Bachelor of Arts in Chinese: Concentration in Chinese Integrated Teacher Education Program
The Chinese ITEP concentration offers a streamlined pathway for students to earn both a Bachelor of Arts in Chinese and a California Single Subject Teaching Credential in a total of five years or fewer. This integrated program combines advanced Chinese language study with professional coursework and field experiences in K–12 education, preparing students to become credentialed teachers in dual language immersion and world language programs across California.
This concentration is aimed at heritage speakers or students with existing Chinese language proficiency at the intermediate-mid or higher levels. Students with lower proficiency language skills can reach intermediate-level proficiency needed for this program after completing lower-division Chinese courses as part of a minor in Chinese Language or the major concentration in Chinese Language.
Designed to address the urgent statewide need for culturally competent, Mandarin-proficient educators, the ITEP concentration emphasizes real-world application, cross-cultural literacy, and career readiness. Students develop high-level skills in Chinese reading, writing, and speaking, while also completing pedagogical training in curriculum design, classroom assessment, and instructional strategies.
The program reflects SF State’s commitment to equity, community engagement, and workforce development. Through strong partnerships with local schools and embedded fieldwork opportunities, students gain early, hands-on teaching experience. The ITEP model reduces time-to-degree and increases affordability, helping students transition smoothly into teaching careers or further graduate study. This concentration is ideal for students who are passionate about language, education, and serving California’s diverse communities.
Program Learning Outcomes
- LANGUAGE SKILLS: Demonstrate low-advanced level mastery of spoken and written Chinese language.
- CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE: Compare and contrast the social conventions and cultural values of the target language with that of their native language.
- KNOWLEDGE OF LITERATURE: Analyze canonical literary texts and identify major literary genres in the target language.
- LANGUAGE STRUCTURE: Demonstrate familiarity with the synchronic structure and diachronic development of the target language.
- LEARNING ENVIRONMENT: Create and Maintain Effective Environments for Student Learning.
- INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN: Plan Instruction and Design Learning Experiences for All Students.
- ASSESSMENT: Assess Student Learning.
Chinese (B.A.): Concentration in Chinese Integrated Teacher Education Program – 60 units minimum
Intermediate-mid or higher levels of Chinese language proficiency expected. Please consult with a faculty advisor about language proficiency.
- Students are required to have a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.50 before starting credential coursework.
- All credential courses must be completed with a grade of B- or higher.
- CR grading is only acceptable for credential courses that only have CR/NC grading option.
Language Core (15 units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHIN 311 | Conversation and Reading | 3 |
| CHIN 312 | Speech and Writing | 3 |
| CHIN 401 | Advanced Chinese | 3 |
| Select One: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Classical Chinese | ||
| Readings in Literary Chinese | ||
| MLL 325 | Linguistics for Foreign Languages | 3 |
Civilization and Culture (3 units)
Select One:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHIN 228 | Chinese Language and Society | 3 |
| CHIN 270 | Writing China & the West: Written Communication and Cross-Cultural Encounters in Word and Image | 3 |
| CHIN/HUM 271 | The Classic Chinese Novel in Contemporary Pop Culture | 3 |
Media Literacy (3 units)
Select One:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHIN/JOUR 410 | Building Chinese Media Literacy | 3 |
| CHIN 411/I R 413/JOUR 411 | Media Chinese | 3 |
Content Course (3 units)
Select One:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHIN 521 | Chinese Modern Fiction | 3 |
| CHIN 537 | Chinese Language and Modern China | 3 |
| CHIN 580 | Topics in Modern Chinese Language and Literature | 3 |
Literature in Translation (3 units)
Select One:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHIN 600 | Topics in Chinese Language, Literature, and Culture in English | 3 |
| CHIN 601GW | The Poetic Tradition - GWAR | 3 |
| CHIN 602 | The Narrative Tradition | 3 |
| CHIN 611GW | The Revolutionary Tradition in Modern Chinese Literature - GWAR | 3 |
| CHIN 612GW | Negotiating Chineseness in the Late 20th and 21st Centuries - GWAR | 3 |
| HUM 530 | Chinese Civilization | 3 |
Graduation Writing Requirement (GWAR) (0-3 units)
Select a 600 level CHIN GWAR course if not already taken for the Literature in Translation requirement above.
Single Subject Teaching Credential (33 units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| S ED 640 | Supervised Observation and Participation in Public Schools | 3 |
| S ED 660 | Student Teaching - Single Subject | 9 |
| S ED 701 | Teaching for Equity in Secondary Schools | 3 |
| S ED 720 | Critical and Digital Literacy Across Content Areas | 3 |
| S ED 751 | Classroom Environment and Management | 3 |
| S ED 752 | Professional Perspectives and Practices | 3 |
| S ED 790 | Teaching Multilingual Learners in Secondary Schools | 3 |
| MLL 750 | Curriculum and Instruction I: World Languages | 3 |
| MLL 751 | Curriculum and Instruction II: Foreign Languages | 3 |
NOTE REGARDING STUDY ABROAD:
(applies to all Chinese degrees, concentrations, and minors)
Students are encouraged to study abroad through the International Programs of the California State University and the Bilateral Programs of San Francisco State University. For students opting to study abroad, all study abroad units will count as units in residence and can be used for graduation credit, but no more than half of the units required for the major or minor may be taken outside of the home campus. Flagship Language Concentration students, however, may apply all of their Study Abroad units towards the major.
