Chinese Language

University of California, Berkeley

About the Program

The Major

The undergraduate major in Chinese Language at UC Berkeley is a comprehensive program dedicated to the humanistic study of East Asia. This major is structured to develop high proficiency in modern and classical Chinese, equipping students with the skills necessary for critical and informed engagement with East Asian texts. The curriculum aims to foster a deep understanding of the region's historical, literary, philosophical, and cultural dimensions, particularly as they have evolved into modern times.

Course Structure:

  • Language Mastery: Emphasis on spoken and written modern Chinese, with introductory training in classical Chinese.
  • Interdisciplinary Exploration: Courses cover various subjects, including literature, popular culture, philosophy, and linguistics. These are available in translation and the original languages, encouraging a multidimensional understanding of East Asian cultures.
  • Regional Comparative Context: The program places the study of China and Chinese within an East Asian framework, introducing students to diverse disciplinary and comparative perspectives.

Honors Program:

  • Students who demonstrate exceptional academic ability can undertake an honors thesis. Details on requirements and application procedures are under the Major Requirements tab.

This major advances language skills, cultivates critical thinking, and produces effective writing, preparing students for various careers and global interactions.

Minor

For students interested in deepening their understanding of Chinese language and culture, the University of California, Berkeley offers a minor in Chinese through the Department of East Asian Languages & Cultures (EALC). This minor program allows students to immerse themselves in the language of China while also exploring its rich literature, religion, and cultural aspects via a selection of elective courses.

This minor is an excellent opportunity for those who wish to enhance their linguistic skills and cultural literacy in a global context. It is ideal for students pursuing careers in international relations, global business, or academia, among other fields. The program emphasizes language proficiency and cultural understanding, providing a well-rounded educational experience in Chinese studies.

Students should review the requirements on the Minor Requirements tab and check the department's Chinese minor page. After completing the prerequisite, students can apply for the minor online.

Other Majors and Minors Offered by the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures

East Asian Religion, Thought, and Culture (Major only)
East Asian Humanities (Major only)
Japanese Language (Major and Minor)
Korean Language (Minor only)
Tibetan (Minor only)

Visit Department Website

Major Requirements

In addition to the University, campus, and college requirements, listed on the College Requirements tab, students must fulfill the requirements specific to their major program.

General Guidelines

  1. All courses that fulfill the major requirements below must be taken for graded credit.
  2. No more than one upper division course may simultaneously fulfill requirements for a student's major and minor programs, except for minors offered outside the College of Letters & Science.
  3. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 must be maintained in both upper- and lower-division courses used to fulfill the major requirements.

Please see the College Requirements tab for information regarding residence and unit requirements.

Major in Chinese

Prerequisites (Must earn a letter grade of C or higher)

  • CHINESE 1A or 1X: Elementary Chinese

  • CHINESE 7A or 7B: Introduction to Chinese Literature (must be taken at UC Berkeley)

Requirements (including prerequisites)

Lower Division Requirements 

  • Elementary Chinese: CHINESE Chinese 1A & 1B  or 1X & 1Y

  • Intermediate Chinese: CHINESE 10A & 10B or 10X & 10Y\

  • Introduction to Chinese Literature: CHINESE 7A and 7B

Upper Division Requirements

Language

  • Advanced Chinese: CHINESE 100A & 100B or 100X & 100Y

  • Classical Chinese: CHINESE 110A & 110B

  • Modern Chinese: One course numbered CHINESE 150-159

East Asian Literature & Culture

  • One East Asian (EALANG) upper-division course

    Electives

  • Two courses offered by EALC in Chinese, EALANG, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, or Tibetan

Placement and Course Substitutions

Declaring the Major

Students are admitted to the major after completing the prerequisites (with a grade of C or higher). For information regarding the prerequisites, please see the major requirements on this page. For the most up-to-date information, students can view the department's Chinese major page. Students are advised to begin preparation for the major as soon as possible while completing university, college, and department requirements.

Students interested in majoring in the program should schedule an appointment with the undergraduate adviser regarding major requirements, transfer credits, and other academic concerns.

