Greetings from Valparaiso University's Master of Arts in Chinese Studies (MACS) program!  World events, including the recent news that China has surpassed Japan as the second largest economy in the world continue to highlight the prominent role China now plays in world economy, culture, and politics.  As a result, the demand for people knowledgeable about China and fluent in Chinese has sharply increased. Students who complete Valpo’s MACS program will become well prepared to meet these demands and highly competitive in pursuing career opportunities related to China.

The MACS program, a professionally-oriented program, is open to college graduates who have:

• Taken at least two years of college Chinese language or the equivalent;
• A strong desire to enter fields requiring fluency in the Chinese language and a solid understanding of its culture.

The 37-credit program includes:

• A required 8-11 week summer language immersion program in Hangzhou, China for which MACS students pay no program fees, and receive free housing, summer tuition discount, and international travel assistance (up to $1,200);
• Two semesters (Fall and Spring) of rigorous training on Valpo’s campus in advanced level Chinese language along with various topic classes related to China;
• An optional second summer internship in Shanghai with multinational corporations or large institutions with additional fees;
• Opportunities to select from a wide range of graduate level courses tailored to MACS students’ needs and professional goals;
• Generous financial assistance, including MACS scholarships of up to $6,000.

In addition to the full time program, the MACS program offers two specialized tracks for students with professional interests in K-12 education or law:

• A specialized teacher’s track that uses a hybrid curriculum of 1-2 summers in China, online courses, and master’s thesis to allow K-12 teachers to complete the MACS degree in three years without giving up their employment.
• A MACS/JD dual degree program that allows a student to complete both degrees in less time and at a reduced cost by sharing up to 12 credits between the two degree programs (applicants will need to apply separately to each program).

Currently in its fifth year in operation, Valpo’s MACS program has grown rapidly with a dozen of students now enrolled in both the full-time track and the K-12 track.  We welcome you to become part of the team! Application materials and other informational details can be found on the Graduate School website or the MACS’s own website. Application for the 2011 MACS Program is now open!

Please contact Program Development Coordinator Jamie Haney (Jamie.Haney@valpo.edu) or Valpo’s Graduate School (graduate.school@valpo.edu or 219-464-5313) for information and/or application materials. You can also contact Director of MACS Program, Dr. Zhimin Lin (Zhimin.lin@valpo.edu, or 219-464-5749) to learn more about the program or to talk with a current MACS student.