Studying Japanese or Mandarin (Putonghua)

I am pursuing a five-year degree at a Scottish university and am interested in attending foreign language modules at summer schools at one of our Japanese or Chinese exchange partners. Both offer double modules (30 credits) over six weeks from mid-July until end-August to learn the respective language. Chinese is also offered as an elective at the university, available to students of all programmes and comprising six 15-credit modules (Mandarin I to IV).

Hence, spending three summers abroad and completing a double module there each summer should add up to the same level of command as six semesters of consecutive modules here.

How well will one speak Mandarin (or Japanese) after taking classes totalling 90 credits?

SOAS requires Japanese, Korean, or Mandarin students to complete 60 credits of language modules in the first and thirty in the second year before sending them abroad for the compulsory exchange programme. So, 90 credits may be a lot.

Nonetheless, many scholars stress that both languages are so alien to native English speakers that much longer studies are required.

What is your impression if you study one of these two languages or Korean? Are 90 credits enough (for instance, for living in one of these countries and pursuing doctoral studies in one's main subject there) or just a starting point?

Would you recommend studying them as an elective alongside your major subject(s) during the academic year or completing intensive language modules over the summer abroad and trying to sustain your spoken skills by dropping in at a Confucius institute at your university to engage in weekly talks with native speakers and read newspapers, etc.?

Thank you for all your suggestions. :smile:

Reply 1

fishpool

I would recommend to find some introductory videos about two languages, e.g., the usual words, some characteristic， (There are four pronunciations in Chinese, etc.) and to have a basic comparison to see in which one you are interested!
btw if you've decided to choose to study Mandarin maybe I could help you in some areas :biggrin: