Chinese language is not required. 4 credits. Levels: Undergraduate
AAAS 241 - Classical Chin Lit (In Transl)
Survey of Chinese literature from the 12th Century BC through AD 19th Century, dealing with major writings of each period, their aesthetic and formal components, and cultural/historic contexts. Equal emphasis on the evolution of poetry genres and development of story themes, supplemented with a background in Chinese theories of literature and comparative study between Chinese and Western literature. Knowledge of the Chinese language is required. 4 credits. Levels: Undergraduate
AAAS 273 - Chinese Civilization
A political, social, economic, and cultural survey of Chinese history from the beginnings of Chinese civilization in the second millennium BCE to the end of the Ming dynasty. Topics include the early formation of Chinese civilization, the flowering of philosophy during the Zhou, the impact of Buddhism, the impact of alien dynasties, changes in landholding, the southward expansion of Chinese culture, and the evolution of the examination system. Readings draw primarily from Chinese historical, philosophical, and literary texts in translation. 4 credits. Levels: Undergraduate
AAAS 272 - Island Culture:TaiwanFilm&Fict
This course presents an introduction to the film and fiction of modern Taiwan. We will carefully read, discuss, and interrogate several cinematic and literary works in which some of Taiwan's key historical, social, and cultural issues have been addressed, and we will familiarize ourselves with some of the academic scholarship on these works. Possible topics include Japanese colonialism; relations with mainland China (PRC); traditional family relations; sexuality; gender; race and identity; indigenous peoples; the impact of modernization and globalization; cinematic genres; literary genres; ideology; and other topics. Above all, we will endeavor to construct our dialogue with and interpretation of each film, short story, or novel. No prior knowledge of Taiwan's history and culture or Chinese language is required. 4 credits. Levels: Undergraduate
AAAS 274 - Late Imperial China
Survey of Chinese history from the beginning of Manchu rule (Qing dynasty) in 1644 to the present. Topics include state and society in High Qing; population pressures, corruption, and rebellion in the 19th Century; Western imperialism and attempts at reform; revolutionary movements; militarism and warlords; nationalism, Communism, and anti-imperialism; conflict and accomplishment during the People's Republic. Readings draw primarily from Chinese writings in translation, from government documents to novels. 4 credits. Levels: Undergraduate
After You Graduate
The Chinese major provides a student with a solid foundation in spoken Mandarin and also develops the student’s written and oral communication skills, critical-thinking skills, and overall cultural awareness.
Graduates may find employment in such fields and organizations as teaching, museum and other arts organizations, foreign service, community organizations and activism, NGOs, information technologies, translation and interpretation, journalism, international aid, think tanks and research organizations, etc. Students who graduate with this degree are also well-positioned to pursue a myriad of graduate degrees.
