International Programs / Study Abroad

Beijing, China

China's Political and Cultural Capital 

In conjunction with Syracuse University Division of International Programs Abroad, the Study Abroad Program will offer an opportunity for DePaul students to study the language and cultures of China while living in its administrative and political center – Beijing. The city of Beijing is an ideal place from which to study China's past and the enormous changes and pressures that have transformed China into the fastest-growing economy on the globe.

Hosted by Tsinghua University, this program is designed to offer participants an opportunity to study the complexities of contemporary China across disciplines - including history, geography, international studies, political science, anthropology and communications, while studying the Chinese language at their appropriate levels. The campus of this prestigious university is situated on several former royal Qing dynasty gardens in the northwest sector of Beijing.

COURSES   

The Beijing Winter and Spring program is designed to allow participants to complete 30 hours of coursework.  The program is built around three modules described below:

Module A: China Seminar and Field Study
Field study is an integral part of the academic program. This pre-semester, two-week field studies seminar will take participants to Xi'an, Beijing and Shanghai. The course, entitled "China: Past, Present, and Future" will provide an introduction to contemporary China, its diversity of peoples, its challenges and the forces that shape people’s lives in the People’s Republic of China.

The seminar addresses such topics as economic, political, and legal reform, women's issues, environmental concerns, U.S.-China relations, economic disparities and the widening gulf between urban and rural China. This course precedes the intensive language program at Tsinghua University and is optional for graduate students and for those with prior experience in China.

Field Study course title: ANT 390 - China: Past, Present and Future (3 credits)

Students may earn an additional 1.5 credits by completing an independent study during the semester related to a topic introduced during the seminar and approved by the seminar leader. This will be recorded as INT 399: Beijing Independent Study.

      INT 399 - Beijing Independent Study (1.5 credits) 

Module B: Chinese Language Course
After the field study, participants will take part in three weeks of intensive Chinese language study at their appropriate levels before the start of their regular semester courses at Tsinghua. At least three Chinese language modules are required to be taken. Students must take at least one of these courses as a "comprehensive module" at their language level.

Language Courses (3 courses, 4 credits each):

CHN101 - Basic Chinese I
CHN102 - Basic Chinese II
CHN103 - Basic Chinese III
CHN104 - Intermediate Chinese I
CHN105 - Intermediate Chinese II
CHN106 - Intermediate Chinese III
CHN298 - Advanced Chinese I
CHN298 - Advanced Chinese II
CHN298- Advanced Chinese III
CHN398 - Advanced Language Study I

Module C: Elective Courses
During the semester, students will continue with their language study and take three additional elective courses in English.

Electives (3 Courses, 4.5 credits each)

ANT397/CMN391 – International Communication and Transnational Media
ANT390/SOC397 - Chinese Culture and Society
CMNS308 - Intercultural Communication and Transnational Media
CMNS309 – International/Global Communication
GEO395 - Geographic Approach to Chinese History and Culture
HST398 - History of the Qing Dynasty: 1644-1910
INT330/PSC395 - China in Transition
PPS397 – Environment and Development in China

Students with advanced proficiency in Chinese may also have the opportunity to take regular courses in Chinese at Tsinghua University.

Students participating in this program during the Spring of their senior year should be aware that overseas grades may not receive their degree conferral until August.  While the Study Abroad office will do everything they can to expedite the process, we usually do not receive the overseas transcripts early enough for a June graduation conferral.

Circumstances, such as an unexpected event abroad or a curriculum at a host institution, may require DePaul University to make changes to the program.  DePaul University reserves the right to cancel or alter programs and courses without notice.   

LIVING ARRANGEMENTS   

Students live in residence halls on Tsinghua's modern campus. All rooms are small singles with private bathrooms. The rooms are spartan and very compact, so students should bring luggage that folds up or requires minimal storage space.

No meals are included in the program fee for this program. However, students can eat at any of the inexpensive student dining halls on campus. There are also many western and other choices off campus.

EXPENSES   

In addition to DePaul tuition for the appropriate number of credit hours, costs include a specific program fee.  For updated information on specific program expenses, click here:

For this program, the fee covers housing, study abroad health insurance, and excursions. Once accepted, Syracuse University offers both merit and need-based scholarships for this program.

In addition to meals, students must plan their budgets to cover airfare, passport and visa fees, local transportation, textbooks, supplies and personal expenses. Group air travel is available through Syracuse University.

Program fees are based on actual costs of the prior year and projections for the current year. Inflation and fluctuating exchange rates make it impossible to state a fixed cost. DePaul University reserves the right to adjust program fees without notice.

APPLICATION   

There is no language prerequisite. However, students must have at least a 3.0 GPA to participate in this program. To apply to this program, students must submit the following to the Study Abroad Program:

  • A complete DePaul Study Abroad Program application
  • Two (2) academic recommendation forms from faculty familiar with your academic work.
  • An official copy of your transcripts. At DePaul, these may be requested on Campus Connect in the Students section under Records and Registration.

DePaul University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex or handicap in admissions, employment or the provision of services. Inquiries regarding this policy should be addressed to the Director of Human Resources, 1 E. Jackson Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60604.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: May 15