The course consists of 15 hours of class-based group teaching each week. Classes are held between 9.30am and 12.45pm. The programme is very demanding, and participants are expected to study for at least fifteen hours per week outside class. They are also encouraged to attend relevant seminars and lectures available in the School such as those organised by the Centre for Chinese Studies and the Department of the Languages and Cultures of East Asia. The course is continually under review and improvement so the exact structure can vary from session to session.
Assessment is through a combination of termly written examinations and continuous assessment.
By the end of the Diploma course, students are expected to communicate effectively in Chinese in a wide range of situations, recognise around 2,000 characters, and be able to write around 1,500 characters. They should have a good command of common, everyday and social as well as current affairs related vocabulary. They will be able to cope with social conversations, some job related situations, and have acquired a solid foundation in the use of the Chinese language. Approximate equivalences with the Languages Lead Body National Language Standards are given here for reference. The course is usually taught by a team of four main teachers .