Chinese courses

ASTC 1010 Beginning Chinese I
Beginning Chinese I
Designed for students to acquire a knowledge of the fundamentals of the Chinese language to be demonstrated in four areas of basic language skills: oral and listening comprehension, speaking, writing (Chinese characters), and some reading ability.
credit hours: 4
Beginning Chinese I

ASTC 1020 Beginning Chinese II
Beginning Chinese II
A continuation of the objectives presented in Beginning Chinese I. Attention is given to practical and topics-oriented conversational skills, moods of speech, and complex level of syntax.
Pre-requistites: ASTC 1010 or placement.
credit hours: 4
Beginning Chinese II

ASTC 1030 Beginning Chinese for Heritage Learners I
Beginning Chinese for Heritage Learners I
This course is tailored to accommodate students who grew up in an environment in which Chinese is spoken by parents or guardians at home and for those who are familiar with the language and possess native-like abilities in comprehension and speaking. The class, conducted in Chinese, meets four times a week with a focus on reading and writing, including the correct use of grammar. The general program policy at Tulane is to teach simplified characters; yet students with traditional character background may choose to write in traditional characters in their works, but should be able to read simplified characters in which most class materials are written. Only those students who are placed in ASTC 1030 by the language learning center and who have received instructor’s approval are able to take ASTC 1030.
Pre-requistites: See course Description
credit hours: 4
Beginning Chinese for Heritage Learners I

ASTC 1040 Beginning Chinese for Heritage Learners II
Beginning Chinese for Heritage Learners II
ASTC 1040 is tailored to accommodate students who grew up in an environment in which Chinese is spoken by parents or guardians at home and for those who are familiar with the language and possess native-like abilities in comprehension and speaking. Only those students who have taken ASTC 1030 or those who are placed in ASTC 1040 by the language learning center and who have received approval from the instructor are able to take ASTC 1040. ASTC1040 prepares students for ASTC3060.
Pre-requistites: See course Description
credit hours: 4
Beginning Chinese for Heritage Learners II

ASTC 2030 Intermediate Chinese I
Intermediate Chinese I
An intensive study of conventional Chinese characters, additional grammar, and an exposure to simplified Chinese characters. Continued emphasis on reading, writing, listening, and speaking abilities.
Pre-requistites: ASTC 1020 or passing proficiency test.
credit hours: 4
Intermediate Chinese I

ASTC 2040 Intermediate Chinese II
Intermediate Chinese II
A continuation of the objectives presented in Intermediate Chinese I. Attention is given to improvement of the student's ability to read and write in modern Chinese.
Pre-requistites: ASTC 2030 or equivalent.
credit hours: 4
Intermediate Chinese II

ASTC 3010 Chinese Conversation and Composition I
Chinese Conversation and Composition I
Development of conversational, reading and writing skills in Chinese.
Pre-requistites: ASTC 2040 or equivalent.
credit hours: 3
Chinese Conversation and Composition I

ASTC 3020 Chinese Conversation and Composition II
Chinese Conversation and Composition II
A continuation of objectives in ASTC 3010, intended to provide an advanced level of skills in Chinese.
Pre-requistites: ASTC 3010 or equivalent.
credit hours: 3
Chinese Conversation and Composition II

ASTC 3050 Advanced Chinese Language I
Advanced Chinese Language I
First semester advanced instruction in the Chinese language, including conversation, reading, and writing.
Pre-requistites: Completion of the first two years of Chinese instruction, or equivalent, plus permission of instructor.
credit hours: 4
Advanced Chinese Language I

ASTC 3060 Advanced Chinese Language II
Advanced Chinese Language II
This course is designed for students who have prior knowledge of Mandarin Chinese, preferably with the equivalent of two and a half years’ Chinese learning experience. The course is to advance students’ Chinese social-cultural awareness and their oral proficiency while developing reading and writing skills. Students will read a variety of viewpoints on current issues of population, education, family, gender, environment, business and technology in the rapidly changing China. By the end of the semester, students are expected to be able to read Chinese with fluency and accuracy; students are expected to be able to skim for the main idea of texts; students are expected to be able to look for specific information in each text; students are expected to analyze and express themselves, and give opinions in oral presentations and writing tasks on covered topics. Only those students who have taken ASTC 3050, ASTC1030, or ASTC 1040 at Tulane or those who are placed in ASTC 3060 by language learning center can take ASTC 3060.
Pre-requistites: See course Description
credit hours: 4
Advanced Chinese Language II

ASTC 3511 Introduction to Chinese Linguistics
Introduction to Chinese Linguistics
Designed to help Chinese learners understand Chinese grammar in a systematic manner as well as gain a theoretical perspective on Chinese language structure, give linguistic students a sense of how Chinese languages, in particular, Mandarin Chinese works and help (future) Chinese instructors gain the meta-linguistic knowledge in teaching Mandarin language.
credit hours: 3
Introduction to Chinese Linguistics

ASTC 3930 Chinese Language and Culture
Chinese Language and Culture
This course will increase student competency in socializing with Chinese natives and increase their awareness of social-cultural norms through the examination of language use. In this course, students will understand what is polite linguistically in Mandarin Chinese; how gender differences, social stratification, traditional values are reflected in the use of proverbs, idioms and how Mandarin Chinese speakers perform these speech acts: gift offering and acceptance, showing gratitude, apologizing, making requests, refusing, disagreeing, complaining, etc. as well as how Chinese differ in performing these speech acts from American English speakers. A student does not need to speak or read Chinese to take this course though some background in Chinese character reading is helpful.
credit hours: 3
Chinese Language and Culture

ASTC 4070 Advanced Chinese Reading and Writing
Advanced Chinese Reading and Writing
ASTC 4070 is designed for students who have completed three years of mandarin Chinese learning or equivalent. The course will continue improving students' proficiency in mandarin Chinese and knowledge of Chinese culture and society. The registration of the course requires permission of the instructor.
Pre-requistites: ASTC 3060.
credit hours: 3
Advanced Chinese Reading and Writing

ASTC 4080 Advanced Chinese Listening and Speaking
Advanced Chinese Listening and Speaking
ASTC 4080 advanced Chinese listening and speaking is designed for students who have completed three years of Mandarin Chinese or equivalent. It will focus on developing students’ advanced language skills in Mandarin Chinese as well as knowledge of contemporary Chinese culture and society. Students will be listening to or watching multi-media materials on social issues in modern Chinese society, including love, family, education, economic development and urban consumption etc. The authentic materials students are exposed to include, music, news, mini movies, short videos, etc. By the end of the semester, students are expected to be able to consistently explain issues in detail and narrate fully and accurately in all time frames, and deal with complication with linguistic ease, confidence and competence. They are also expected to support opinion with argument and deal with various topics from an abstract perspective. Those students who have taken ASTC 3060 or ASTC4070 at Tulane or those who are placed at 4000 level can take ASTC 4080.
Notes: Elective in Linguistics
Pre-requistites: See course Description
credit hours: 3
Advanced Chinese Listening and Speaking