Master of Arts in Chinese Studies

Master of Arts in Chinese Studies Program

Valparaiso University
February 2007

Meet a Current MACS Student: Anthony Lance

Each month, the newsletter will feature one of our current MACS students (in alphabetical order)

I graduated in May 2006 with my undergrad in International Business and Chinese Studies from Valparaiso University. Although I also studied a little Chinese in High School, most of my Chinese language skills before starting the MACS program came from the three years that I studied Chinese at VU.
My goal is to become a valuable international business person with a focus on China and one day to work as a cross-cultural consultant. After three trips to different places in China and two business internships, I realized that in order to be truly successful as a business person in China, one needs to be fluent in the language, and in order to understand the Chinese culture, one needs to understand Chinese history, politics and language. Since after graduation I was still not satisfied with my knowledge of these things, I decided to look into the MACS program.
So far, the MACS program has been just what I hoped. I have been challenged to learn Chinese not just from a textbook but from Chinese daily news, Chinese newspapers, and Chinese movies. I know that when I graduate from the MACS program I will have a much higher level of Chinese and a greater understanding of China itself.

2007 Summer Immersion Program

Goal: All accepted MACS students will take part in a summer immersion program (SIP) in Hangzhou China prior to their study at VU in the fall. The SIP serves two purposes: 1) to prepare MACS students ready for the vigorous, graduate-level Chinese classes at VU in the fall, and 2) to maximize exposure to Chinese culture and learn the Chinese language by immersion in the Chinese society.

Program: The 2007 SIP will start in late May (exact dates to be announced shortly) and will have two sections. Section A is a 12-week program for students coming into the MACS program with less than three years of college Chinese will enter the intermediate-level section. They will spend the first four weeks to review and master materials normally covered in second year Chinese classes. They will then spend the next eight weeks to complete the materials required for third-year Chinese. Section B is an 8-week program for more advanced students. In addition to review and complete materials required in third-year Chinese classes, the students will have the option of intern in a Chinese company for four weeks after the initial eight weeks.

Curriculum: The 2007 SIP involves daily and intensive classes (reading and conversations in the mornings, grammar in the afternoons), daily, half-hour one-on-one meetings with instructors, home stay during the weekends, and field trips as part of the language learning process. For Section B, the main text will be, Integrated Chinese Level 2; for Section A, the main text will be a number of textbooks published in China. Numerous other texts and learning materials will be employed as well. All participants will commit to a pledge not to speak English during the program.

Cost: The MACS program will provide free international travel and room accommodations in China for all accepted MACS students. Meals and tuition (graduate rate and based on credits taken) are the responsibilities of the participants.

Application: Acceptance into the 2007 SIP has two tracks. For applicants of the MACS program, acceptance into the SIP is contingent upon acceptance into the MACS program. For students who are not applicants of the MACS program, acceptance into the 2007 SIP is on a space-available basis and subject to the results of a placement test.

Contact: If you have questions about the program or want to apply for the 2007 SIP program, please contact Jamie Haney (Jamie.haney@valpo.edu or 219-464-5313).

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.