Course Finder

IGETC Foreign Language (required for UC only)

Satisfies Global Citizenship

This course teaches pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar fundamentals as essential elements in reading, writing, and understanding elementary Chinese. The course also covers necessary culture, customs, philosophy, and history which serve as keys to studying the Chinese language.

IGETC AREA 3B (Humanities), Foreign Language (required for UC only)

Satisfies Global Citizenship

• Advisory: CHNESE 1*.

This course is a continuation of Chinese 1, which covers elementary grammar. It provides students with further basic oral and writing skills while acquainting them with the language. It also includes the reading of simplified texts with emphasis on oral expression and further study of Chinese history and culture. This course is taught in Chinese except in cases of linguistic difficulty as determined by the professor.

*The advisory for this course is comparable to two years of high school Chinese.

IGETC AREA 3B (Humanities), Foreign Language (required for UC only)

Satisfies Global Citizenship

• Advisory: CHNESE 2*.

This course builds on language skills developed in Chinese 1 and 2. The course will complete and review basic grammar and key sentence patterns of Chinese, provide practice in the appropriate use of idiomatic expressions, and further develop skill in reading and writing Hanzi (Chinese characters). It will also build vocabulary, expand reading comprehension, and encourage more extensive conversation in Chinese. It will cover additional aspects about Chinese culture and history. This course is taught in Chinese except in cases of linguistic difficulty as determined by the professor..

*The advisory for this course is comparable to three years of high school Chinese.

IGETC AREA 3B (Humanities), Foreign Language UC only

Satisfies Global Citizenship

• Advisory: CHNESE 3 or equivalent.

This course builds on language skills developed in Chinese 3. The course will review and expand on elementary Chinese grammar, provide practice in the appropriate use of set phrases and idioms, and further develop skills in reading and writing. It will enrich vocabulary, further develop reading comprehension, improve conversation and basic writing skills; and it will encompass aspects of Chinese culture and history. This course is taught in Chinese except in cases of linguistic difficulty as determined by the professor.

• Prerequisite: CHNESE 2 or equivalent skills.

This course provides an opportunity to acquire better speaking skills in Chinese with the emphasis on natural, colloquial usage. New vocabulary and idiomatic phrases will be emphasized and the student will hold conversations in Chinese during each class meeting. The course is taught in Chinese except in cases of linguistic difficulty as determined by the professor.

Applied and service-learning field experience within a public agency, educational institution, and citizen volunteer groups is a requirement of this class.

IGETC AREA 3B (Arts and Humanities)

Satisfies Global Citizenship

This course encompasses the accomplishments of Chinese civilization. From pre-historical beginnings to the early twentieth century, the fundamentals of Chinese philosophy, religion, art, literature, and language are covered and provide an understanding and appreciation of the world’s oldest continuing culture. The course is taught in English.

• Corequisite: Any course in Chinese.

This course — taken in tandem with another course in the discipline — enables a student to apply course content in a meaningful and relevant way to a particular activity. In this hands-on course, students engage in applied learning through unpaid experiential activities organized by the student (in conjunction with SMC’s applied / service learning center) and approved by the instructor. Students will develop a customized reading list relevant to their particular activity, complete a minimum of 15 hours of volunteer work with that activity, and submit academically-sound written reports regarding the activity. By applying course material to their experience, students develop a deeper understanding of the discipline.