Honors Program

Criteria:

  • Completion of 12 units of upper-division language courses within the department.

  • A minimum GPA of 3.5 in these courses.

  • An overall GPA of 3.0 at the university.

Program Structure and Requirements:

  • Qualified seniors may apply for admission to the honors program.

  • Accepted students will enroll in CHINESE H195A and CHINESE H195B honors courses over two consecutive semesters.

  • Participants must complete an honors thesis submitted by the 13th week of the semester in which they expect to graduate.

Guidance and Assessment:

  • During the program, students will undertake independent advanced study under the guidance of an assigned honors thesis adviser.

  • A faculty committee will evaluate the completed thesis and the student's overall performance within the department to determine the level of honors awarded: honors, high honors, or highest honors.

Graduation Criteria:

  • To be eligible for honors, students must also achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.3 in all undergraduate coursework at the university by graduation. Failure to meet this criterion will result in the non-issuance of honors recognition.

Organizing an Honors Thesis Project

To initiate an Honors Thesis Project in the Department of East Asian Languages & Cultures (EALC), a student should follow these steps:

  1. Choosing a Supervisor:

    • The student must approach and secure a faculty member from the EALC department to serve as the thesis supervisor. The faculty member should have expertise in the area of study the student wishes to explore.

  2. Project Development:

    • Together, the student and the faculty supervisor will determine the topic, scope, and a detailed plan for research and writing of the thesis. This collaborative planning ensures the project is feasible and aligns with academic standards and goals.

  3. Forming the Thesis Committee:

    • In consultation with the faculty supervisor, the student will identify and invite two additional faculty members to join the thesis committee. This should be completed by the beginning of the student’s final semester before graduation.

    • The committee members provide additional perspectives and expertise, contributing to a robust review and guidance process.

  4. Registration and Support:

    • The student should consult with the Undergraduate Advisor to discuss the process for enrolling in the necessary thesis courses and to receive advice on getting started with the thesis project.

These steps are designed to ensure that the student is well-prepared and supported throughout the process of completing the honors thesis, leading to a meaningful and academically rigorous culmination of their studies in the EALC department.

Major Course List

Prerequisites

Chinese Language
CHINESE 1AElementary Chinese (or higher level)4-5
or CHINESE 1X Accelerated Elementary Chinese for Heritage Speakers
Chinese Literature & Culture
CHINESE 7AIntroduction to Premodern Chinese Literature and Culture4
or
CHINESE 7BIntroduction to Modern Chinese Literature and Culture4

Lower Division Major Requirements

(including prerequisites)

Introductory Chinese Language
CHINESE 1AElementary Chinese4-5
or CHINESE 1X Accelerated Elementary Chinese for Heritage Speakers
CHINESE 1BElementary Chinese5
or CHINESE 1Y Elementary Chinese for Heritage Speakers
Intermediate Chinese
CHINESE 10AIntermediate Chinese4-5
or CHINESE 10X Accelerated Intermediate Chinese for Heritage Speakers
CHINESE 10BIntermediate Chinese5
or CHINESE 10Y Intermediate Chinese for Heritage Speakers
Chinese Literature & Culture
CHINESE 7AIntroduction to Premodern Chinese Literature and Culture4
CHINESE 7BIntroduction to Modern Chinese Literature and Culture4

