Curriculum Overview The Harbin Chinese Language curriculum is designed to provide intermediate and advanced students the flexibility and individual attention they need. Students focus both on breadth and accuracy by taking a combination of individual and small group classes that total an intensive 20 class hours per week.
Students with more than four years of previous language study may be eligible for Harbin's Research Track, an option that allows highly advanced students the chance to focus on guided research.
One-on-One Tutorial The
CET Harbin one-on-one tutorial is the only one of its kind among
language programs in China. The tutorial offers advanced-intermediate
and advanced students of Chinese the chance to explore in-depth topics
of their own choosing. One-on-one's are conducted under the supervision
of professors and experts in the relevant field selected from among
Harbin's many universities and institutes of higher learning.
During
the application process, students enlist the help of either their
academic advisor or a professor of their field of interest to provide
guidance in designing the tutorial topic. Students suggest specific
materials for their topics as well as methods of study. One-on-one
classes can also incorporate lectures, field trips and on-site
inspections of related facilities. Once topics are approved by both the
applicant's advisor and the Harbin staff, instructors are chosen for
the tutorials based on their teaching experience and level of
expertise. Students have used the tutorials for a number of different
purposes, and research done in Harbin has been the source of both
graduate and undergraduate theses.
In
addition to completing regular written assignments, all students report
on their progress in structured oral midterm exams. These presentations
take place before a team of faculty.
Past one-on-one tutorial topics include:
Chinese Herbal Medicine
Chinese Women Authors
Peking Opera Performance
Daoist Interpretations of and Influence on Chinese Art
Politics of Economic Reform
Readings from Archeological Journals
History of Harbin
China's Relationship with Vietnam
Chinese Urban Growth and Land Cover Change
Problems in Chinese-American Joint Ventures
China's Ethnic Minorities
Etymology of Chinese Characters
Chinese Myths and Fairy Tales
The Cultural Revolution in Manchuria
What really makes CET-Harbin are the one-on-one
tutorial and roommate programs. I would advise new CET students to pick
a one-one-one topic they really like and put everything they have into
studying it. The one-on-one program is an incredible opportunity; one
CET students should make the most of." - John Cale, a former CET Harbin
student Back to top
The One-on-Two Drill The
one-on-two drill is a unique class involving one teacher for every two
students. It is different from a regular drill class in that vocabulary and grammar are not the main focus. Instead, using drills and language practica, the class targets individual student problems with pronunciation,
tones, fluidity and diction. Students frequently cite the
one-on-two as the class that contributes most to the improvement of
language skills!
Small Group Classes Students
are offered an array of small group electives, such as Business
Chinese, Chinese Newpaper, Classical Chinese, Composition, Selected
Readings in Modern Literature, Conversation and Research Topics for Advanced Learners. Many of these classes
involve outings that enhance in-class material. For example, students
in the Chinese Newspaper class might visit a newspaper office and
interview journalists. Business Chinese students might attend a panel
discussion of local entrepreneurs. Small group classes average 4 to 5 students per class.
Back to top Research Track Designed for advanced learners of Chinese, particularly those who are enrolled, or are planning to enroll, in a graduate program, the research track allows students to conduct guided thesis research under the direction of a Chinese faculty member.
To be eligible for the research track, students must have completed at least four years of university-level Chinese or the equivalent. While preliminary acceptance to the research track is provided upon application to the program, the Harbin Academic Director gives final approval after students have arrived on site. Students who are not accepted to research track due to Chinese level may be accepted to the regular Harbin track.
Students work with their thesis advisors in the US to design research goals and compile a reading list of Chinese language materials. In Harbin, students are assigned an instructor who is a specialist in the chosen field of study. Students spend eight hours per week in their one-on-one tutorials (double the hours of non-research track students). In addition to completing regular written assignments and midterm and final papers, students report on the results of their research to a team of faculty in structured oral midterm exams. Graduate students with advanced language skills are particularly encouraged to elect this track.
Research
track students also take two small group classes of their choice. For one of those classes, students are encouraged to take an intensive Classical Chinese class to further
prepare them for future research in China. Both beginning and
advanced levels of Classical Chinese are offered.
Considering the importance of
Chinese as a tool of my academic fieldwork, the one-on-one research
class exactly corresponded to my request. . . . My teacher brought me
to some small villages for interviews and introduced me to many helpful
people for my future fieldwork. Thanks to her help, I finally
determined my research site." - Mun Young Cho, a former CET Harbin
student
Back to top Language Class Placement Upon
applying to the program, all students are assigned preliminary
placement in
language classes based upon proficiency as demonstrated in their
application materials. After arriving in China, students take a
placement examination with both oral and written components. Any
student who feels that his/her placement is inappropriate is encouraged
to speak with the Academic Director after completing at least one day
of classes.
Language Pledge This
element of the Harbin program was made permanent after students in the
Spring 1994 term voluntarily decided to speak only Chinese, even with
each other. The results were so positive that all Harbin students are
now required to speak Chinese only, from the end of orientation to the
end of graduation. Students agree that the language pledge is a
critical learning tool. As one recent Harbin student wrote, "It was the
most helpful part of the program. Without it, I would have learned half
of what I did."
At first I thought that when you missed one word and [inserted it into the sentence] in English, it would be alright, but clearly this opens the floodgates for more English. After visiting another language pledge program, I realized that this thought process couldn't work. And, that CET Harbin was the most enforced language pledge (especially by the students themselves)! - Virginia Lachman, a former CET Harbin student
Back to top Heritage Learners Every
term CET accepts into its programs students who have acquired one or
more Chinese language skills (usually speaking) from their home
environment. CET has many ways to accommodate these students. In the
past, we have provided additional "character writing" one-on-one
tutorials or arranged special classes for groups of learners with
similar needs. CET's curriculum is flexible and can be tailored to meet
the specific needs of diverse learners.
January Term Based
at the same campus as the Beijing Chinese Lanugage program, CET's
January Term is designed for students who have studied at least three
semesters of college-level Chinese and emphasizes the link between
inside classroom study and outside language use. The program is an
excellent way to "warm up" for the spring term in Harbin. Click here for more information about January Term.
Credits and Transcripts CET
intends for Harbin students to cover at least one year of college-level Chinese during
the fall and spring terms, and slightly less than that during the summer term. CET does not award credit for its programs. Instead, students
are issued transcripts and must apply for credit at their home
institution. Click here for more information about credits and transcripts.
