Chinese GCE A Level

Chinese GCE A Level

Qualification: AS/A2 - 2 year course

Course type: Level 3 (advanced)

Entry requirements:
4 x GCSE B Grades or above. For AS Chinese you will need a GCSE pass grade in Chinese if you are not a native speaker. If you are a native speaker of Chinese and can read and write at a reasonable level then a GCSE is not necessary.

Head of Department: John Ranson

Course assessment:
At AS you will be assessed through one three hour exam. There is no coursework though homework will be set regularly. It will test your reading and writing skills and your ability to translate into Chinese as well as your ability to translate from Chinese into English.

At A2 you will be assessed through another three hour exam. Again there will be no coursework but homework will be set. This exam will test your reading, writing and translation skills as well as your knowledge of Chinese culture, history, politics, geography, religion and literature. You can prepare your essay before you go into the exam, taking the essay plan in with you.

What can this course offer me?
China is rapidly becoming one of the world's most powerful economies after centuries of relative isolation. More people speak Mandarin Chinese than any other language and it is becoming more widespread, particularly around the Pacific rim. The culture and politics of China are incredibly varied, the country is vast with equally varied environments and the language is utterly different to any of those in Europe. Studying Chinese is a fantastically challenging and rewarding experience, and such a study helps you understand the many perceptions of the Chinese people.

What will I learn?
Beginners classes assume you have had no prior experience of Chinese; while Intermediate and GCSE classes are available for those who have studied Chinese at secondary school. AS and A2 Chinese is also available for native speakers or suitable advanced learners. The courses are practical, contemporary Chinese, though at A2 you will study aspects of Chinese literature, politics, philosophy, history and geography. Each year the College runs a three week study-tour of China, based in Beijing and Xian. It is open to all students but should be of special interest to those studying Chinese.

What Makes a good Chinese student?
You must be interested in and willing to be challenged by language; Chinese is a tonal language, ie the meaning of words varies according to the tone. There is no alphabet and individual characters have to be learned.

Which other courses link well with this subject?
Given the current growth and global influence of China, all subjects go well with Chinese- which areas of modern life do not require interpreters and translators? As China grows in influence what aspect of life can we afford to overlook?

Future Opportunities
Chinese can lead to a growing variety of combined degrees as well as the single degree in the language. It can be combined with Business, Management, Asia-Pacific Studies, Religious Studies, Philosophy, Politics, History, Linguistics. It can lead to jobs in teaching, research, business, management, tourism, politics, translation (legal, political, diplomatic, business, trade, media) and travel. With the economy growing at its current rate China is set to be a major global power and knowing the language will help you understand the country and its people.

Is there anything else I need to know?
Chinese will fit in with any subject. It is not an Indo-European language but a Sino-Tibetan language and as such is initially very difficult to for us to study. Learning Chinese will challenge the way you think and the way you perceive the world and is worth studying for its own sake - also more people speak Chinese than any other language (English is more widely spoken but has fewer speakers).