The Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures (DEALL) at The Ohio State University offers a varied program in Chinese (Mandarin) language. Under the directorship of Professor Galal Walker, DEALL's Chinese Language Program is nationally recognized for the quality of its language instruction. Information on scholarships and financial aid are available from our university's East Asian Studies Center as well as our US/China Links home page.
The Chinese Language Program includes 5 levels of instruction in 3 formats: Individualized Instruction, Intensive classroom, and Regular classroom (five hours per week). In addition to the information below on our program, see also the Aims, Procedures, and Policy concerning Chinese Language Study at DEALL. Do also visit our Chinese Language Courses Home Page -- which also houses the Chinese Individualized Instruction Home Page -- and our Summer Programs East Asian Concentration (SPEAC) Home Page for Chinese language courses that are offered during the current academic year, with links to course pages where applicable.
Beginning
First Level: (1101-1102: Individualized, Intensive, Regular). You are introduced to basic conversational Mandarin. By the end of the course you will be able to converse on personal matters and will be familiar with the foundations of the Chinese writing system.
Intermediate
(1102: Individualized; 210,310 510: Intensive, Regular; 211,311,511: Intensive, Regular)
Spoken Track ( Au 210, Wi 310, Sp 510). You continue to develop conversational skills through textbook dialogues and films. You will learn to engage in extensive conversations and make presentations in Chinese.
Written Language Track (Au 211, Wi 311, Sp 511). Starting from the ability to read and write what you can speak and comprehend, you will steadily develop the capacity to read from Chinese publications and compose extensive descriptive narrations and personal letters.
Advanced
Fourth Level (CH.610-12: Intensive, Regular). You move away from language textbooks into original Chinese texts and films. Emphasis is placed on developing a high level of reading, writing, speaking, and listening comprehension.
Fifth Level (CH 751-753 Regular). This series of courses allows the exceptional undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to immerse themselves in the cultural discourses of contemporary China through discussion of texts and broadcast media that reflect current intellectual concerns of Greater China.
Classical Chinese (CH.601-603; 804-806: Regular). DEALL offers two years of classical Chinese. You learn to read passages from Confucian texts, prose essays, and classical poetry.
Intensive Chinese. First Level and Fourth Level courses are offered in the Summer. Second Level and Third Level can be covered in AU-WI-SP Quarters. Thus, you can complete four levels of instruction (60 credit hours) in as few as 15 months.
Individualized Instruction. You can pursue the study of Chinese on a self-paced, one-to-one teacher/student basis in Individualized Instruction through the 104 level.
Study Abroad
Study Abroad: DEALL offers several different opportunities for extended study in the People's Republic of China, including a well-established exchange program with Beijing Language and Culture University (formerly, the Beijing Language Institute), and a newer exchange with Qingdao Ocean University in Shandong. For more information on the exchange program in Shandong, do visit the US/China Links home page, maintained at our National Foreign Language Center Web site.
Students' Comments
"Upon starting my first quarter in Chinese, I immediately realized the intensity of learning going on in this class. It's challenging but at the same time, the teachers don't let any of the students fall behind. They give no choice to students but to learn what's going on, and nothing is ever overlooked. One of the best aspects of these classes is that they are held every day, and consist of only about an average of twelve students. . . I really feel like I'm making great leaps in this language that previously, I had no experience with."
"Overall, I am impressed with the way this university chooses to teach this language. . . I am excited to continue learning Chinese at Ohio State until I graduate. . ."
". . . I've found all the Chinese courses I've taken so far to be fun, interesting, and fulfilling."