IUP Chinese Language Program Admissions Regulations
Sponsoring Unit: Tsinghua University School of Social Sciences
Project Number: 2107030003
NOTABLY DISTINGUISHED
The Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies (IUP) at Tsinghua UniversitySchool of Social Sciencesis a Chinese language training program established by Tsinghua University and a consortium of international universities (mainly in the United States). The eleven schools in the Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies consortium include Columbia University, Indiana University, Princeton University, Stanford University,TsinghuaUniversity, University of British Columbia, University of California Berkeley, University of Chicago, University of Michigan, University of Virginia, and Yale University. The Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies at Tsinghua University’s predecessor program was established in 1963 in Taiwan, and was often called “the Stanford Center.” In 1997, IUP moved to Tsinghua University in Beijing and changed its name to the Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies at Tsinghua University.IUPis dedicated to delivering advanced Chinese language training to its participators, who are undergraduate participators, graduate participators, professionals, and recognized scholars from top universities worldwide. IUP’s highly effective teaching methodology has been in use for over fifty years, and its graduates use the language expertise learned at IUP for successful careers in education, government, law, business consulting, public relations, news media, diplomacy, and other fields.
INTENSELY RIGOROUS
At IUP, intensity ensures Chinese language proficiency. Participators can expect 4-6 hours of class preparation and 4 hours of classes per day. An instructor with a maximum of 3 participators will engage and challenge each other in closed-book classroom sessions. Daily 1-on-1 tutorials also enable participators to ask questions regarding the course material and to work on areas of improvement, which may include delving into studies specific to their core interests.
HIGHLY INDIVIDUALIZED
IUP provides the highest level of focused instruction. Once participators meet the IUP criteria for advanced language skills, they’ll have their choice of courses based on their academic interest, dissertation topic or areas related to their career.
WHY CHOOSE IUP?
Participators: Advance your language competency to further your field of study or learn new skills.
Academics: Refresh your skills or gain new competency specific to your next research project with customized curricula and flexible schedules.
Professionals: Achieve professional-level competency specific to your career.
2022Summer Term:June 13–August 5, 2022
2022Fall Semester:August 22–December 16, 2022
Choose to study at IUP for one semester (4 months of instruction) or for an academic year (8 months of instruction) starting in the fall. Participators are only admitted on a full-time basis. Each semester consists of two eight-week modules. After completing the eight-week module, participators will advance to a higher level of classes, start new textbooks, and work with new teachers.
Participators who place into IUP’s core curriculum will be assigned three hours of 3-on-1 classes and one hour of 1-on-1 classes daily, five days a week. Afterfourmonths of classes,springsemester participators will have more class hours than two full years of Chinese courses at most universities.
Participators sign a pledge to only speak Chinese in our language center and in all program-related activities. Rigorous admissions standards ensure that all enrolled participators have the necessary language skills to learn Chinesein Chinese. Our comprehensive course placement evaluations place participators in classes that suit their language learning needs. Participators spend 4 to 6 hours daily preparing for the following day’s lessons, all of which are conducted in a “closed-book” classroom, in which participators cannot refer to the textbook, notes, or dictionary.
IUP is open to current undergraduate and graduate participators, recent graduates, academics, and professionals with the equivalent of at least 2 years of university-level Chinese.
Cost of Attending IUP
Please send an email to zwwiup@tsinghua.edu.cn
Application Deadline
2022SummerTerm:April15, 2022to be considered for financial aid, rolling admissions untilJune 12, 2022.
2022FallSemester:June15, 2022to be considered for financial aid, rolling admissions untilAugust 21, 2022.
Application Process
1.Submit Application: Create Admissions Portal login and submit all necessary components including application form, transcripts, and recommendation letters. You can track IUP’s receipt of these documents and your application status in this portal.
2.Schedule a Skype Interview: Within 1-2 weeks if you pass the initial application review, you will be notified to schedule a Skype interview in your Admissions Portal.
3.Receive Decision: You will receive an admissions decision within 1-2 weeks of the interview.
Course Placement
Enrolled participators complete a placement test on the first day of orientation. This placement test includes a 2-hour written exam, consisting of over 200 questions in listening comprehension, reading comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, idioms, and classical Chinese. In addition, each participator must complete another 15-20 minute oral placement test.