Upper Division Major Requirements

Advanced Chinese
CHINESE 100AAdvanced Chinese (or equivalent)4-5
or CHINESE 100XA Advanced Chinese for Heritage Learners
CHINESE 100BAdvanced Chinese (or equivalent)4-5
or CHINESE 100XB Advanced Chinese for Heritage Learners
Classical Chinese
CHINESE 110AIntroduction to Literary Chinese4
CHINESE 110BIntroduction to Literary Chinese4
Modern Chinese
Select one modern Chinese literature course from courses numbered 150-159:
CHINESE 153Reading Taiwan4
CHINESE 155Readings in Vernacular Chinese Literature4
CHINESE 156Modern Chinese Literature4
CHINESE 157Contemporary Chinese Literature4
CHINESE 158Reading Chinese Cities4
CHINESE 159Cities and the Country4
General East Asian Literature & Culture (Offered in English Translation)
Select one EALANG upper division course from courses numbered 100-1914
EA LANG 101Catastrophe, Memory, and Narrative: Comparative Responses to Atrocity in the Twentieth Century4
EA LANG 105Dynamics of Romantic Core Values in East Asian Premodern Literature and Contemporary Film4
EA LANG 106Expressing the Ineffable in China and Beyond: The Making of Meaning in Poetic Writing4
EA LANG 107War, Empire, and Literature in East Asia4
EA LANG 108Revising the Classics: Chinese and Greek Poetry in Translation4
EA LANG 109History of the Culture of Tea in China and Japan4
EA LANG 110Bio-Ethical Issues in East Asian Thought4
EA LANG 111Reading Global Politics in Contemporary East Asian Literature4
EA LANG 112The East Asian Sixties4
EA LANG 114Illness Narratives, Vulnerable Bodies4
EA LANG 115Knowing Others, and Being Known: The Art of Writing People4
EA LANG 116Modern East Asian Fiction4
EA LANG 117Lu Xun and his Worlds4
EA LANG 118Sex and Gender in Premodern Chinese Culture4
EA LANG 119The History of Heaven4
EA LANG C120Buddhism on the Silk Road4
EA LANG 125The Art of Writing: Writing the Limits of Empathy4
EA LANG C126Buddhism and the Environment4
EA LANG C128Buddhism in Contemporary Society4
EA LANG C130Zen Buddhism4
EA LANG C132Pure Land Buddhism4
EA LANG C134Russia and Asia4
EA LANG C135Tantric Traditions of Asia4
EA LANG C142Psychoanalytic Theory, Asian Texts4
EA LANG C152Buddhist Astral Science4
EA LANG 160Neurodiversity in Literature4
EA LANG 162Science Fiction in East Asia4
EA LANG C175Archaeology of East Asia4
EA LANG 180East Asian Film: Directors and their Contexts4
EA LANG 181East Asian Film: Special Topics in Genre4
EA LANG 191Tools and Methods in the Study of East Asian Philosophy and Religion4
Two Required Electives
Two courses offered by EALC in Chinese, EALANG, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, or Tibetan8
Chinese
CHINESE 101Fourth-Year Chinese Readings: Literature4
CHINESE 102Fourth-Year Chinese Readings: Social Sciences and History4
CHINESE 105Business Chinese6
CHINESE 111Fifth-Year Readings: Reading and Analysis of Advanced Chinese Texts4
CHINESE 112Fifth-Year Readings: Chinese for Research and Professional Use4
CHINESE C116Buddhism in China4
CHINESE C118Buddhism in Modern China4
CHINESE 120Ancient Chinese Prose4
CHINESE 122Ancient Chinese Poetry4
CHINESE 130Topics in Daoism4
CHINESE 134Readings in Classical Chinese Poetry4
CHINESE 136Readings in Medieval Prose4
CHINESE C140Readings in Chinese Buddhist Texts4
CHINESE 161Structure of the Chinese Language4
CHINESE 165History of the Chinese Language4
CHINESE 172Contemporary Chinese Language Cinema4
CHINESE 176Bad Emperors: Fantasies of Sovereignty and Transgression in the Chinese Tradition4
CHINESE 178Traditional Chinese Drama4
CHINESE 179Exploring Premodern Chinese Novels4
CHINESE 180The Story of the Stone4
CHINESE 186Confucius and His Interpreters4
CHINESE 187Literature and Media Culture in Taiwan4
