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The Structure of U-Mich Chinese Language Courses
The U-M Chinese language curriculum consists of two categories:
(A) FOUNDATION courses (also called CORE courses) and
(B) APPLICATION courses, i.e., courses that emphasize language application or serve a special purpose.
In the first three years, Core courses are offered on two parallel tracks, the regular track and the Mandarin-speakers’ track. Generally speaking, the regular track starts from scratch and helps students to develop in all the aspects of the language year by year. The Mandarin-speakers’ track, on the other hand, focuses on reading and writing abilities while still trying to improve students’ oral competence. All core Chinese language courses (except Asianlan 101) carry an enforced prerequisite. They are listed under Asianlan in the university course catalogue as follows (in brackets is the number of credits):
Regular Track
- 1st Year 101 (5), 102 (5)
- 2nd Year 201 (5), 202 (5)
- 3rd Year 301 (5), 302 (5)
- 4th Year 401 (5), 402 (4)
Mandarin-Speakers’ Track
- 1st Year 104 (4)
- 2nd Year 204 (4)
- 3rd Year 304 (4)
It must be pointed out, however, that the two tracks are not actually divided by ethnic family backgrounds. Many students of Chinese heritage are placed on the regular track because they do not speak Chinese or Mandarin as their native language. On the other hand, non-Chinese students with outstanding oral ability in Chinese have been placed onto the Mandarin-speakers’ track.
The two tracks will merge at the fourth-year level, when Asianlan 304 students are expected to join Asianlan 302 students into Asianlan 401 classes.
Application courses - those that emphasize language application or serve a special purpose - cannot be used to fulfill a language requirement, and they all have an advisory prerequisite.
Introduction to U-Mich Chinese Language Courses
For textbook information please refer to Textbooks in Use
Asian Languages 101: First-Year Chinese I. (5). (LR)
Asian Languages 101 is an introductory course for students who do not understand or speak any Chinese. (If you speak Chinese, the right course for you is AL 104, Reading and Writing Chinese I.) In this course, students are expected to achieve control of the sound system (especially the 4 tones), basic sentence patterns, aural comprehension, daily conversations and writing characters. 374 characters will be introduced in this course. Students are required to perform skits in front of the class almost every week. A written quiz or test will be given every Tuesday and Thursday. This is a 5-credit course. Students have class one hour per day. Tuesdays and Thursdays are lectures; Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are recitations. Students are required to register for both a lecture section and a recitation section. Attendance is taken everyday.
Asian Languages 102: First-Year Chinese II. (5). (LR)
Asian Languages 102 is a continuation course of AL 101. Students are required to register for both a lecture section and a recitation section. In this course, the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing are emphasized. The class meets five hours a week—2 hours of lecture and 3 hours of recitation. In the lectures, Chinese characters and grammar will be introduced; in the recitation classes, patterns and conversational skills will be developed. A total of 320 characters will be introduced in this course. It is our goal that at the end of the term students should be able to carry on simple conversations with each other. Towards the end of the term each student and his/her conversation partner will prepare a 6-minute conversation that will be videotaped and evaluated by the instructors. Daily attendance is required.
Asian Languages 103: Intensive First-Year Chinese. (10). (LR)
Asian Languages 103, offered through the Summer Languages Institute (SLI), is an intensive first-year Chinese course. It is a 10-credit course equivalent to the non-intensive two-semester sequence Asian Languages 101-102. Students have classes three hours per day during 10 continuous spring and summer weeks. It is an introductory course in speaking, understanding, reading and writing Chinese. Students are expected to achieve control of the sound system, to gain the ability to communicate in the Chinese language for daily activities and also to be able to read and write Chinese characters. 694 characters will be introduced in this course. These goals are reached through classroom drill and recitation, discussion of grammatical patterns, conversation practice and skits performing.
