BA Sociology and Chinese

Residence abroad support

We offer dedicated financial support packages of up to £2,000 for residence abroad students, based on household income.

You will be automatically assessed for this, based on your Student Finance financial assessment - you just need to make sure you apply for a financial assessment in the academic year in which your residence abroad will take place.

RWS Brode Scholarship

You may be eligible for this scholarship if you fulfill the following conditions:

• your qualifications were achieved at a state-funded school in the UK;
• your total household income does not exceed £60,000 (as verified by the Student Loan Company);
• you achieve high marks in your A-levels (or equivalent qualifications), usually AAB or above;
• you apply to (and remain on) either a single honours Language course, or a dual-language course.

Awards will be made according to a sliding scale, benefitting those who have achieved the highest marks relative to backgrounds.

You will be automatically assessed for this after you have registered on your degree.

You simply need to make sure you allow the University access to your records when applying for your student lLoan (we cannot otherwise assess your eligibility).

Bursaries and Scholarships

• Find out more from student finance
• Eligible UK students can apply for bursaries and scholarships
• Funding for EU and international students is on our country-specific pages
• Many students work part-time or complete a student internship

CHIN51031 is the first semester of Lower Intermediate Chinese for students who have completed Beginners’ Chinese (CHIN51011 and/or CHIN51022) or who have acquired a basic level of Chinese prior to starting university, approximately equivalent to GCSE Chinese (Mandarin). To develop and enrich their knowledge of Chinese, students will practise formal and informal discourse covering a broader range of topics. By listening to dialogues related to social activities, students will learn to understand standard conversations as well as instructions, explanations and requests. Through oral presentations and group discussions, students will express personal views, make suggestions and justify arguments. Students will read textual materials and learn to grasp the central issues and important details. Students will learn to write passages to convey information in an appropriate style. Upon completion of this course students should be reaching a level of Chinese proficiency equivalent to or higher than HSK level 3.

For new students starting their degree in September 2023, this unit is compulsory and as such requires a pass mark of 40% or above at the first sitting in order to progress to the next level of language in semester 2.  Students who fail to meet this requirement will be able to discuss their options with their relevant Programme Director and may be able to move onto the non-language degree award of East Asian Studies.

CHIN51022 or placement into the class following the language placement test

This course aims to:

• Provide students with a comprehensive and detailed knowledge of the Mandarin Chinese language and with key aspects of Chinese society and culture
• Increase students’ proficiency in listening comprehension, spoken production, reading, writing and translating skills
• Improve students’ understanding of Chinese syntax as well as the unique Chinese cultural patterns that contribute to more effective communication

By the end of this course students will be able to:

• Understand language materials from within different sectors of social life
• Master a lower intermediate level of Chinese grammar and varied range of Chinese-language discourse
• Use the target language with improving accuracy
• Communicate effectively on topics relating to everyday life in a range of real-life situations

 

Week 1: When in Rome, do as the Romans do

Week 2: A small gift means a great deal

Week 3: Your suggestions will be highly appreciated

Week 4: They are practicing Taiji sward

Week 5: Chinese people refer to it as “The Mother River”

Week 6: Review

Week 7: Protecting the environment means protecting ourselves

Week 8: The legend of Shennu Peak

Week 9: Let me drive the car first

Week 10: It is getting hot in Beijing

Week 11: Who will pay the bill?

Week 12: Oral exam

Interactive language classes plus e-learning via blackboard and independent learning with language partners with native speakers 

By the end of this course students will be able to:

• Understand language materials from within different sectors of social life
• Master a lower intermediate level of Chinese grammar and varied range of Chinese-language discourse
• Use the target language with improving accuracy
• Communicate effectively on topics relating to everyday life in a range of real-life situations

By the end of this course students will be able to:

• Demonstrate that they have mastered and can correctly apply the vocabulary and grammar in Chinese;
• Show the ability to discover and select suitable source material for assignments;
• Understand and apply the cognitive skills involved in learning Chinese;
• Appraise some of the current and emerging issues connected in the culture and society in China.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

• Understand, read, speak and write Chinese to a high level;
• Present, utilise and disseminate information in Chinese;
• Display relevant information about the Chinese culture;
• Acquire, develop, and demonstrate the ability and competence to integrate themselves harmoniously into the Chinese communities.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

• Develop time management skills;
• Work effectively with others;
• Find the right sources for help/support;
• Learn how to learn independently.

Assessment task	Formative or Summative	Weighting within unit (if summative)
CW	F/S  Coursework 1 - Integration:2 Tests Coursework 2 - Writing: 2 essays Coursework 3 - Grammar: 2 Assignments	10% 10% 10%
Oral exam	S	10%
Written exam	S	60%

 

Resit Assessment:

Written exam

 

• Oral feedback on individual and group presentations
• Written feedback on coursework assignments
• Additional one-to-one feedback (during consultation hour or by making an appointment)

 

(pass mark of 40 required on first sitting; students who fail to meet this requirement may be required to change degree programme as outlined in the regulation here)