2002/03
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2002/03 |
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CHINESE - POLITICS
UCAS LT21 Chin/Pol
Admission Enquiries: Centre for Joint Honours – Modern Languages Division
This Joint Honours degree programme offers students the opportunity to acquire a good knowledge of China, with particular emphasis on the modern period, and a command of spoken and written Chinese (Mandarin), while at the same time gaining knowledge of both the theoretical and institutional aspects of Politics.
The Department of East Asian Studies offers a range of programmes focussing on the language and societies of contemporary East Asia and has a full-time staff of twelve, including native speakers of both Chinese and Japanese. Joint Honours students receive intensive training in Chinese or Japanese language, and periods of study in China or Japan form an integral part of each course. Common interest in, and experience of, East Asian societies amongst staff and students make for a close and friendly department. In the most recent Teaching Quality Assessment exercise, which covers all aspects of undergraduate teaching, the Department of East Asian Studies achieved an overall “Excellent” with an unusually high score.
The Department of Politics at Leeds has a considerable reputation for the quality of its teaching and the innovative character of its degree schemes. With sixteen academic staff, we are neither so large as to be anonymous nor so small as to limit students' choice of optional courses, or the range of perspectives and approaches to which they will be exposed. Successive generations of students have commented in the Alternative Prospectus on the open and friendly atmosphere in the Department. Between them, the academic staff cover a wide range of specialisms in the study of politics: British politics, West European politics, the USA, the former Soviet Union, Japan and the Far East, the Middle East, development studies, political and social theory, international relations. About eighty students are admitted to the Department each year, half of them on Joint Honours programmes. The emphasis is put on small group teaching. There is an active student Politics Society which arranges talks and debates and the Department arranges regular day schools on current political issues involving national experts.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Normally three passes at A level or two at A level and two at AS level with grades around BBC including a foreign language. No previous knowledge of Chinese is required.
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE AND 'ELECTIVES'
This programme of study differs in its structure from most Joint Honours degree programmes in Arts in this university. In most programmes at Level 1 (i.e. in the first year) students spend one third of their time on each of their two nominated subjects and the final third on 'electives' in another subject or subjects; and 40 credits are allocated to the work done in each of the thirds. However, since the learning of a difficult language such as Chinese from scratch is a particularly demanding undertaking, it has 60 credits allocated to it at Level 1. This means that only 20 credits of electives are taken in this programme at Level 1. Consequently students are unlikely to be able to change to a different programme of study at the end of Level 1. The second year is spent in China and 120 credits are allocated for the year abroad.
After the year in China students are required over Levels 2 and 3 together to take 100 credits in Politics and at each level are required to take 60 credits of Chinese. The remaining 20 credits are taken as electives which may take the form either of further courses in one or both of the chosen main subjects or of one or more courses in another subject.
ASSESSMENT
At all three levels modules are assessed by continuous assessment, written examination or a combination of the two; written examinations take place at the end of each semester (i.e. in January/February and June). Final degree classification is based on the marks gained for the assessment of Level 2 and 3 modules.
PROGRAMME COMPONENTS
Level 1
Chinese 1:
Basic Chinese Language; Traditional China; Modern China
Politics 1:
Introduction to Politics; British Politics
YEAR ABROAD
Between Levels 1 and 2 students spend the year studying at a university in China (currently in Beijing or Tianjin) or Taiwan. The Chinese universities offer language courses and also provide accommodation and pastoral care. The year presents the opportunity not only to develop a high level of language ability but also to experience the challenge of real life in a Chinese environment.
Level 2
Chinese 2:
Chinese Language 2; Essential Chinese Language Skills; Chinese Film; Chinese History 1840 - 1949; Chinese History and Institutions since 1949
Politics 2:
Optional modules from: Theories of Justice; Modern Political Ideologies; Theories of Political Obligation and Human Rights; United States Government; French Politics in the 5th Republic; Soviet and Post-Soviet Politics; Government and Politics in India; Politics in Japan; Introduction to the Politics of the European Community
Level 3
Chinese 3:
Chinese Language 3; Advanced Chinese Language Skills; Chinese Media; Documentary or Literary Option
Politics 3:
Optional modules from a list approved by the Head of Department of Politics.
We welcome applications from students with disabilities. The University has a major programme of refurbishment and the majority of University buildings are accessible by wheelchair. Individual candidates are welcome to make a visit. More information about wheelchair access and other support is available from the Disability Services (Tel: 0113 233 3927)
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