Asian Languages 104: First-Year Chinese for Mandarin Speakers. (4). (LR)
This course is designed for students with native or near-native speaking ability in Chinese, but little or no reading and writing ability. Classes, which are conducted in Chinese, meet four hours per week with a focus on reading and writing. Coursework will be graded on the basis of classroom performance, quizzes, tests, and homework assignments. Students are required to register for both a lecture section and a recitation section. They must have the permission of the instructor in order to register for this course. Most students will receive this permission via a placement test before fall classes begin. For test information, please refer to http://www.lsa.umich.edu/asian/language/ or contact the instructor. Students who have completed AL 104 and want to continue Chinese studies should register for AL 204.
Asian Languages 201. Second-Year Chinese. AL102, 103 or equivalent. (5). (LR).
To take this course, students should have command of the language material in the first-year textbook Integrated Chinese (Level One). The goals of AL 201 are to help students (a) improve their listening and speaking proficiency; (b) achieve a solid reading level with the roughly 500 new vocabulary entries introduced over the ten lessons; and (c) learn to express themselves clearly in writing on a variety of covered topics using learned grammar patterns and vocabulary. These goals are approached through grammar lectures, in-class drills and listening/speaking activities, oral presentations, and regular quizzes/tests, collectively covering all four proficiency areas (listening, speaking, reading, writing). An underlying theme of the course is that, insofar as language is a systematic reflection of culture, understanding the link between language and culture can make the language easier—and more fascinating—to learn. Students who are native or near-native Mandarin Chinese speakers are not eligible for this course; they should enroll in AL 204, Second-Year Chinese for Mandarin speakers.
Asian Languages 202: Second-Year Chinese II. Asian Languages 201 or equivalent. (5). (LR).
This course is a continuation of work begun in AL 201. Students electing the course should have command of the material presented in the first 8 lessons of Integrated Chinese (Level Two). Lessons 9-17 from that text constitute the focus of the winter course. The primary goals are (a) continued improvement of aural understanding and speaking competence and (b) achievement of a basic level of reading and writing competence. These goals are approached through lectures, classroom exercises/discussion, oral presentations, writing exercises and regular quizzes/tests, collectively covering all four proficiency areas (listening, speaking, reading, writing). Students who are native or near-native Mandarin Chinese speakers are not eligible for this course; they should enroll in AL 204, Second-Year Chinese for Mandarin Speakers.
Asian Languages 203: Intensive Second-Year Chinese. Asian Languages 102 or equivalent. (10). (LR).
Asian Languages 203, offered through the Summer Languages Institute (SLI), is a 10-credit intensive second-year Chinese course equivalent to the non-intensive two-semester sequence AL 201-202. Students have classes three hours per day during 10 continuous spring and summer weeks. The goals of this course are to achieve a basic level of reading competence with a vocabulary of 900 characters (plus combinations) and the continuing improvement of aural understanding and speaking competence. These goals are approached through classroom drill and recitation, and out-of-class exercises.
Asian Languages 204: Second-Year Chinese for Mandarin Speakers. Asian Languages 104 or permission of instructor. (4). (LR)
This course, a continuation of Asian Languages 104, is designed for students with native or near-native speaking ability in Chinese. The class, conducted in Chinese, will meet four hours a week with a focus on reading and writing. Coursework will be graded on the basis of classroom performance, quizzes, tests, and homework assignments. Students are required to register for both a lecture section and a recitation section. Those who have not taken AL 104 must have the instructor’s permission in order to register for this course. Most students will receive this permission via a placement test. For test information, please refer to http://www.lsa.umich.edu/asian/language/ or contact the instructor. Students who have completed AL 204 and want to continue Chinese studies should typically register for AL 304.
Asian Languages 205: Chinese Pronunciation. Asian Languages 101 or equivalent and permission of instructor. (2).
Designed as a supplement to core Chinese courses, this course gives students at varying proficiency levels the opportunity to fine-tune their production of standard Chinese consonants, vowels, and tones. By learning principles of Mandarin syllable structure and articulation, students will learn how to recognize and correct their own pronunciation/tone errors. Rigorous in-class drills and regular mini-quizzes, as well as several oral assignments (recordings submitted on-line), will build students’ competence from word- to phrase- to discourse-level accuracy. A semester-initial assessment will identify each student’s needs (so that the course can be customized accordingly), while a semester-final evaluation will assess each student’s progress. Knowledge of Pinyin Romanization is presumed. Note: This is strictly a pronunciation course; students aiming to improve their overall proficiency should consider core courses or (to strengthen conversational fluency) AL 305 and AL 306. Native speakers of Cantonese with advanced literacy should opt for AL 307 (which targets pronunciation problems unique to Cantonese speakers and presumes no knowledge of Pinyin) or AL 308 (which focuses on Mandarin conversational fluency).
