China Studies

Please refer to the course planner for information on prerequisites.

China Studies offers flexible and tailor-made programmes including:

• Following 4 Chinese language and culture courses as a minor (if a student starts from a higher-level language course, other content courses can be counted as well in order to fulfil the requirement for a minor);

• Following China Studies as a track (e.g. two level 1 courses including ‘Introduction to China’ and ‘Introduction to Chinese Language and Culture’; A bridge beyond the West: Encountering China (UCINTCHI23) or one level 2 course at UCU or at a Chinese university during exchange; one level 3 course at UCU ‘Identity Construction in East Asian philosophy, literature and films’, or at a Chinese university during exchange);

• Completing all the courses in China Studies in order to continue with a China-related Master's programme;

• Following one Chinese language course to fulfil the foreign language (& culture) requirement.

Suggested Scheduling

Students may choose to start the track either from the fall semester or the spring semester during their first year. Please see the following scheduling options:

Option 1

• First year
  • Fall: Introduction to Chinese Language and Culture
  • Spring: Chinese II & Introduction to China
• Second year
  • Fall: Chinese III & Encountering China
  • Spring: Chinese IV & Identity Construction 
• Third year
• (Choose exchange destination)

Option 2

• First year
  • Spring: Introduction to China
• Second year
  • Fall: Introduction to Chinese Language and Culture & Encountering China
  • Spring: Chinese II & Identity Construction 
• Third year
  • Fall: Chinese III
  • Spring: Chinese IV

China Studies is for students who are interested in the language, culture, literature, philosophy, politics, history, economy and society of China. Because China Studies is a form of area studies, it uses several disciplines, like anthropology, language and culture studies, political science or other social sciences to look at China. Students can choose their own focus within the possibilities of the China track.

Both China Studies (track) and Chinese Studies (minor in Chinese Language and Culture) can be easily combined with other disciplines, as a background, an eye-opener, or an aid to set specific research focus within the student’s own field. China Studies also offers support to interdisciplinary research or thesis writing.

There is also the possibility to take a minor in Chinese Language & Culture. The minor comprises the following courses:

• UCHUMCHI11 — Introduction to Chinese Language and Culture

• UCHUMCHI22 — Chinese Language and Culture II

• UCHUMCHI32 — Chinese Language and Culture III

• UCHUMCHI33 — Chinese Language and Culture IV

Please note: 

• All language courses teach Mandarin, which is the official language in mainland China (also spoken in Taiwan and among the Chinese groups in other Asian countries), and the simplified characters.

• If a student starts from a higher-level language course, other content courses can be counted as well in order to fulfill the requirement for a minor.

Below you can find more information about exchange destinations that can be part of the China Studies programme.

• Tsinghua University (Beijing)
• Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (Suzhou) (Summer Courses also available)
• The University of Hong Kong
• The Chinese University of Hong Kong
• Lingnan University (Hong Kong)

One of our students went to Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University to do her China Studies' master. She did an interview with the University. Read her story here. 

Our Chinese Language and Culture courses are open to all UCU and UU students.

For visiting students from other institutions, please refer to this page for the general application procedure.

For UU students, your admission is by permission of UCU China Studies Fellow, Dr. Meiyi Bao. 

Please send the following documents to m.bao@uu.nl at least two weeks before the course starts:

•  A motivation letter (can be an email) indicating your genuine interest in the course, your willingness to comply with UCU's study regulations regarding attendance (see below for detailed regulations) and how this course could fit in your study plan (Please be aware that UCU offers two semesters instead of four blocks. See exact dates in the course outlines).

• Proof of English proficiency level.

Art. 4.5–Attendance obligation and obligation to perform to the best of one’s ability

• Students are required to attend all classes, including any additional academic activities, as indicated in the course syllabus.

• If students have a compelling reason for missing a class session, they must inform the course instructor and their tutor.

• A student who is absent for more than 25% of class sessions will be considered having not completed the requirements of the course. The student will not receive credit for the course and the grade for the course will be registered as an F. Exceptions are stipulated in Osiris course outlines.

• A course instructor may deduct letter grades for absence from class as indicated in the course syllabus.

• Class sessions that take place before a student enrolls in a course count towards attendance requirements.

Dutch and international universities offer Master's programmes in China Studies, including our exchange partners in Hong Kong and XJTLU in Suzhou.

By completing the entire track of China Studies at University College Utrecht, students will receive 52,5 ECTS. If students wish to continue with a research master, by taking the Master's programme at Leiden University for example, the possible requirements are as follows:

• Reach a language level of HSK 4;

• Receive 30 ECTS in China-related fields of history, art, culture, politics, society or economy, which students could do by either following two China-related courses during exchange or by writing their thesis in a China-related field.

For the definite requirements, please consult the university you would like to apply to.

In the past, students who finished the China track have pursued different Master’s programmes relating to China. A few examples:

• MSc degree in International Affairs at the London School of Economics/Peking University

• MSc in International Management for China at the School of Oriental and African Studies

• LLM Law and Chinese at Edinburgh University

• MSc Contemporary Asian Studies at the University of Amsterdam

• MA Modern Chinese Studies at the University of Oxford

Some students took a gap year after University College Utrecht and studied for one year at a Chinese university on a scholarship.