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College of Humanities and Social Sciences 
Department of World Languages and Cultures

Chinese Studies

Our expanding range of Chinese and Asian studies courses help to prepare students for the transnational workplace of the 21st century.

Program Overview

Courses in Chinese studies offer great opportunities for students at NC State to learn the fundamental aspects of communication in the official language used in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau and Singapore.

Chinese characters are the oldest continuously used writing system in the world, and Mandarin is one of the official languages of the United Nations. Mandarin language skills are a gateway to participation in one of the most politically and economically important regions of the world. There are nearly two times as many native speakers of Mandarin as there are citizens of the European Union. There are more people with the surname Zhang than there are speakers of French.

Chinese courses at NC State also include studies of Chinese history, pre-modern and modern Chinese literature, the cinemas of Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, and Contemporary popular culture. These courses are offered in both Chinese and English, helping students to broaden their horizons through cross-cultural understanding and critical analysis. Our Asian Studies courses also respond to the needs of the larger Research Triangle community. The state of North Carolina is one of the most culturally diverse in the nation and Raleigh is gaining recognition as a cosmopolitan center of trade and innovation in which familiarity with Asian languages and cultural practices is becoming increasingly important. 

Minor in Chinese Studies

The minor in Chinese studies is a formal recognition at graduation of the achievement of learning Chinese language and culture at the intermediate level. It is designed for students who wish to continue further study or do business with Chinese people worldwide. Requirements for the minor include five courses (15 hours) from the Department of World Languages and Cultures and another department such as History, Political Science, and Philosophy and Religious Studies.

Minor curriculum
Chinese courses

How Chinese Can Meet Your Degree Requirements

The first and second semesters of Chinese (FLC101-102) may satisfy NC State’s foreign language requirement. The third semester of Chinese (FLC 201) may satisfy the language requirement of the College of Humanities & Social Science, the College of Management and the First Year College.

Faculty

Nathaniel Isaacson
Assistant Professor, Chinese Language and Literature
Section Coordinator, Chinese Studies
Email: nkisaacs@ncsu.edu
Office: Withers 208
Ph.D. UCLA, Asian Languages and Cultures, 2010

Hannah S Young
Senior Lecturer, specialty in Chinese Linguistics and Literature
Email: qqsfll@ncsu.edu
Office: Withers 213
Phone: 919-515-9290
Ph.D. Equivalent, Liaoning University, PRC, 1988

Chinese Studies faculty
Asian Language faculty