CHINESE 188Popular Media in Modern China4
CHINESE 189Chinese Landscapes: Space, Place, and Travel4
EALANG (see list above)
Japanese
JAPAN 100AAdvanced Japanese5
JAPAN 100BAdvanced Japanese5
JAPAN 100SJapanese for Sinologists4
JAPAN 101Fourth-Year Japanese: Aspects of Japanese Society4
JAPAN 102Fourth-Year Readings: Japanese Culture4
JAPAN 103Fourth-Year Readings: Japanese Literature4
JAPAN 104Fourth-Year Readings: Japanese History4
JAPAN 105Fourth-Year Japanese: Current Issues in Japan4
JAPAN 110Learning Japanese through Community Service in Japan6
JAPAN 111Fifth-Year Readings: Reading and Analysis of Advanced Japanese Texts4
JAPAN 112Fifth-Year Readings: Japanese for Research and Professional Use4
JAPAN C115Buddhism and its Culture in Japan4
JAPAN 116Introduction to the Religions of Japan4
JAPAN 120Introduction to Classical Japanese4
JAPAN 130Classical Japanese Poetry4
JAPAN 132Premodern Japanese Diary (Nikki) Literature4
JAPAN 140Heian Prose4
JAPAN C141Introductory Readings in Kanbun4
JAPAN 144Edo Literature4
JAPAN 146Japanese Historical Documents4
JAPAN 155Modern Japanese Literature4
JAPAN 159Contemporary Japanese Literature4
JAPAN 160Introduction to Japanese Linguistics: Grammar4
JAPAN 161Introduction to Japanese Linguistics: Usage4
JAPAN 163Translation: Theory and Practice4
JAPAN 164Reading Japanese Texts Using Advanced Grammatical Analysis4
JAPAN 170Classical Japanese Literature in Translation4
JAPAN 173Modern Japanese Literature in Translation4
JAPAN C176Archaeology and Japanese Identities4
JAPAN 177Urami: Rancor and Revenge in Japanese Literature4
JAPAN 178Murakami Haruki and Miyazaki Hayao: the Politics of Japanese Culture from the Bubble to the Present4
JAPAN 180Ghosts and the Modern Literary Imagination4
JAPAN 181Reframing Disasters: Fukushima, Before and After4
JAPAN 185Introduction to Japanese Cinema4
JAPAN 188Japanese Visual Culture: Introduction to Anime4
JAPAN 189Topics in Japanese Film4
Korean
KOREAN 100AAdvanced Korean5
KOREAN 100AXAdvanced Korean for Heritage Speakers4
KOREAN 100BAdvanced Korean5
KOREAN 100BXAdvanced Korean for Heritage Speakers4
KOREAN 101Fourth-Year Readings: Korean Literature4
KOREAN 102Fourth-Year Korean: Korean Society through current issues4
KOREAN 105Business Korean4
KOREAN 109Korean Language in Popular Media4
KOREAN 111Fifth-Year Korean: Korean Culture and History4
KOREAN 112Fifth-Year Readings: Korean for Research and Professional Use4
KOREAN 130Genre and Occasion in Traditional Poetry4
KOREAN 140Narrating Persons and Objects in Traditional Korean Prose4
KOREAN 150Modern Korean Poetry4
KOREAN 153Readings in Modern Korean Literature4
KOREAN 155Modern Korean Fiction4
KOREAN 157Contemporary Korean Literature4
KOREAN 161K-POP: A History of Korean Popular Music4
KOREAN 170Intercultural Encounters in Korean Literature4
KOREAN 172Gender and Korean Literature4
KOREAN 174Modern Korean Fiction in Translation4
KOREAN 180Critical Approaches to Modern Korean Literature4
KOREAN 184Korean Independent Cinema4
KOREAN 185Picturing Korea4
KOREAN 186Introduction to Korean Cinema4
KOREAN 187History and Memory in Korean Cinema4
KOREAN 188Cold War Culture in Korea: Literature and Film4
KOREAN 189Korean Film Authors4
Mongolian
MONGOLN 110Literary Mongolian4
MONGOLN 116The Mongol Empire4
MONGOLN C117Mongolian Buddhism4
MONGOLN 118Modern Mongolia4
Tibetan
TIBETAN 100SAdvanced Tibetan Conversation1
TIBETAN 110AIntensive Readings in Tibetan4
TIBETAN 110BIntensive Readings in Tibetan4
TIBETAN C114Tibetan Buddhism4
TIBETAN 115Contemporary Tibet4
TIBETAN 116Traditional Tibet4
TIBETAN 118The Politics of Modern Tibet4
TIBETAN 119Tibetan Medicine in History and Society4
TIBETAN C154Death, Dreams, and Visions in Tibetan Buddhism4

