Undergraduate Course: Chinese Study Abroad (ASST10167)
Course Outline
| School | School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
| Course type | Year Abroad |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 40 |
ECTS Credits | 20 |
| Summary | This course provides students with an immersive Chinese language learning experience through compulsory study at a host university in a Chinese-speaking region. Students will enrol in a designated Chinese language course at the host institution, where they will receive intensive instruction and regular practice in authentic linguistic and cultural environments.
Through sustained exposure to Chinese in academic, social, and everyday contexts, students will significantly develop their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. The study-abroad experience also promotes intercultural awareness, independence, and adaptability, enabling students to engage meaningfully with local communities and academic settings.
By the end of the study period, students are expected to achieve a high level of Chinese language proficiency, along with a deeper understanding of Chinese society, culture and communication practices. |
| Course description |
The learning aim of this course is to enhance students' language proficiency through an immersive programme over a sustained period. The language skills developed include speaking, listening, reading and writing.
Students are allocated to language classes according to their proficiency level, usually determined by an entry or placement test at the host university. They study at a language school or language centre within a host university in Mainland China or Taiwan. The courses are intensive, typically comprising around 15 hours of instruction per week. As programme structures and textbooks vary across host institutions, course content and delivery may differ accordingly. Students are fully enrolled at their host university and therefore required to follow the teaching arrangements, regulations, and academic expectations set by the host institution.
At the host university, student are expected to complete regular homework, participate in classroom tests and sit end-term examinations. Attendance is compulsory. Teaching is often textbook- and teacher-centred, and students are expected to demonstrate a high level of commitment and independent study in order to keep pace with the programme. However, the marks and assessments awarded by the host institution do not contribute to the degree classification for this course. Instead, this course includes formative and summative assessments set by the home institution. The marks from these assessments do contribute to student's degree classification.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | This course is only offered to students on Chinese degree (single and joint honours) at third year.
Pre-requisites:
- a mark of 50 or above at the first attempt in the Year 2 language course - ASST08076 Chinese 2, ASST08078 Chinese 3, or ASST08080 Chinese 4, as appropriate;
- a mark of 50 or above in the degree exam held in the April/May diet for the Year 2 language course - ASST08076 Chinese 2, or ASST08078 Chinese 3, as appropriate;
- a mark of 50 or above at the first attempt in ASST08081 Skills and Approaches in Chinese Studies;
- credits awarded to the value of 240 in the first two years. |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2026/27, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Full Year |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
400
(
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 8,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
392 )
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| Additional Information (Learning and Teaching) |
minimum 450 hours for single honours; minimum 120 hours for a joint hons student at host university
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Coursework
Continuous Assessment (100%):
- Oral Test (50%) - including 2 x online oral tests, the highest mark is counted towards the final grade.
- Written Exam (50%) - including 2 x online written exams, the highest mark is counted towards the final grade. |
| Feedback |
Feedback will be offered regularly as part of learning process where appropriate, e.g. after an assignment or an assessment. Students will expect to receive their feedback and mark in three working weeks after the submission. Students are also encouraged to reflect upon their own learning, and make their own list of action points after each feedback session.
- Examination: Mark will be available via Learn. Personal viewing of the exam paper is available upon the student's request
- Oral Tests: online face-to-face test, recorded for internal and external assessments. Mark will be available via Learn. Feedback and audio recording will be sent to your university email account upon your request. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Present a clear, well-structured oral argument and respond effectively to questions or requests for clarification and elaboration.
- Produce coherent written texts using complex grammatical structures and a wide range of lexical and discourse features.
- Understand extended spoken and written discourse on topics beyond their own field, recognising a wide range of idiomatic expressions and colloquialisms, and demonstrating awareness of register and stylistic variation.
- Follow and comprehend complex discussions and interactions between third parties in group and professional contexts.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
- Enquiry: problem solving; analytical thinking; knowledge integration and application.
- Personal and intellectual autonomy: self-awareness and reflection; independent learning and development; creativity and inventive thinking; decision making.
- Personal effectiveness: Planning, organising and time management; assertiveness and confidence; flexibility.
- Communication: interpersonal skills; verbal and written communication; presentation. |
| Keywords | immersive language learning,study abroad,Chinese language |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Duo Luan
Tel: (0131 6)51 7112
Email: Duo.Luan@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | |
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