Asian Languages 207: Chinese Calligraphy. Asian Languages 101 or equivalent, or permission of instructor. (1).
To explore the richness of Chinese calligraphy, this class is designed to include a series of fundamental introductions to the history of Chinese calligraphy and a brief theoretical framework for evaluation and appreciation; in addition, a practice session will be held in each class to facilitate a hands-on learning process.
Asian Languages 301: Third-Year Chinese I. Asian Languages 202, 203 or equivalent. (5).
This course, designed for students who have completed two years of Chinese study, is the start of a transition from narrative style to written style. It continues with a balanced requirement in all the four basic skills—listening, speaking, reading and writing. The class meets five hours per week. The textbook covers main aspects of contemporary Chinese society and culture, and enhances cultural awareness in terms of language training. Students are required to register for both a lecture section and a recitation section. Coursework is evaluated on the basis of daily attendance, exercises, homework, an oral presentation, a writing project, quizzes, and tests. The class is conducted mainly in Chinese. Native or near-native speakers of Chinese who want to improve their reading and writing skills should take AL 304, Third-Year Chinese for Mandarin Speakers.
Asian Languages 302: Third-Year Chinese II. Asian Languages 301 or equivalent. (5).
This course is the continuation of Asian Languages 301. The class meets five hours per week. All the four aspects of the language—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—are emphasized. The textbook covers main aspects of contemporary Chinese society and culture, and enhances cultural awareness in terms of language training. Students are required to register for both a lecture section and a recitation section. Coursework is evaluated on the basis of daily attendance, exercises, homework, an oral presentation, a writing project, quizzes, and tests. The class is conducted mainly in Chinese. Native or near-native speakers of Chinese who want to improve their reading and writing skills should take AL 304, Reading and Writing Chinese III.
Asian Languages 304: Third-Year Chinese for Mandarin Speakers. Asian Languages 204 or permission of instructor. (4).
This course is designed for students of Chinese with native or near-native oral performance. Unlike AL 104 and AL 204, which bear emphasis on reading and writing, AL 304 carries comprehensive requirements for all the forms of the language—listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Teaching materials are authentic articles reflecting various aspects of life in contemporary China. Students will be exposed to advanced-level language structures, expressive styles, and cultural knowledge relevant to selected topics. Classes are conducted in Chinese. It is expected that, assisted by supplementary up-to-date information as well as classroom discussions, students will build their vocabulary and sentence patterns from each lesson, and learn to recognize and use a variety of linguistic registers in both their oral and writing practice. After taking this class, students should be able to merge with students from AL 301-302 on the regular track into AL 401, Fourth-Year Chinese I.
Asian Languages 305: Advanced Spoken Chinese I. Asian Languages 202 or permission of instructor. (2).
This course, designed as a spoken supplement to post-second-year Chinese core courses, is intended to help non-native-speaking students strengthen their oral/aural competence. Students will meet two hours a week. Class sessions are structured around themes, integrating theme introduction, discussions, student presentations, and question/answer exchanges. Evaluation is based on in-class participation, aural/oral assignments (recordings), and oral presentations. Native or near-native speakers of Mandarin cannot earn credit for this course. Native speakers of Cantonese with advanced literacy should take AL 307 and/or AL 308.
Asian Languages 306: Advanced Spoken Chinese II. Asian Languages 202 or permission of instructor.
This course is a sequel to AL 305 but does not have AL305 as a prerequisite. Like AL305, it is designed as a spoken supplement to post-second-year Chinese core courses and is intended to help non-native-speaking students strengthen their oral/aural competence. Students will meet two hours a week. Class sessions are structured around themes (different from AL 305), integrating theme introduction, vocabulary building, discussions, and student presentations. Evaluation is based on in-class participation, aural/oral assignments (recordings), and oral presentations. Native or near-native speakers of Mandarin cannot earn credit from this course. Native speakers of Cantonese with advanced literacy should take AL 307 and/or AL 308.