Minor Requirements

Students with a strong interest in an area of study outside their major often decide to complete a minor program. These programs have set requirements.

General Guidelines

  1. All minors must be declared before the first day of classes in your Expected Graduation Term (EGT). For summer graduates, minors must be declared prior to the first day of Summer Session A. 

  2. All upper-division courses must be taken for a letter grade. 

  3. A minimum of three of the upper-division courses taken to fulfill the minor requirements must be completed at UC Berkeley.

  4. To fulfill the minor requirements, upper-division courses must have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0.

  5. Courses that fulfill the minor requirements may be applied toward the Seven-Course Breadth requirement for Letters & Science students.

  6. No more than one upper division course may be used to simultaneously fulfill requirements for a student's major and minor programs.

  7. All minor requirements must be completed before the last day of finals during the semester the student plans to graduate. If students cannot finish all courses required for the minor by then, they should see a College of Letters & Science adviser.

  8. All minor requirements must be completed within the unit ceiling. (Please see the College Requirements tab for further information regarding the unit ceiling.)

Chinese Minor

Declaring

Students should review the requirements and complete the prerequisite. Upon completing the prerequisite, students may apply to declare the minor online. For the latest information related to the minor, please see the department's Chinese Minor website.

Requirements
 

Prerequisite

  • The prerequisite must be completed with a minimum grade of C or a Pass for Pass/Not Pass (letter grade not required).
  • The prerequisite may be taken at another college or university.
  • Equivalency—Students who have studied Chinese may satisfy this requirement by completing an advanced Chinese language course at UCB or a Chinese placement exam.
Prerequisite
CHINESE 10BIntermediate Chinese5
or CHINESE 10Y Intermediate Chinese for Heritage Speakers

