Master of Science (M.S.) in Chinese Language Studies
The China Program
A totally online program that can be completed in 2-4 years
Open to anyone with either a Bachelors Degree in any subject area, as well as to High School graduates.
Special Note by Dr. Walter P. Drake, Director, Blue Marble University:
“When we talk about modern careers, what is hot, what will earn you a good living, learning the Chinese language might be the top proficiency you can have. I know that learning Chinese is not for every one. Me too, I don’t know one word of it. Most students want to do what everyone else is doing. But I guaranty you this: If you can learn the Chinese language, you won’t EVER have to “look for a job”. You can just point to where you want to work and for whom. And that includes every State and Federal government agency, not to mention the largest and fanciest international corporations based in the USA and overseas.”
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Alan W. Abrams, Ph.D.
Director, The China Program
Learn more about Dr. Abrams Here: Alan Abrams China
(1) For professionals who don’t need a degree but need to develop that next part of their skill set, Blue Marble University also offers the 2-year online Chinese language program Executive Chinese Learning. Designed for busy professionals to simply and efficiently attain professional capacity proficiency in Chinese in two years, Executive Chinese Learning cuts through the dense jungle of online Chinese learning, and using a customized curriculum and highly efficient learning methods, gets professionals to corporate Chinese proficiency in two years or less. Go off site to learn about Dr. Abram’s Chinese language program for corporate executive and company learners [Executive Chinese Learning]
(2) About the Blue Marble University Masters Degree program: This course is not about accreditation, seat time, or credits…it is about achieving proficiency, in this case a certain fluency, in speaking and reading Chinese. The program presents a framework for study of the Chinese language. Because graduates are most likely to operate in the business world or be employed by government, we incorporate into the program some introductory business courses as well as some courses in Chinese history and culture. High School students that complete this program successfully will be awarded a combination Bachelor of Science/Master of Science in Chinese Language and Culture. Our lead instructors and mentors tell us that proficiency in the Chinese language can be achieved in two to four years, with best result if four years is budgeted.
There is no time period for the completion of our program. When proficiency satisfactory to the Faculty is reached, which is estimated at 2-4 years depending on the student and the effort made and time devoted to studies, our degree is awarded.
Admission requirements: Admission is generally open to anyone with either a Bachelors Degree in any subject area, as well as to High School graduates showing exceptional aptitude for language or writing or comparable skills of the sort that would lead to success in this program.
Structure of the Program: Under the guidance of our Chinese studies instructor, the student will be taken on a path toward speaking and reading the Chinese language. Far from a dry presentation of language principles, substantial usage is made of video presentations. The student can watch someone actually speaking Chinese, and begin to copy tones and phrases. The alphabet and reading is also explored. Writing is left for last and is optional. Writing the Chinese characters takes time, and we have decided that for fluency in the Chinese language, writing Chinese characters is not essential when keyboards with Chinese characters are readily available. Learning to write Chinese characters by hand, in our view, is not necessary to proficiency in the language and takes precious time away from the study of speaking and reading. Writing is what keyboards are for… Many Chinese language programs fail because they start with writing, instead of ending with it.
The pace of study: This is a self-learning program that comes with a Mentor (Coach) to assist, to guide, to evaluate progress, to make corrections as necessary. The more the student is able to put in to the program, the more they will get out of it. Business and Chinese culture materials, if any are added, are left to the end after the student has demonstrated progress in language skills. No point to take time away from learning the language by unnecessary incorporation of the additional material early on.
The goal of the course is to give students the language skills necessary to represent a company doing business in China, or to assist various governmental agencies as translator. We give you the seal of a Master’s Degree for your efforts. Your Academic Record will include your Final Comprehensive Oral and Reading Exams, along with your Presentation to the Faculty (in Chinese) to best highlight your skills for a potential employer (as these will be published to your Online Portfolio. Don’t worry, you will have no problems so long as you conscientiously stick to our program, which is not meant for geniuses, but rather for working adults with other responsibilities.
