Summer: Rutgers- Intensive Mandarin in Beijing
The Program
Take intensive Chinese language courses for six weeks at the Beijing Languages and Cultures University (BLCU), the premiere institute for Chinese language study.
Supplement your language learning with a course in Chinese Calligraphy and conduct guided research in an area of Chinese Studies. Participate in program excursions in and around Beijing to sites such as the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, as well as longer weekend tours outside the city. Past tours have visited Tianjin and Shandong.
Program Location
China
Beijing
Beijing, the capital of China sits on North China Plain. It is flanked by mountains to the north and west, which shield the city from the encroaching desert steppes. It is the political, educational, and cultural center of China and the nation's most populous city with over 15 million residents and 4.5 million cars. The architecture reflects the city’s ever-changing persona. Here you will find the stark Soviet-like monuments and buildings, glittering temples, traditional gardens and modern skyscrapers—all packed into one city.
Academics
Students may enroll in up to three courses totaling 9 credits from the following list
- Chinese Language (Required for all students): Beginners, Intermediate, or Advanced, pending placement at the start of the program (4 credits)
- Chinese Calligraphy elective (2 credits)
- Guided Research in China elective (3 credits)
Students have the option of taking 4,6,7 or 9 credits.
Classes are taught by experienced professional Chinese language teachers from the Beijing Languages and Culture University. Language classes meet five times a week. Calligraphy classes meet two days a week. The Guided Research in China course meets weekly at specially arranged times. Regular attendance is expected. You will also have the option of arranging private tutoring with a local BLCU student. It is not possible to take classes not-for-credit, nor is it possible to take classes as Pass/Fail.
Language Pledge
The goal of the Intensive Mandarin in Beijing program is to immerse students in the Chinese language. For this reason, you will be asked to pledge to speak only Chinese during the entire length of the program.
For information about study abroad credit transfer, registration, and transcripts please visit the Academics section of our website.
Excursions
The program itinerary includes several group excursions, designed to enhance student learning about Chinese history, culture, and contemporary society. Past excursions have included sites and monuments of cultural importance, including the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven, the Great Wall, and Summer Palace, the 798 Arts District, Tianjin, and Shandong.
Housing and Meals
TBD
Scholarships
Faculty Leader
Ms. Zhu, Lìhui (Zhu Laoshi) has been teaching Chinese in the Rutgers Department of Asian Languages and Cultures for 20 years. She has assisted with the summer program in Beijing in past years.
She is experienced in leading our student programs in China and maintains close contact with Beijing Languages and Cultures University in organizing and administering the program.
Email Ms. Zhu at: lihuizhu@rutgers.edu