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Chinese Applicants 2014

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Sorry if I worried you; I just felt that people should know what was going on there.

Of course you can still take modules from other departments. We do six modules a year, so with the culture module and double language module, that makes 3 modules, then I believe you take at least 2 modules in history, and/or a lot of people do another language; it's quite flexible.

I myself am a Modern Languages student (i.e. not Chinese studies- it's a bit different) and I'm only taking the language module so I can't really speak for the other modules. However if I were to do cultural modules I would have expected a little more than one! Maybe to do with literature?

Our class in the first term was maybe 26, then it was reduced to about 20 when all the first years were moved down, and I don't know how big the first year class was/is.

I hope this reassures you a bit. I feel that with every year that goes by, it does improve. If you have any other questions, I could perhaps ask people who are doing Chinese Studies. In any case, Durham is a great university :smile:

Reply 61

Blargh1

Original post by lookingoutofthewindow

Just a note for those intending to study Chinese at Durham. It's probably too late now for anyone this year but for anyone in the future:

- The department is quite new, although I have heard that it claims it has been open longer. It has, as it was open until maybe about 10 years ago, and then it reduced its modules, only offering modules alongside other subjects and evening classes. It basically only started running as a full course two years ago.

- As such, there have been some teething problems. There are only a few teachers and the course itself is still ironing out difficulties. There aren't that many modules to take yet- only one cultural one per year with modules in Chinese history available in the history department, whereas other Modern Languages have between 3 and about 8 cultural modules to choose from.

- There is also no post A-level class. Anyone who comes in with an A-Level is put into the second-year class for the first term then moved down to the first year beginners' class. Class sizes are big as a result.

Of course they are working on fixing these problems for future students, but I would warn people to err on the side of caution and maybe enquire at open days.

Source: I am in the second year class this year 2013-2014.

Ahhh you've worried me a bit there too! The deadline for UCAS decisions was at the beginning of May :s-smilie:

What sort of "teething problems" are there? How is the quality of the language teaching itself?

Reply 62

lookingoutofthewindow

Original post by Blargh1

Ahhh you've worried me a bit there too! The deadline for UCAS decisions was at the beginning of May :s-smilie:

What sort of "teething problems" are there? How is the quality of the language teaching itself?

Sorry

Well, like I said, there are only a few teachers. The same two teachers teach both 1st and 2nd years, and the size of the classes has led to issues such as lack of formative work. We did homework in the first term but not in the second, when we had moved on to a new textbook which was much more difficult.

If you are interested, our textbooks are Chinese in Steps 1 and 2 in first year and 3 in second year first term, then Learning About China from Newspapers Book 1 and Snowballing Chinese. The newspapers book in particular was difficult; a few students have been unhappy with the choice of book and pace of going through it, which was maybe a little too fast.

That said, I feel that my Chinese has improved a lot this year. I'm pretty happy with my level at the moment, we have a good grasp of grammar, but sometimes I felt we didn't consolidate enough and that we had to study topics which were above our level.

Reply 63

maria:)

Hello, I have been accepted at the University of Nottingham for Chinese Studies and International Relations. I was wondering if there are nottigham students, studying this course or a similar one, who could tell me about the modules and how the lectures are like.

Thanks :smile:

Reply 64

aaaj95

Original post by maria:)