SAMPLE CURRICULUM
Every Curriculum is designed specifically for each student, based on any previous language studies, level of past education, and the student’s goal for the program. A sample curriculum follows here:
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Curriculum 1A Masters Degree Program (2-4 years) |
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YEAR 1-Term 1 |
| Chinese Lab I. Review and strengthen: This course is intended as a warm-up course and review of tones and pronunciation. Requires sign up to Chinesefor.us about $25/month x 4 months (ask Instructor about possible discount coupon). 6 credits |
| Sounds and Tones- Listening, reciting. Student begins mastery of tones through the process of listening, imitating, recording, comparing. Student practices authentic speaking. Among the materials provided are the free audio stories from JustLearnChinese. 6 credits. |
| Reading Practice. The student will begin reading a selection of materials. 6 credits. |
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Term 2 |
| HSK Lab. This course begins a series lab-based courses which proceed roughly through the HSK levels (Hutong School). Students will take the mandatory placement test offered free at: www.hutong.school.com/hsk-levels in order for the Instructor to assign the starting point. Required sign-up at ChineseZeroToHero.com includes text, workbook, and excellent videos. 6 credits. |
| HSK Lab II. This course continues from above. 6 credits |
| Listening and Translation. The student continues studies with Listening, imitating, recording, and additionally, translating to English. Audio stories from JustLearnChinese. 6 credits |
| Online Portfolio (1): The student is introduced to the wordpress.com platform and begins to create the student’s online portfolio with staff guidance. 6 credits. |
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Term 3 |
| Listening and Reciting. More practice listening to authentic Chinese dialogue using among other resources the audio stories at JustLearnChinese. 6 credits. |
| Chatting Practice. In this course the student is assigned one or more topics for internet “field study” in which chatting in Chinese language is practiced via WhatsApp or similar Chinese chat app actually used in China. For example the student may be assigned to find a product on Alibaba and to chat with the manufacturer about specifications sales info and the like. 6 credits. |
| Chinese Dramas and Comedies: This course presents a variety of Chinese dramas and comedies intended for the student to imitate authentic Chinese speaking. Through imitation naturally comes grammar proficiency. The student will imitate, record and compare. Typical source material is teh rakuten viki series at www.viki.com; Yonku.com, and fudou.com. 6 credits. |
| Online Portfolio (2). The student continues development of the digital portfolio with staff guidance,a nd begins posting some works in Chinese language. 6 Credits. |
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YEAR 2- Term 1 |
| Refresher and review. The student will be guided toward one or more review/refresher courses, such as provided by www.edX.org, university grade courses offered for free on the internet. 6 Credits |
| HSK Lab III. This course continues our series of lab-based courses which proceed roughly through the HSK levels (Hutong School). 6 credits. |
| HSK Lab IV. This course continues our series of lab-based courses which proceed roughly through the HSK levels (Hutong School). 6 credits. |
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Term 2 |
| Chinese Dramas and Comedies (2): This course continues the presentqation and authentic speaking practice using a variety of Chinese dramas and comedies intended for the student to imitate authentic Chinese speaking. Through imitation naturally comes grammar proficiency. The student will imitate, record and compare. 6 credits. |
| Reading and Writing with computer keyboard (1). 6 credits. |
| Reading and Writing with computer keyboard (2) 6 credits. |
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Term 3 |
| Online Portfolio (3). Finalization of student’s Online Portfolio, which may require additional independent work and development. There is no dissertation requirement, but the creation of a satisfactory online digital portfolio highlighting independent works and writings is required. The independent works and writings must be of a professional quality and creatively presented. Faculty will guide and mentor the student throughout this process. 6 Credits. |
| Independent Language Studies. Student will do a self-assessment, and will organize his/her further studies toward proficiency in weaker areas. Such independent study must include regular Recitations of selected texts such as: “The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine”(黄帝内经), “The Classic of Changes” (易经), Lao zi’s “The Way and the Virtue” (Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching)(道德经), “The Sutra of Pure and Calm” (太上清静经), “Tractate of the Most High One on Actions and Consequences” (太上感应篇), “The Great Learning” (大学), “The Doctrine of the Mean” (中庸), “The Sutra on the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action” (十善业道经), “The Heart Sutra” (般若波罗蜜多心经), “The Sutra on Maitreya’s Ascension” (弥勒上生经), “The Lotus Sutra” (妙法莲华经). Texts for recitation will be determined by the Instructor. 6 Credits. |
| Independent Language Studies Continued.Course 2: Translation is from Chinese into English, text to be assigned by Instructor. 6 Credits. |
| Independent Language Studies Continued.Course 3. Recitation of the Chinese classics, material to be selected by Instructor. 6 Credits. |
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Comprehensive Examinations: Oral and Reading 1. Oral Exam: Student must demonstrate oral fluency in a question/answer format that is delivered to the University as a video (MP4 or similar) in which the student will give an oral presentation on some topic in Chinese language and another language instructor or other audience member asks questions about the presentation which are then answered by the student, all in Chinese except for a brief introduction in English; and 2. Reading Exam: Student must demonstrate reading proficiency by reading a passage from a local Chinese newspaper or magazine, in which questions are asked by the listener, to which answers are given, all recorded on video to be delivered to the university along with a transcript in Chinese that can be translated and verified separately by the University. Examination Oral Grade: |
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Master’s Degree Presentation to Faculty Similar to a Master’s Degree thesis, but not a research paper, the presentation, which may be oral or written, but in Chinese language, should highlight some aspect of the student’s studies, the learning experience at the University, or other topic to be determined. The presentation will be made part of the student’s Official Academic Record, must be posted to the student’s Online Portfolio, and should be something the student would be proud to show or present to a colleague, an employer, or educational institution. |
The program concludes with the student’s finalization of the Online Portfolio, which may require additional independent work and development. There is no dissertation requirement, but the creation of a satisfactory online digital portfolio highlighting independent works and writings is required. The independent works and writings must be of a professional quality and creatively presented. Faculty will guide and mentor the student throughout this process
Levels of Proficiency: We generally follow the proficiency levels advanced by the Hutong School (Beijing) which has, rightly or wrongly, become pretty much of an international standard to measure Chinese language proficiency. https://www.hutong-school.com/about-us
Final Note: In our opinion, no one program out there is sufficient. The student needs a variety of inputs, not only to fight boredom, but also to give a better language immersion experience. We emphasize listening/viewing Chinese drama and comedy videos, actual chatting, and listening to authentic Chinese speaking. To help the student to understand what we are doing, we are at this time taking the basic program from ChineseZerotoHero.com and using it as the skeleton…the backbone of our curriculum to which we apply as an overlay, a hodgepodge of more varied and interesting material. The idea is to have a basic formal program of study running in the background upon which the student can build proficiency through use of our other more creative learning resources, Chinese dramas, listening and imitating exercises, and translations. The courses will challenge you, but if you want to move forward, there is only one way…and that is…to move forward. We hope you will enjoy our program and that it will work for you.
Apply Here: https://bluemarbleuniversity.com/how-to-apply/
Tuition Costs: https://bluemarbleuniversity.com/tuition-and-other-costs/
Further Information: Info@BlueMarbleUniversity.com
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Blue Marble University 