Admission requirements
Admission to an MA (60 EC or 120 EC) in the Faculty of Humanities
Description
This course explores milestones and recurrent themes in the study of Chinese scripts and examines their import
for the field of linguistics. We will trace developments in the Chinese character script, review its influence on other writing systems, and study the impact of printing and digital revolutions. We will also investigate alternative written modes in the sinophone world, including Chinese calligraphy, ludic writing, alphabetical orthographies and linguistic systems of transcription.
Course objectives
Close reading and discussion of pertinent texts will be combined with assignments on their contents.
Students will
increase systemic knowledge about Chinese scripts and transcriptions;
learn to assess their linguistic import; expand relevant technical vocabulary in Chinese and in English;
analyze complex scholarly arguments;
compare different positions and traditions with original observations;
present oral and written reports;
and actively participate in group discussions in English.
Timetable
The timetables are available through My Timetable.
Mode of instruction
Lectures on specific topics, discussion about the readings.
Assessment method
Assessment and weighing
| Partial Assessment | Weighing |
|---|---|
| In-class participation & contributions | 15% |
| Oral presentation | 15% |
| Three written assignments | 30% |
| Term paper | 40% |
The final grade consists of the weighted average of all course components. In order to pass the course, students need a pass mark (“voldoende”, i.e. “5.50” or higher) for the course as a whole and minimally a 5 for the term paper.
Resit
Only if the total weighted average is insufficient (5.49 or lower) and the insufficient grade is the result of an insufficient term paper or if the term paper is graded lower than 5.0, a resit of the paper is possible (40%). In that case the convener of the course may assign a (new) topic and give a new deadline.
A resit of the other partial assessments is not possible.
Exam Review
Students may request an oral elucidation of the assessment within 30 days after publication of the grade.
Reading list
The texts are selected from Chinese and general grammatology, linguistics, lexicography, etymology and language
education.
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory.
Contact
- For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar. For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Vrieshof