Required Courses

Five Upper-Division Courses are required to complete the minor; three CHINESE courses and two Electives
CHINESE Courses
Lower-Division Exception: One of these two courses
Introduction to Premodern Chinese Literature and Culture [4]
Introduction to Modern Chinese Literature and Culture
CHINESE 100AAdvanced Chinese5
or CHINESE 100XA Advanced Chinese for Heritage Learners
CHINESE 100BAdvanced Chinese5
or CHINESE 100XB Advanced Chinese for Heritage Learners
CHINESE 101Fourth-Year Chinese Readings: Literature4
CHINESE 102Fourth-Year Chinese Readings: Social Sciences and History4
CHINESE 105Business Chinese6
CHINESE 110AIntroduction to Literary Chinese4
CHINESE 110BIntroduction to Literary Chinese4
CHINESE 111Fifth-Year Readings: Reading and Analysis of Advanced Chinese Texts4
CHINESE 112Fifth-Year Readings: Chinese for Research and Professional Use4
CHINESE C116Buddhism in China4
CHINESE C118Buddhism in Modern China4
CHINESE 120Ancient Chinese Prose4
CHINESE 122Ancient Chinese Poetry4
CHINESE 130Topics in Daoism4
CHINESE 134Readings in Classical Chinese Poetry4
CHINESE 136Readings in Medieval Prose4
CHINESE C140Readings in Chinese Buddhist Texts4
CHINESE 153Reading Taiwan4
CHINESE 155Readings in Vernacular Chinese Literature4
CHINESE 156Modern Chinese Literature4
CHINESE 157Contemporary Chinese Literature4
CHINESE 158Reading Chinese Cities4
CHINESE 159Cities and the Country4
CHINESE 161Structure of the Chinese Language4
CHINESE 165History of the Chinese Language4
CHINESE 172Contemporary Chinese Language Cinema4
CHINESE 176Bad Emperors: Fantasies of Sovereignty and Transgression in the Chinese Tradition4
CHINESE 178Traditional Chinese Drama4
CHINESE 179Exploring Premodern Chinese Novels4
CHINESE 180The Story of the Stone4
CHINESE 186Confucius and His Interpreters4
CHINESE 187Literature and Media Culture in Taiwan4
CHINESE 188Popular Media in Modern China4
CHINESE 189Chinese Landscapes: Space, Place, and Travel4
Minor Electives - 2 Courses
Select two additional upper-division electives from Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, Tibetan, and East Asian Languages and Cultures (EALANG)
CHINESE (see list above)
EALANG (taught in English Translation)
EA LANG 101Catastrophe, Memory, and Narrative: Comparative Responses to Atrocity in the Twentieth Century4
EA LANG 105Dynamics of Romantic Core Values in East Asian Premodern Literature and Contemporary Film4
EA LANG 106Expressing the Ineffable in China and Beyond: The Making of Meaning in Poetic Writing4
EA LANG 107War, Empire, and Literature in East Asia4
EA LANG 108Revising the Classics: Chinese and Greek Poetry in Translation4
EA LANG 109History of the Culture of Tea in China and Japan4
EA LANG 110Bio-Ethical Issues in East Asian Thought4
EA LANG 111Reading Global Politics in Contemporary East Asian Literature4
EA LANG 112The East Asian Sixties4
EA LANG 114Illness Narratives, Vulnerable Bodies4
EA LANG 115Knowing Others, and Being Known: The Art of Writing People4
EA LANG 116Modern East Asian Fiction4
EA LANG 117Lu Xun and his Worlds4
EA LANG 118Sex and Gender in Premodern Chinese Culture4
EA LANG 119The History of Heaven4
EA LANG C120Buddhism on the Silk Road4
EA LANG 125The Art of Writing: Writing the Limits of Empathy4
EA LANG C126Buddhism and the Environment4
EA LANG C128Buddhism in Contemporary Society4
EA LANG C130Zen Buddhism4
EA LANG C132Pure Land Buddhism4
EA LANG C134Russia and Asia4
EA LANG C135Tantric Traditions of Asia4
EA LANG C142Psychoanalytic Theory, Asian Texts4
EA LANG C152Buddhist Astral Science4
EA LANG 160Neurodiversity in Literature4
EA LANG 162Science Fiction in East Asia4
EA LANG C175Archaeology of East Asia4
EA LANG 180East Asian Film: Directors and their Contexts4
EA LANG 181East Asian Film: Special Topics in Genre4
