Chinese, minor
China undoubtedly has the largest population in the world and the fastest growing economy, which makes it one of the greatest markets for the United States. Students who combine the study of Chinese with a major will be very well prepared for graduate and professional programs. Studying Chinese not only satisfies Core requirement at LMU, it also enables one to acquire great skills for a career in the 21st century.
LMU offers Chinese classes from beginning to advanced levels, as well as content courses on a variety of topics in Chinese. Our curriculum is proficiency-oriented. The proficiency guidelines from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages serve as the guiding framework for our teaching and learning.
Listen to what some of our students have to say about why they chose to study Chinese and what their experience has been like in our program, here and here. Be sure to check out our news and events information on the Chinese community page, here, and learn about the Chinese Circle Student Club and how to join, here. Follow us on Instagram at Chinese@LMU.
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You might be a Chinese minor if you:
- Are interested in learning a language and a script that are different from English
- Are interested in understanding the culturally-rooted mindsets and behaviors of Chinese people
- Are interested in working abroad or working in a field that deals with international affairs
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Chinese minors will know:
- Principal aspects of Chinese language
- Macro and micro societal environments and culture in contemporary China
- Tools to analyze the Chinese language, literary production, and social phenomena
Chinese minors will be able to:
- Speak Chinese appropriately and accurately
- Read texts in Chinese that are conceptually abstract and linguistically complex
- Write in Chinese on a variety of topics with precision and in detail
- Conduct cross-linguistic and cultural analyses between Chinese and their native language and culture
Chinese minors will be able to demonstrate that they value:
- Multilingualism and multiculturalism
- Cultural values that are distinctively different from their own
- Social behaviors and mindsets of Chinese people that are deeply rooted and reflected in Chinese language and culture.
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The Chinese minor consists of 20 semester hours above CHIN 2102:
- CHIN 2103 Chinese 3 4 semester hours
- CHIN 2104 Chinese 4 4 semester hours
- CHIN 3605 Chinese 5 4 semester hours
- CHIN 3606 Chinese 6 4 semester hours and
- One (1) CHIN 3000-4000 level elective 4 semester hours
Note: The CHIN 2101, CHIN 2102, CHIN 2103, CHIN 2104 series is recommended for those who seek basic Chinese language and culture proficiency. This series requires one hour of study/drill session each week.
All students interested in taking a Chinese course including CHIN 2101 Chinese 1 must take the online LMU Chinese Placement Exam.
Students who need more semester hours to complete the Chinese minor because of their language placement must take additional courses in the language. In the event that there are no courses in the language, students may take MDLG 3400, MDLG 4400, or FNLT 4200 (provided it is related to Chinese language concentration). Students can receive no more than four upper-division credits from Chinese language or cultural courses offered outside of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at LMU, non-LMU study-abroad programs, and other universities. In addition, for any non-Chinese (CHIN) courses to be applied towards the Chinese minor, students must receive preapproval from the Chinese program coordinator and Modern Languages and Literatures department chair.
For more information, see the LMU Bulletin.
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Course offerings for Chinese Spring 2025
See all Chinese courses offered in the LMU Bulletin.