Asian Languages 307: Mandarin for Cantonese Speakers I. Asian Languages 302 equivalent or permission of instructor.
The course is specifically designed to help Cantonese-speaking students who have advanced Chinese reading and writing skills but lack oral Mandarin (Putonghua) accuracy. Classroom activities, based on intensive pinyin drills, exclusively consist of guided oral practice and corrections. Native Cantonese speakers without an advanced level in reading and writing should attend Chinese core courses or, if qualified, AL 305 and/or 306.
Asian Languages 308: Mandarin for Cantonese Speakers II. Asian Languages 302 equivalent or permission of instructor.
The course is a sequel to AL 307 but does not have AL 307 as a prerequisite. This course is specifically designed for Cantonese-speaking students who have advanced Chinese reading and writing skills but lack oral Mandarin (Putonghua) competence. Class sessions are structured around guided use of the language in terms of Cantonese-Mandarin interpretation, oral presentations, discussions, and debates. Evaluation will be based on in-class participation, aural/oral (recorded) assignments, and oral tests. Native Cantonese speakers who lack advanced reading and writing skills should attend Chinese core courses or, if qualified, AL 305 and/or 306.
Asian Languages 309: Media Chinese I. Asian Languages 202, 203, 204, or permission of instructor. (4).
With a rising Greater China (including the PRC, Taiwan, and Hong Kong) on the world economic, political, and cultural stages, learning about its current affairs while studying the Chinese language becomes more and more important. Chinese media disseminated widely in the form of newspapers, television and radio programs, and movies—often accessible via internet—provide ideal resources for this purpose.This course consists of two major elements. On the one hand, it introduces basic vocabulary, news forms, and cultural knowledge through its well-selected and organized lessons covering topics from politics, economics, and culture to sports. On the other hand, after acquiring the ability to decode news items, students will be helped to search for the latest news from a variety of media on their own.
Asian Languages 401: Fourth-Year Chinese I. Asian Languages 302, 304, or equivalent. (4).
This course, the first part of the fourth-year Chinese language core course, is intended to help students with three years of Chinese studies to further develop their language ability in modern Chinese. All aspects of the language —listening, speaking, reading and writing—are emphasized by way of carefully selected texts and meticulously developed exercises. Through various forms of language practice, students are expected not only to read original materials with less reliance on a dictionary and at a faster speed, but also to improve their productive skills, oral and written, at the discourse and rhetorical levels. Another objective of the course is to enhance students’ cultural awareness. Classes are conducted in Chinese. Assessment will be based on attendance, participation, homework, tests, and exams. Students of AL 401 who need more oral practice may want to take AL 305 Advanced Spoken Chinese I simultaneously. Native-speaking Chinese students interested in improving their comprehensive foundation in the language can also benefit from this course.
Asian Languages 402: Fourth-Year Chinese II. Asian Languages 401 or equivalent. (4).
Asian Languages 402, the second part of the fourth-year Chinese language core course, is intended to help students with three and a half years of Chinese studies to further develop their language ability in modern Chinese. All aspects of the language—listening, speaking, reading and writing—are emphasized by way of carefully selected texts and meticulously developed exercises. Through various forms of language activities, students are expected not only to read original materials with less reliance on a dictionary and at a faster speed, but also to improve their productive skills, oral and written, at the discourse and rhetorical levels. Another objective of the course is to enhance students’ cultural awareness. Classes are conducted in Chinese. Assessment will be based on attendance, participation, homework, tests, and exams. Students of AL 402 who need more oral practice may want to take AL 306 Advanced Spoken Chinese II simultaneously. Native-speaking Chinese students interested in improving their comprehensive foundation in the language can also benefit from this course.
Asian Languages 405: Chinese for the Professions I. Asian Languages 302, 303, 304, or permission of instructor. (3).