This allows IUP to guarantee participators are placed into the proper level(s) of classes. Depending on the individual language learner’s skills and needs, these courses can include different levels of difficulty in different subjects. Some participators might be placed in 2 hours of 1-on-1 tutorials each day. This can occur when a participator’s language level does not match with other incoming classmates or the participator has specific topics he or she wants to study.
Finally, all participators will retake the placement test in their final week of coursework so as to demonstrate how much they have improved over their time studying at IUP.
Course Structure
Participators in IUP’s standard curriculum take four classes using three textbooks every day for an 8-week module. Placement test and interview results will determine participators’ actual schedules and textbooks.
Small Classes: Individual Attention from Your Instructor
IUP courses will have no more than three participators. Each participant will have one hour of one-on-one tutorial every day of the week. Such small classes allow for individual attention from the instructor and ample time for participators to exchange ideas with classmates and teachers and delve into meaningful discussions about the topic at hand.
Chinese Only Language Environment: IUP is a “Language Pledge” Program
All IUP participators sign a pledge to only speak Chinese in classes, all program activities, and in IUP's building. All IUP participators must be able to learn Chinesein Chinese.
Closed-Book Classroom: Fully Preparing for Lessons is Essential for a Productive Classroom Experience
Professor Karl Leban of the University of Kansas (IUP Field Director, 1968-69) first instituted the “closed-book classroom” at IUP, a policy that continues to this day. This means that participators are not allowed to refer to their textbooks or notes while in class.
Participator Speeches: Deep Dive into a Topic of Your Choice
Once every module, IUP participators are required to prepare and deliver a 5 to 7-minute speech on a topic of their choice in front of classmates and teachers. Instructors work closely with the participator to revise and improve their speech. This required assignment gives participators multiple opportunities to practice public speaking in Chinese and allows them to learn topics that might not be directly covered in their lessons. These speeches generally take place on the Friday of the sixth week of the module and account for 10% of the final grade.
Types of Courses
Integrated Course Tutorial (1 hour/day)
Our “integrated” class focuses on one core textbook for one individual tutorial and one group class. The individual tutorial is always scheduled first to ensure that the instructor has time to correct errors and improve the participator’s weaknesses before the group class.
Integrated Course Group Class (1 hour/day)
Our “integrated” class focuses on one core textbook for one individual tutorial and one group class. The group class focuses on practicing new grammar patterns and guided discussion between participators and teacher on the day’s lesson topic.
Listening Comprehension Course (1 hour / day)
Participators also take a listening comprehension group course every day. This course using radio broadcasts, news reports, and other audio resources to introduce participants to important cultural and political topics. The Listening Comprehension course textbooks include brief introductions to the lesson topic, vocabulary lists, and grammar points, but no written lesson texts.
Elective Course (1 hour/day)
Participators at IUP's intermediate levels will generally be assigned an "elective" that is geared toward addressing the weaknesses in the Chinese language. These courses include pronunciation, reading, writing, grammar, or other essential foundational skills. Participators at IUP’s advanced levels can choose from a selection of courses including Classical Chinese, Business Chinese, Literature, Film, Legal Studies, etc.
Selected Materials Tutorial (1 - 2 hours/day)
Advanced participators may also choose to have a 1-on-1 “Selected Materials Course”, using teaching materials that they choose themselves. These courses allow advanced participators to benefit from flexible curricula to delve into topics that fascinate them. Participants have chosen materials courses on their academic interest, dissertation topic, and areas related to their career and will work closely with the instructor to craft a curriculum around these materials. Selected Materials Courses are designed to help participators achieve professional competence in the topic of the course.
Description of Awarding Certificates
After participators have completed their full course of study and have passed review, the Tsinghua University Office ofLifelongEducationAdministrationwill uniformly award Certificates of Completed Study from the Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies at Tsinghua University, administered by the Tsinghua University School of Social Sciences. The certificate will be stamped with “Tsinghua University Continuing Education Special Stamp” and “Tsinghua University School of Social Sciences official seal. “Certificate numbers can be searched and displayed at the following website:http://thtm.tsinghua.edu.cn.
Summer Term Admissions End Date:June 12,2022
Fall Semester Admissions End Date:August 21,2022
Sponsoring Unit Email Address：
zwwiup@tsinghua.edu.cn
