Major in Chinese Literature
This field explores all aspects of Chinese culture from antiquity to the present day, focusing principally on Chinese classical literature, contemporary literature, and Chinese language studies. Students will develop their understanding of this dynamic country from multiple perspectives, including history, thought, society, and performing arts, while training their practical Chinese language skills.
Overview
The three pillars of the Department of Chinese literature are classical Chinese literature, modern Chinese literature, and the study of the Chinese language. The department covers the entirety of Chinese culture, past and present, and includes its history, philosophy, society, and art forms. Our methodologies are wide and varied in application and can range from analyses of literary works to practical and theoretical linguistics and even research into specific individuals.
In the master’s program, students gain a general understanding of Chinese culture while, at the same time, pursue a research theme of their own choosing. At the doctoral level, students use the foundational knowledge gained at the master’s level to perform more specialized research and present their findings at academic conferences. Students also have ample opportunities to study abroad in China and Taiwan for extended periods of time. Many use these valuable experiences abroad to improve their Chinese language proficiency and deepen their understanding of Chinese culture and its traditions and customs.
The Department of Chinese literature has an outstanding track record for producing graduates who go onto careers as research experts and academic faculty in Chinese language and literature. With China’s growing global presence, many others go onto to work in government and private industry.