Master of Arts in Chinese
The Masters Degree in Chinese features a curriculum encompassing classical and modern Chinese literature, Chinese linguistics, and Chinese language pedagogy. Additional elective courses are available in the areas of Chinese-English translation and interpretation, and teaching Chinese as a foreign language.
Admission to the Program
A prerequisite for admission to the M.A. program is a B.A. in Chinese (or related field), with a Grade Point Average of at least 3.0. Applicants are thus expected to demonstrate advanced proficiency in spoken Mandarin Chinese and Standard Written Chinese, familiarity with major literary/cultural figures and texts, training in the fundamentals of linguistics, and basic reading proficiency in classical/literary Chinese. San Francisco State University also requires that all students admitted to graduate standing demonstrate proficiency in written English. Applicants who are lacking in one or more of these areas may be admitted conditionally after developing, through consultation with advisors, a program of studies to establish equivalency. Courses prescribed for equivalency may not be credited toward the M.A. degree. To assess whether applicants meet acceptable standards and have fulfilled prerequisites, both the Division of Graduate Studies and the Chinese Program are involved in the application review process. Application materials required by the Division of Graduate Studies are described elsewhere in this Bulletin (for details, see Graduate Studies). In addition, the Chinese Program also requires the following supplementary documents:
- a 500-word analytical statement of purpose in English;
- a statement in Chinese covering the same or similar content; and
- two letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with the applicant’s academic and/or professional qualifications.
These supplementary materials should be sent directly to the Graduate Advisor of the Chinese Program.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate the ability to produce effective academic writing based on scholarly research.
- Demonstrate graduate-level competence in the concentration language.
- Analyze texts for theme, structure, style and other aspects of prose and poetry.
- Explain how literary movements influence each other and are shaped by history.
- Demonstrate interdisciplinary approaches when analyzing complex problems and intellectual questions.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the present day structure of the concentration language, including the phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax and discourse features.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the historical development and sociolinguistic variations of the concentration language.
- Demonstrate the ability to develop basic skills as teacher-researcher while applying theoretical knowledge to practice, and to implement standard-based Second Language Acquisition (SLA) instruction.
Chinese (M.A.) — Minimum 30 units
Core Requirements (12 units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Classical Literature | ||
| CHIN 822 | Classical Chinese Literature | 3 |
| Modern Literature – Select one: | 3 | |
| The Road To Modernity Part I: Chinese Literary Trends of the Late Imperial and Republican Periods | ||
| Modern Chinese Literature | ||
| Linguistics – Select one: | 3 | |
| Semantics and Morphology | ||
| Language Change and Dialect Variation | ||
| Language Acquisition – Select one: | 3 | |
| Applied Linguistics and Teaching Chinese | ||
| Materials Development for Teaching Chinese | ||
| Technology in Language Learning and Teaching | ||
| Second Language Acquisition | ||
Elective Courses (18 units)
- One exclusively graduate (not paired) elective course (3 units) in Chinese.
- One exclusively graduate (not paired) elective course (3 units) in Chinese, or paired upper-division/graduate course in Chinese (students must enroll using the graduate course number)
- Three upper-division/graduate electives (9 units) in Chinese or related subjects with the approval of their graduate advisor.
- Graduate course (3 units) in research or teaching methods on advisement.
Culminating Experience (0 units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHIN 896EXM | Culminating Experience Examination (in two subfields) | 0 |
The student is admitted to the oral examination upon passing the written examination. Both examinations may be attempted not more than two times.
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.