APPENDIX 1 - proposal
Saint Joseph’s University
College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Modern and Classical Languages
PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH A MINOR IN CHINESE STUDIES
(initial draft, 13 April 2011)
In the United States, Chinese (standard Mandarin) has typically been a “less commonly taught language.”
Recently, however, there has been significant growth in total enrollments in Chinese at the post-secondary
level. According to the MLA language enrollment database (http://www.mla.org/flsurvey_search), total
enrollments at American colleges and universities across the United States from fall 2002 to fall 2009
increased from a total of 34,153 in fall 2002 to 61,747 in fall 2009, an increase of approximately 80%. In
the state of Pennsylvania alone, the trend is even more pronounced, with an increase over the same period
from 1562 to 3463, a rise of over 120%.
Recognizing the importance of China on the world stage and the increasing demand for Chinese language
classes at Saint Joseph’s University, we began offering Chinese language classes in 2001, taught by a
single part-time lecturer. Initially, enrollmentw were low, but they rapidly increased and have shown
significant growth. In fall 2002, there were nine students in CHN 1011 First-year Chinese, five in CHN
1211 Second-Year Chinese and a single student in CHN 1311 Chinese Conversation and Composition, a
total enrollment of 15. That total increased to 40 in 2010, a growth of some 166%. The total enrollments
over that period figure in the table below:
fall semester (year)
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
total enrolled
(all courses)
15
11
12
17
34
24
35
46
40
These numbers call for a bit of explanation. The slight decrease from 2009 to 2010 arises largely from a
shift in policy. From 2006 to 2009, the enrollment figures include a number of native speakers of
Chinese, who were using their mother tongue to satisfy the GER foreign language requirement or the
GER Art/Lit requirement. In 2010, we chose to restrict these courses only to non-native speakers of any
dialect of Chinese (while we continue to allow heritage speakers of Chinese to take CHN courses). This
change in strategy and focus explains the slight drop in enrollment from 2009 to 2010.
APPENDIX 1 - proposal
In fall 2009, an agreement was reached among faculty of the Asian Studies program, the Chair of the
Department of Foreign Languages (now Modern and Classical Languages) and the Dean of the College of
Arts and Sciences, whereby they commited to creating, implementing and sustaining a Visiting Lecturer
position in Chinese, with financial support from Asian Studies and the College. The purpose of this new
position was to support Asian Studies by guaranteeing stable and ongoing coverage of classes in Chinese,
so that all students who desire to study Mandarin at Saint Joseph’s University, especially those in the
Asian Studies Program, would be able to do so. The Visiting Lecturer assures a full complement of
language courses, as well as independent studies or tutorials for advanced students. A search was
conducted in spring 2010 and Juan Julie Yu was hired to assume responsibility for teachng courses and
developing the program. Her arrival at Saint Joseph’s has been accompanied by dynamic developments,
including the establishment of an active Chinese Language Club, regular Chinese Tables, and a number of
public events, including a well-attended, outstanding concert co-sponsored by Asian Studies and the
Department of Fine Arts, “A Night of Chinese Folk Music,” with soprano Ye Li on 25 March, which
raised over $1000.00 to benefit victims of the recent earthquake in Japan.
The Chinese language program is vigorous and promises to continue growing. The students enrolled in
the program are enthusiastic about their language student and many of them have expressed an interest in
a minor in Chinese. Fourteen of them have said that they would like to complete a minor if this option
becomes available to them. See the e-mail message below:
APPENDIX 1 - proposal
In response to student demand and to the promise of continuing and growing demand for Chinese
language and culture course, including the option of taking a minor in Chinese, we hope to implement this
program soon.
The proposed minor (approved by the Department of Modern and Classical Languages, 3 March
2011)
The minor would comprise a total of six courses (eighteen semester credit hours) at the beginning II (102)
level or higher. Students may also petition to count one course taught in English. The only Englishlanguage courses that may be considered are those that have appropriate historical or cultural content that
focuses largely or exclusively on China.
The courses needed to implement and sustain the minor are currently available or under development. In
addition to the courses available at Saint Joseph’s, we also expect a number of students to take advantage
of study abroad in China and to have additional course options.
APPENDIX 1 - proposal
Courses currently available and regularly taught
CHN 101 Beginning Chinese I [will not count toward the minor]
CHN 102 Beginning Chinese II
CHN 201 Intermediate Chinese I
CHN 202 Intermediate Chinese II
CHN 301 Chinese Conversation and Composition I
CHN 302 Chinese Conversation and Composition I
Courses currently available and taught as needed
CHN 310 Selections in Chinese Literature
CHN 330 Chinese for Business
Course taught as independent study, to be proposed as a regular course
CHN 306 Advanced Chinese [in progress]
Content-oriented courses in English that may, on petition, be considered for the minor
HIS 352 History of Late Imperial China
HIS 353 History of Modern China
HIS 358 Contemporary China
HIS 476 Seminar in Asian History (when appropriate)
Furthermore, Professor Yu intends to develop additional courses taught in Chinese and will consider codeveloping courses taught in English, in support of the Asian Studies program.
Market competition
There are relatively few Chinese language minor or major programs in this region. We believe that by
offering this program will allow Saint Joseph’s University to benefit from a clear trend of increased
interest in Chinese and rising enrollment in Chinese language programs. See Appendix 2.
Cost
This minor will entail no additional expenses beyond the current costs, that the College and the Asian
Studies program have committed to covering. If the program grows so that it will be necessary to hire
additional prart-time or full-time faculty, those additional costs will be justified and covered by increased
revenue that arises from significantly increased enrollments.