The course focuses on language study with regard to China’s fast-changing economic situation and business environment. Through intensive practice in listening, speaking, reading and writing in business contexts, students will not only acquire vocabulary, phrases and sentence patterns commonly used in contemporary Chinese business communications, but also become familiar with China’s current business practices and trends. Materials cover 25 topics in seven units, namely, open door policy, development of finance, marketing, management, foreign trade, pillar industries, and hot topics. Activities and assignments around these topics are designed to facilitate actual language use in the real business world as well as further studies for this special purpose. Classes are conducted in Chinese. This course is intended to form a series with AL 406, Chinese for the Professions II, which is task-based and computer-oriented with an emphasis on “learning by doing.”
Asian Languages 406: Chinese for the Professions II. Asian Languages 405 or permission of instructor. (3).
This course is the continuation of AL 405, Chinese for the Professions I, which provides language training by way of a comprehensive introduction to China’s economic situation and business environment. While AL 405 is a knowledge-based course with an emphasis on reading and discussion, this course is a task-based and computer-assisted course with an emphasis on “learning by doing.” Under the instructor’s guidance, students will be challenged by a number of real-world tasks designed in five modules, namely, news report, commercial language design, business letter writing, oral presentation, and job interview. All the activities and assignments are intended to facilitate language use in the real business world as well as further studies of Chinese for specific purposes. Classes are conducted in Chinese, and feature collaborative learning and peer feedback.
Asian Languages 407: Academic Chinese I. Asian Languages 402, 405, 406 or permission of instructor. (3).
This advanced Chinese language course, paired with AL 408, is designed for students who want to further develop their Chinese language skills to serve academic or other career purposes. While the course helps to improve command of structure and vocabulary in a range of language styles, its primary purpose is to enhance comprehension (both linguistic and cultural) in reading original texts of various topics. Materials are selected from a variety of sources including contemporary fiction and essays in simplified or traditional characters. Part of the materials may be discretional to satisfy individual students’ personal interest and disciplinary needs. The class will meet twice per week, conducted solely in Chinese. Evaluation is based on attendance, participation, assignments, and a term project.
Asian Languages 408: Academic Chinese II.Asian Languages 402, 405, 406 or permission of instructor. (3).
AL 408 can be regarded as a sequel to AL 407 “Academic Chinese I,” but does not have AL407 as an enforced prerequisite. Like AL 407,this advanced language course is designed for students who want to further improve their Chinese competence to serve academic or other career purposes. It has a different focus, however, to provide training in translation and presentation skills needed by students’ current studies and future endeavors. In this course, besides unified requirements based on assigned topics and provided texts, students will be allowed and encouraged to combine Chinese language study with studies in their own disciplines. The class will meet twice per week, conducted solely in Chinese. Evaluation is based on attendance, participation, and translation and presentation assignments.
Asian Languages 409: Literary Chinese I. Asian Languages 202 or equivalent. (4).
For more than three thousand years, down to the early 20th century, the vast majority of Chinese texts were written in Literary Chinese (wenyanwen). Literary Chinese also served for many centuries as the international written language for the countries of East Asia. Literature in Literary Chinese is an important part of the cultural heritage of all humankind. This course is designed to serve the needs of both undergraduate and graduate students, of both specialists (and would-be specialists) and those who are just curious about the Chinese literary heritage. Reading materials for AL 409 include a textbook, supplemented by occasional handouts. Students will be introduced to many famous works of Chinese literature, such as have been memorized and chanted by Chinese down through the ages. Requirements include regular exercises, a midterm, and a final.
Asian Languages 410: Literary Chinese II. Asian Languages 202 or equivalent. (4).
For more than three thousand years, down to the early 20th century, the vast majority of Chinese texts were written in Literary Chinese (wenyanwen). Literary Chinese also served for many centuries as the international written language for the countries of East Asia. Literature in Literary Chinese is an important part of the cultural heritage of all humankind. This course is designed to serve the needs of both undergraduate and graduate students, of both specialists (and would-be specialists) and those who are just curious about the Chinese literary heritage. This course, the second term of Literary
Chinese, will focus on long, relatively easy texts rather than short, difficult ones, to maximize students’ exposure to the language. Readings will include selections from well-known classics, writings of famous people, and other genres. Requirements include regular exercises, a midterm, and a final.
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