General Education Requirements
| Requirement | Course Level | Units | Area Designation |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Composition | LD | 3 | 1A |
| Critical Thinking | LD | 3 | 1B |
| Oral Communication | LD | 3 | 1C |
| Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning | LD | 3 | 2 |
| Arts | LD | 3 | 3A |
| Humanities | LD | 3 | 3B |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences* | LD | 6 | 4 |
| Physical Science | LD | 3 | 5A |
| Biological Science | LD | 3 | 5B |
| Laboratory | LD | 1 | 5C |
| Ethnic Studies | LD or UD | 3 | 6 |
| Science or Math/Quantitative Reasoning | UD | 3 | 5UD or 2UD |
| Arts or Humanities | UD | 3 | 3UD |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences | UD | 3 | 4UD |
| *Students will fulfill USH through their Area 4 courses | |||
| SF State Studies | |||
| Courses certified as meeting the SF State Studies requirements may be upper or lower division in General Education (GE), a major or minor, or an elective. | |||
| American Ethnic and Racial Minorities | LD or UD | 3 | AERM |
| Environmental Sustainability and Climate Action | LD or UD | 3 | ESCA |
| Global Perspectives | LD or UD | 3 | GP |
| Social Justice | LD or UD | 3 | SJ |
| American Institutions | |||
| US and California Government | LD or UD | 3 | USG/CSLG |
Note: LD = Lower-Division; UD = Upper-Division.
First-Time Student Roadmap (4 Year)
The roadmaps presented in this Bulletin are intended as suggested plans of study and do not replace meeting with an advisor. For a more personalized roadmap, please use the Degree Planner tool found in your Student Center.
General Advising Information for Transfer Students
- Before transfer, complete as many lower-division requirements or electives for this major as possible.
- The following courses are not required for admission but are required for graduation. Students are strongly encouraged to complete these units before transfer; doing so will provide more flexibility in course selection after transfer.
- a course in U.S. History
- a course in U.S. & California Government
For information about satisfying the requirements described in (1) and (2) above at a California Community College (CCC), please visit http://www.assist.org. Check any geographically accessible CCCs; sometimes, options include more than one college. Use ASSIST to determine:
- Which courses at a CCC satisfy any lower-division major requirements for this major;
- Which courses at a CCC satisfy CSU GE, US History, and US & CA Government requirements.
Remedial courses are not transferable and do not apply to the minimum 60 semester units/90 quarter units required for admission.
Additional units for courses that are repeated do not apply to the minimum 60 units required for upper-division transfer (for example, if a course was not passed on the first attempt or was taken to earn a better grade).
Before leaving the last California Community College of attendance, obtain a summary of completion of lower-division General Education units (IGETC or CSU GE Breadth). This is often referred to as a GE certification worksheet. SF State does not require delivery of this certification to Admissions, but students should retain this document for verifying degree progress after transfer.
Credit for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or College-Level Examination Program courses: AP/IB/CLEP credit is not automatically transferred from the previous institution. Units are transferred only when an official score report is delivered to SF State. Credit is based on the academic year during which exams were taken. Refer to the University Bulletin in effect during the year of AP/IB/CLEP examination(s) for details regarding the award of credit for AP/IB/CLEP.
Students pursuing majors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines often defer 6-9 units of lower-division General Education in Areas C and D until after transfer to focus on preparation courses for the major. This advice does not apply to students pursuing associate degree completion before transfer.
Transferring From Institutions Other Than CCCs or CSUs
Review SF State's lower-division General Education requirements. Note that, as described below, the four basic skills courses required for admission meet GE Areas 1A/A2, 1B/A3, 1C/A1, and 2/B4 in the SF State GE pattern. Courses that fulfill the remaining areas of SF State’s lower-division GE pattern are available at most two-year and four-year colleges and universities.
Of the four required basic skills courses, a course in critical thinking (1B/A3) may not be widely offered outside the CCC and CSU systems. Students should attempt to identify and take an appropriate course no later than the term of application to the CSU. To review more information about the 1B/A3 requirement, please visit bulletin.sfsu.edu/undergraduate-education/general-education/lower-division/#AAEL.
Waiting until after transfer to take a single course at SF State that meets both US and CA/local government requirements may be an appropriate option, particularly if transferring from outside of California.