EA LANG 191Tools and Methods in the Study of East Asian Philosophy and Religion4
Japanese
JAPAN 100AAdvanced Japanese5
JAPAN 100BAdvanced Japanese5
JAPAN 100SJapanese for Sinologists4
JAPAN 101Fourth-Year Japanese: Aspects of Japanese Society4
JAPAN 102Fourth-Year Readings: Japanese Culture4
JAPAN 103Fourth-Year Readings: Japanese Literature4
JAPAN 104Fourth-Year Readings: Japanese History4
JAPAN 105Fourth-Year Japanese: Current Issues in Japan4
JAPAN 110Learning Japanese through Community Service in Japan6
JAPAN 111Fifth-Year Readings: Reading and Analysis of Advanced Japanese Texts4
JAPAN 112Fifth-Year Readings: Japanese for Research and Professional Use4
JAPAN C115Buddhism and its Culture in Japan4
JAPAN 116Introduction to the Religions of Japan4
JAPAN 120Introduction to Classical Japanese4
JAPAN 130Classical Japanese Poetry4
JAPAN 132Premodern Japanese Diary (Nikki) Literature4
JAPAN 140Heian Prose4
JAPAN C141Introductory Readings in Kanbun4
JAPAN 144Edo Literature4
JAPAN 146Japanese Historical Documents4
JAPAN 155Modern Japanese Literature4
JAPAN 159Contemporary Japanese Literature4
JAPAN 160Introduction to Japanese Linguistics: Grammar4
JAPAN 161Introduction to Japanese Linguistics: Usage4
JAPAN 163Translation: Theory and Practice4
JAPAN 164Reading Japanese Texts Using Advanced Grammatical Analysis4
JAPAN 170Classical Japanese Literature in Translation4
JAPAN 173Modern Japanese Literature in Translation4
JAPAN C176Archaeology and Japanese Identities4
JAPAN 177Urami: Rancor and Revenge in Japanese Literature4
JAPAN 178Murakami Haruki and Miyazaki Hayao: the Politics of Japanese Culture from the Bubble to the Present4
JAPAN 180Ghosts and the Modern Literary Imagination4
JAPAN 181Reframing Disasters: Fukushima, Before and After4
JAPAN 185Introduction to Japanese Cinema4
JAPAN 188Japanese Visual Culture: Introduction to Anime4
JAPAN 189Topics in Japanese Film4
Korean
KOREAN 100AAdvanced Korean5
or KOREAN 100AX Advanced Korean for Heritage Speakers
KOREAN 100BAdvanced Korean5
or KOREAN 100BX Advanced Korean for Heritage Speakers
KOREAN 101Fourth-Year Readings: Korean Literature4
KOREAN 102Fourth-Year Korean: Korean Society through current issues4
KOREAN 105Business Korean4
KOREAN 109Korean Language in Popular Media4
KOREAN 111Fifth-Year Korean: Korean Culture and History4
KOREAN 112Fifth-Year Readings: Korean for Research and Professional Use4
KOREAN 130Genre and Occasion in Traditional Poetry4
KOREAN 140Narrating Persons and Objects in Traditional Korean Prose4
KOREAN 150Modern Korean Poetry4
KOREAN 153Readings in Modern Korean Literature4
KOREAN 155Modern Korean Fiction4
KOREAN 157Contemporary Korean Literature4
KOREAN 160Korean Linguistics4
KOREAN 161K-POP: A History of Korean Popular Music4
KOREAN 170Intercultural Encounters in Korean Literature4
KOREAN 172Gender and Korean Literature4
KOREAN 174Modern Korean Fiction in Translation4
KOREAN 180Critical Approaches to Modern Korean Literature4
KOREAN 184Korean Independent Cinema4
KOREAN 185Picturing Korea4
KOREAN 186Introduction to Korean Cinema4
KOREAN 187History and Memory in Korean Cinema4
KOREAN 188Cold War Culture in Korea: Literature and Film4
KOREAN 189Korean Film Authors4
Mongolian
MONGOLN 110Literary Mongolian4
MONGOLN 116The Mongol Empire4
MONGOLN C117Mongolian Buddhism4
MONGOLN 118Modern Mongolia4
Tibetan
TIBETAN 100SAdvanced Tibetan Conversation1
TIBETAN 110AIntensive Readings in Tibetan4
TIBETAN 110BIntensive Readings in Tibetan4
TIBETAN C114Tibetan Buddhism4
TIBETAN 115Contemporary Tibet4
TIBETAN 116Traditional Tibet4
TIBETAN 118The Politics of Modern Tibet4
TIBETAN 119Tibetan Medicine in History and Society4
TIBETAN C154Death, Dreams, and Visions in Tibetan Buddhism4
TIBETAN C214Seminar in Tibetan Buddhism2,4
TIBETAN C224Readings in Tibetan Buddhist Texts2,4

