Welcome to the Chinese Program Website of the SWS at VCU! We are doing our best to meet your needs and serve your interest in Chinese language and culture.

China has increasingly become a major player on the political and economic stage in East Asia and in the global forum. Its language, culture, philosophy and arts have had lasting influence in the East Asian region. The opening up of China since 1978 has provided great opportunities for scholarly pursuit, business, government, foreign services, legal study and other professional undertakings.

In response to the new opportunities and challenges, the Chinese Program seeks not only to provide students with another option to meet the language requirement of at VCU, but also to prepare those who are exploring careers related to China and the Chinese language. Currently, the Chinese Program offers Chinese language courses from elementary to advanced levels.

Guided by the 5 Cs of the National Standards for Foreign Language Education; Communication, Cultures, Comparisons, Connections, and Communities, VCU has been offering Chinese language courses for more than 10 years.  The Chinese language curriculum aims for a quality program that strives not only to achieve language competence in listening, speaking, reading and writing but also to have a firm grasp of contemporary Chinese society and culture.

The Chinese Program, in cooperation with Beijing Foreign Studies University and Fudan University, offers opportunities for students to study in China for a semester or an academic year after completing two semesters of Chinese language study at the SWS. The credits received in China will transfer back towards a foreign language degree in Chinese at VCU, through the SWS. You will have a strong language foundation, be more prepared to study abroad in China and better experience the culture in Beijing or Shanghai.

The School of World Studies through the Office of Global Education offers VCU students opportunities to study Chinese at our partner schools in China.

Learn more about studying Chinese at VCU's Partner School, Fudan University in Shanghai, China.

Learn more about studying Chinese at VCU's Partner School, Beijing Foreign Studies University in Beijing, China.

Foreign Language Class Attendance Policy