Master of Arts in Chinese Studies

Master of Arts in Chinese Studies Program

Valparaiso University
April 2006

MACS Program News

The MACS program has just received a $76,178 grant from the US Department of Education (Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad) to launch a seven-week total immersion program in Hangzhou China!
Deadline to apply to the MACS program for fall '06 semester is now May 15, 2006. Space is limited, so apply now!
Scholarships are still available �C submit applications as soon as possible as they will be awarded on a priority basis.
Professor Luying Chen will start teaching at VU this fall. Specifically, she will be teaching the Chinese language and literature courses for the MACS program.

Meet the newest MACS faculty member

Professor Luying Chen will start teaching at Valparaiso University this fall. The newest faculty of the MACS program, Professor Chen received her B.A. in English Language and Literature from Beijing University, her M.A. in British and American literature from Nanjing University and her M.A. in Comparative Literature from Brown University. She is currently completing her doctorate in Comparative Literature from Brown University during 2006. Her disseration is entitled, "Looking Backward and Outside: Reclusion and the Chinese Intellectual Journey in the Modern."

Professor Chen has received several honors and awards from both Brown University and Nanjing University, including the Morgan Edwards Dissertation Fellowship (Brown U 2004-05), the Angela Trew Fund (Brown U 2000), Award for Teaching Distinction (Nanjing U 1994), and Award for Distinction in Graduate Studies (Nanjing U 1992).

A productive scholar and a committed teacher, Professor Chen is poised to make significant contributions to Valparaiso University in general and the Master of Arts in Chinese Studies in particular. We welcome her to our campus!

Info about the Summer Total Immersion Program in Hangzhou

All accepted MACS candidates who have taken only two years of college-level Chinese or who have taken three years but need more practice in order to successfully take the far more vigorous, fourth-year Chinese will be required to take the seven-week total immersion program located in Hangzhou China.
Candidates with three or more years of Chinese can choose to take only the internship (the last four weeks) of the summer program or attend the summer program after completing the fall and spring semesters on campus at VU.
The main purpose of the summer program is to bring the level of Chinese proficiency to a point where students will build a level of confidence and competency to take the more advanced Chinese language classes at VU and achieve operational proficiency in Chinese language by the time they graduate.
In addition, the "Chinese-only" requirement placed on all participants during the whole period will encourage them to learn Chinese more effectively through practice and also develop a deeper appreciation of the cultural roots of the Chinese language.
Courses will be taught by a VU faculty member and two to three experienced local teachers. The internship will be arranged based on participants' qualifications and needs.
Participants of the entire summer program will receive up to six credits (three credits for the internship and three credits for the topic course) that will apply towards the master's degree.
VU will provide travel assistance for the international travel to participants of the summer program and will also provide free room and board for all participants. Students will be responsible for tuition and other incidental expenses.
All participants will be required to complete VU forms that are normally required for off-campus programs and provide evidence of health insurance. Detailed information will be provided to students accepted into the MACS program.
Students will need a valid passport. Questions regarding the summer immersion program, passports, and visas should be directed to Professor Zhimin Lin at Zhimin.Lin@valpo.edu or 219-464-5749.

Fall 2006 Course Schedule for MACS

CHST 607: Graduate Chinese
MWF 9:05 to 9:45 AM
TR 9:45 to 11:00 AM, 6 Cr, Prof. Chen
CHST 551: Readings in Chinese Literature
TR 2:50 to 4:05 PM, 3 Cr, Prof. Chen
CHST 590 A: Public Policy in China
MW 3:05 to 4:20 PM, 3 Cr, Prof. Lin
(This seminar examines such key public policy issues in China as education, employment, income distribution, housing, and health care system)
CHST 696: Graduate Seminar
T 11:30 to 12:30, 0.5 Cr, Prof. Lin
(This is a weekly lunch and seminar that will involve either guest speakers or group discussions over a particular issue)
Students can also take three credits of graduate course selected from any of the graduate-level courses offered in the fall that fits their personal interest or background. For a list of such courses available this fall at VU, visit www.valpo.edu/registrar/fa06sched.htm or www.valpo.edu/gce/graduate/schedule.php

Important!!!

Deadline to apply for 2006 Summer Immersion Program and 2006 Fall MACS program enrollment is May 15, 2006. The enrollment is based on first-come, first-serve basis. Apply now!
If you do not have a passport and plan to participate in the summer immersion program, apply now as it normally takes eight weeks to process the passport application.

About Hangzhou, China

Hangzhou is a former dynastic capital located in the eastern province of Zhejiang, about 2 hours from Shanghai by train/bus. Its reputation as an attractive tourist destination has been immortalized by the Chinese proverb: "Above there is heaven; below there is Suzhou and Hangzhou." Hangzhou is close to several tourist spots, such as the Yellow Mountains, and lies on many transportation routes, making it an ideal place for overseas study.

The city is also a center of industry and agriculture, particularly famous for its silk and tea products. In the recent years of China's rapid development and integration into the world economy, the Hangzhou area has been consistently at the forefront of progress and a leader in international commerce.

For more information regarding the MACS program, contact Jamie Haney, Program Coordinator, at 800-821-7685 or email Jamie.Haney@valpo.edu; Professor Zhimin Lin at Zhimin.Lin@valpo.edu; or the Graduate Studies Office at graduate.studies@valpo.edu or www.valpo.edu/gce/macs.

* This newsletter is prepared by the MACS program. We welcome your comments and/or suggestions.