College Requirements

Undergraduate students must fulfill the following requirements in addition to those required by their major program.

For a detailed lists of L&S requirements, please see Overview tab to the right in this guide or visit the L&S Degree Requirements webpage. For College advising appointments, please visit the L&S Advising Pages. 

University of California Requirements

Entry Level Writing

All students who will enter the University of California as freshmen must demonstrate their command of the English language by fulfilling the Entry Level Writing requirement. Fulfillment of this requirement is also a prerequisite to enrollment in all reading and composition courses at UC Berkeley and must be taken for a letter grade. 

American History and American Institutions

The American History and American Institutions requirements are based on the principle that all U.S. residents who have graduated from an American university should have an understanding of the history and governmental institutions of the United States.

Berkeley Campus Requirement

American Cultures

All undergraduate students at Cal need to take and pass this campus requirement course in order to graduate. The requirement offers an exciting intellectual environment centered on the study of race, ethnicity and culture of the United States. AC courses are plentiful and offer students opportunities to be part of research-led, highly accomplished teaching environments, grappling with the complexity of American Culture.

College of Letters & Science Essential Skills Requirements

Quantitative Reasoning

The Quantitative Reasoning requirement is designed to ensure that students graduate with basic understanding and competency in math, statistics, or computer/data science. The requirement may be satisfied by exam or by taking an approved course taken for a letter grade.

Foreign Language

The Foreign Language requirement may be satisfied by demonstrating proficiency in reading comprehension, writing, and conversation in a foreign language equivalent to the second semester college level, either by passing an exam or by completing approved course work taken for a letter grade.

Reading and Composition

In order to provide a solid foundation in reading, writing, and critical thinking the College of Letters and Science requires two semesters of lower division work in composition in sequence. Students must complete parts A & B reading and composition courses in sequential order by the end of their fourth semester for a letter grade.

College of Letters & Science 7 Course Breadth Requirements

Breadth Requirements

The undergraduate breadth requirements provide Berkeley students with a rich and varied educational experience outside of their major program. As the foundation of a liberal arts education, breadth courses give students a view into the intellectual life of the University while introducing them to a multitude of perspectives and approaches to research and scholarship. Engaging students in new disciplines and with peers from other majors, the breadth experience strengthens interdisciplinary connections and context that prepares Berkeley graduates to understand and solve the complex issues of their day.

Unit Requirements

  • 120 total units

  • Of the 120 units, 36 must be upper division units

  • Of the 36 upper division units, 6 must be taken in courses offered outside your major department
Residence Requirements

For units to be considered in "residence," you must be registered in courses on the Berkeley campus as a student in the College of Letters & Science. Most students automatically fulfill the residence requirement by attending classes at Cal for four years, or two years for transfer students. In general, there is no need to be concerned about this requirement, unless you graduate early, go abroad for a semester or year, or want to take courses at another institution or through UC Extension during your senior year. In these cases, you should make an appointment to meet an L&S College adviser to determine how you can meet the Senior Residence Requirement.

Note: Courses taken through UC Extension do not count toward residence.

Senior Residence Requirement

After you become a senior (with 90 semester units earned toward your B.A. degree), you must complete at least 24 of the remaining 30 units in residence in at least two semesters. To count as residence, a semester must consist of at least 6 passed units. Intercampus Visitor, EAP, and UC Berkeley-Washington Program (UCDC) units are excluded.

You may use a Berkeley Summer Session to satisfy one semester of the Senior Residence requirement, provided that you successfully complete 6 units of course work in the Summer Session and that you have been enrolled previously in the college.

Modified Senior Residence Requirement

Participants in the UC Education Abroad Program (EAP), Berkeley Summer Abroad, or the UC Berkeley Washington Program (UCDC) may meet a Modified Senior Residence requirement by completing 24 (excluding EAP) of their final 60 semester units in residence. At least 12 of these 24 units must be completed after you have completed 90 units.

Upper Division Residence Requirement

You must complete in residence a minimum of 18 units of upper division courses (excluding UCEAP units), 12 of which must satisfy the requirements for your major.

Major Map

Major maps are experience maps that help undergraduates plan their Berkeley journey based on intended major or field of interest. Featuring student opportunities and resources from your college and department as well as across campus, each map includes curated suggestions for planning your studies, engaging outside the classroom, and pursuing your career goals in a timeline format.

Use the major map below to explore potential paths and design your own unique undergraduate experience:

View the Chinese Language Major Map.

 

Courses

Chinese Language

East Asian Languages & Cultures Courses

Contact Information

Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures

3413 Dwinelle Hall

Phone: 510-642-3480

Fax: 510-642-6031

ealang@berkeley.edu

Visit Department Website

Undergraduate Advisor

Cassandra Dunn

7228 Dwinelle Hall

https://calendly.com/cassandra-dunn-ug-advisor

cassandrajj@berkeley.edu

Undergraduate Faculty Advisor

Dan O'Neill

3408 Dwinelle

https://ealc.berkeley.edu/people/oneill-dan

dconeill@berkeley.edu

Department Chair

Robert Ashmore

3403 Dwinelle Hall

https://ealc.berkeley.edu/people/ashmore-robert

rashmore@berkeley.edu

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