However, the syllabus for the previous summer's non-language course is available upon request from Council. Students should plan to take nine credits. All students are required to enroll in Readings in Chinese, Spoken Chinese, and Uncovering Shanghai's Past and Present. This course provides students with the opportunity to master their reading and writing skills through written assignments on contemporary Chinese topics as well as practical everyday issues that a student might face. This course emphasizes the importance of oral and aural skills.
Practical vocabulary is reinforced through dialogues and pattern drills.
Interactive classroom activities such as debates and role-playing are used. It incorporates lectures, field trips, and class discussions to explore Chinese society by using Shanghai as a lens through which to view China's history, culture, and economic evolution. Special emphasis is placed on Shanghai's role in China's international relations from the Opium War to the present. This is a required course.