Chinese Studies

First year

Second year

Meer info

Objectives
Programme
Master’s thesis and requirements for graduation

2009-2010

Objectives

Successful completion of the programme equips students with:

• an excellent command of Mandarin, and – for certain specialisations – of Premodern
  Chinese;

• extensive knowledge of China and insight into its internal and external dynamics;

• starting points for contextualising China within Asia;

• the ability to comment on China from different angles (e.g. Western Europe) for both
  specialist and general audiences, and to act as cultural mediators;

• insight into the history of Chinese Studies and its current development, as well as its
  interfaces with various disciplines (e.g. anthropology, [art] history, linguistics,
  literature, religious studies) and its social relevance;

• insight into disciplinary thinking;

• good analytical skills;

• insight into concepts, terminology and methodology as dictated by regionaldisciplinary
  specialisation, as well as some experience in their application;

• research experience: the ability to locate, evaluate and use source materials, professional
  literature and research tools and techniques, as well as training in the oral and written
  presentation of results, both for monitoring purposes and for reporting in various
  professional settings.

The programme aims to raise students to a level of knowledge and skills that allows them
to proceed to PhD research. Alternatively, graduates qualify for positions outside the
university that require an academic level of thinking.

Programme

Preparations for year 1 (in situ) are time-consuming. Students should apply for this
programme as early as possible, preferably before 1 February and not later than 15
March. After this date, placement at a university in China/Taiwan for the MA-1 year
cannot be guaranteed.

Structure

The Master in Chinese Studies is divided into two parts.

• First Year

The first year of the programme consists of intensive language acquisition in China
or Taiwan. Applicants whose command of Chinese is assessed by the department as
sufficient for program entry in year 2 are exempt from year 1 and enter the programme
in its second year.

During the first year, the focus is on language acquisition. Students take special nonnative
speaker courses and – if their language skills are sufficient – courses from the
regular programme. The department of Chinese Studies has considerable experience
in administering such in situ modules at National Taiwan Normal University, Peking
University and other institutions in China and Taiwan.
Course levels in situ range from beginner to near-native. Students sign up for the
appropriate level on the basis of recent scores in internationally recognised tests of
Chinese as a foreign language, or examinations held at the beginning of the academic
year. Courses are conducted entirely in Chinese, with the obvious exception of
translation from and into English. In most, if not all courses, group size ranges from
small (4 or 5 students) to medium (about 15 students), with up to 20 or 25 contact
hours a week. Language pedagogy aims at giving students as much content exposure as
possible. Courses may include training in Chinese as it is used in radio and TV bulletins,
conversation, writing, Premodern Chinese, short stories, and translation.

• Second Year

The second year takes place in Leiden. Students join a Master’s Class in Asian Studies,
which concentrates on themes of scholarly significance across the region. Continued
language training in the second year aims at an excellent command of Mandarin, and of
Premodern Chinese for those whose research interest requires it, and focuses especially
on broad and practical applications to the situations in which graduates often find
themselves in their professional lives. Topics may include legal, commercial and political
language use, language use on Internet, and language and the new media. A state-of-thefield
seminar offers students context for their respective regional specialisations. Current
scholarly discussions in Chinese Studies are linked to the critical evaluation of primary
source materials.

In topical readings, a coherent series of Chinese texts are analysed according to a single
theme, such as environmental problems or foreign policy. A writing course provides the
students with more in-depth practice in written language skills, and focuses on basic
skills such as taking minutes, reporting and correspondence.

Master’s thesis and requirements for graduation

In order to graduate, students must have successfully completed the 120 ects programme
and have completed their final thesis as a component of that programme. The
programme is concluded with a master’s thesis based on original individual research.
Students are supervised individually by staff members of the department.
The thesis for the Chinese Studies master’s programme carries 15 ects, and as a rule
contains a maximum of 10,000 words including notes, bibliography and appendices.
Also see: hum.leiden.edu/students/regulations.jsp.

Graduation dates and procedure

Graduation dates 2009-2010 – Last date to hand in grades
Vr 11 December 2009 – Wo 11 November 2009
Vr 26 March 2010 – Wo 24 February 2010
Vr 18 June 2010 – Wo 19 May 2010
Vr 27 August 2010 – Wo 16 June 2010 [early due to summer-recess]
Vr 24 September 2010 – Wo 25 August 2010

Graduation procedure

When you have finished all (obligatory) courses/parts of the MA-programme, you must individually apply for graduation on one of the specific graduation dates (see above). The graduation itself is pro forma; it is not an actual exam.
At least one month before the graduation date, you must contact the student-administration in the Arsenaal room 012 or 011. The administration will check whether you have passed all courses required for graduation and will issue you with a transcript of your study results. This transcript needs to be signed by the secretary of the examinations committee.
At the latest 3 weeks before the graduation date (this is a hard deadline!) you have to register in person for the graduation exam at the Beadle’s Office (Bureau Pedel). The following documentation is required: a signed transcript of study results (mentioned above) and a copy of your BA degree. You also need to show a valid ID.
If there is a big gap in time between the date of finishing the last part of the programme and the actual graduation date, or if you have questions about your graduation, please contact the study-coordinator in time. If you miss the last graduation date on 24 September 2010, you will have to register again at LU for (part of) 2010-2011 to be able to graduate in the new academic year.
The graduation ceremony takes place at the Academy-building. You will receive a short personal speech by (a) member(s) of the department / examination committee and will then be presented with your Master-diploma. You are very welcome to bring family and friends!

Studentadministration
Arsenal, room 012
secrchin@hum.leidenuniv.nl
071-527 2524

Study-coordinator
Ms. Anneke Amir
Arsenal, room 005
a.b.amir@hum.leidenuniv.nl
071-527 2518

Examinations committee
Chair: Prof. Stefan Landsberger
Secretary: Dr. Paul van Els
Arsenal,
examencommissieTCC@hum.leidenuniv.nl
071-527 2595

Beadle’s Office / Bureau Pedel
Academy-building, Rapenburg 67-73, Leiden
pedel@ics.leidenuniv.nl
071-527 7211