Chinese Studies and English Literature

Lancaster’s joint Chinese Studies and English Literature degree is taught by the Department of Languages and Cultures and the Department of English Literature and Creative Writing.

The programme enables you to acquire high-level Chinese language skills while gaining a thorough understanding of China’s historical, cultural, social and political background in a global context. Chinese may be studied at either beginner or advanced level. In English Literature you will study a wide range of authors, genres, historical periods, literary movements, techniques and critical approaches.

You will learn language and culture in innovative and engaging ways. For example, students learn the Chinese language in its social and cultural context by participating in a wide range of activities through the Chinese Friendship Project. Recent activities have included a day trip to Manchester Chinatown, Chinese Food Corner, Chinese Film Night, Chinese festival celebration, and more.

The first year comprises an exploration of the Chinese language and its cultural context, as well as a core module in English Literature. Alongside this, you can choose another English Literature module such as World Literature or Introduction to Creative Writing.

Building on your language skills in Year 2, you will study one Chinese Oral Skills module and one Chinese Written Skills module at the same level of proficiency. In addition, you will study the culture, of the Chinese-speaking world in more depth as well as select a module which is international in scope and which promotes a comparative understanding at a global level. You will combine these with English Literature modules.

Spending your third year - the International Placement Year - abroad in a Chinese-speaking country makes a major contribution to your command of the language, while deepening your intercultural sensitivity. You can study at a partner institution and practise your language skills in a real-world context. Staff members within the department will work with you to ensure that you are fully prepared before embarking on your placement in a Chinese-speaking country.

In your final year, you will consolidate your Chinese language skills and study language-specific or specialist culture and comparative modules. You will also select from modules in English Literature. You will have opportunities to combine your interests in both subjects in longer, supervised projects.

You can find some examples of optional modules in the Course Structure section below.

Beginners Languages Studying a language from beginners level is somewhat intense in nature so we only allow students to study one language from beginners level. Please bear this in mind when looking at our first year module options. If you apply to study a degree with a language from beginners level, your optional modules will only include higher level languages and modules in other subject areas.