Chinese

By completing the UBC Award of Achievement in Chinese, you gain a basic foundation in conversational Mandarin and written Chinese characters. Build your confidence in speaking and in reading and writing Chinese, whether for business, travel or personal purposes. Native-speaking instructors provide you with insight into the culture, traditions and etiquette of China.

In this program, you can expect to:

• learn phonetics and study the tonal system of Mandarin
• build your basic vocabulary for everyday settings and personal interactions
• study Pin-Yin, the rendition of Chinese characters in the Latin alphabet, which facilitates learning at the beginner level

This program is designed for people with very little or no previous experience with Mandarin who would like to gain fundamental language skills and be able to communicate at a functional level, as well as for people who have had previous experience with Mandarin through a conversational beginner course.

Each course is $405−$600. The minimum cost to complete this program, including the non-refundable application fee of $175, is $1,915. Early bird pricing is available for all courses. All fees are in Canadian dollars and are subject to change.

All fees are in Canadian dollars and subject to change. Fees are subject to GST where applicable. Fees may be paid by Visa®, Visa® Debit, Mastercard®, American Express®, money order or certified cheque.

For details on UBC’s payment policies, please see Refunds, Cancellations and Transfers.

The program consists of a minimum of four courses of eight to nine weeks each, to be completed within 16 months. Starting at the Beginner 1 or the Beginner 2 level, you progress through at least two levels to complete the award of achievement. You must also complete at least one reading and writing course.

If you have little or no previous knowledge of Mandarin, start with Mandarin Beginner 1. If you already have had experience with Mandarin through a conversational beginner course, start with Mandarin Beginner 2.

Sample progression starting at Beginner 1

Courses:

• Mandarin Beginner 1
• Reading and Writing Chinese Characters - Beginner 1
• Mandarin Beginner 2
• Mandarin Lower Intermediate

Sample progression starting at Beginner 2

Courses:

• Mandarin Beginner 2
• Reading and Writing Chinese Characters - Beginner 1
• or Reading and Writing Chinese Characters - Beginner 2
• Mandarin Lower Intermediate
• Mandarin Intermediate and Advanced

Students who have previously taken a Mandarin or Chinese characters language course with UBC Extended Learning in the last year may ask to have it applied retroactively to the award of achievement. Note that only one course can be applied retroactively, as students are assessed as they progress through the program.

Required Courses

Required Courses

Course name	Format	Next start date	Learn more
Mandarin Beginner 1 (0042)	In-Person Online	Apr 20, 2024	Details
Mandarin Lower Intermediate (0044)	Online In-Person	Apr 20, 2024	Details
Mandarin Beginner 2 (0043)	In-Person Online	Apr 22, 2024	Details
Mandarin Intermediate and Advanced (0045)	Online In-Person	Apr 24, 2024	Details
Reading and Writing Chinese Characters - Beginner 1 (0046)	Online	Apr 30, 2024	Details
Reading and Writing Chinese Characters - Beginner 2 (0047)	Online	Apr 30, 2024	Details

The UBC Award of Achievement in Chinese is a part-time program with options for 100% online study or a combination of in-person and online study. It consists of a minimum of four courses, one of which must be a reading and writing course.

Conversation courses are instructor supported, with either in-person classes or real-time online classes. Outside of class time, you might be doing readings or watching videos to prepare for your next class or practising with the material you have learned in your previous class.

Reading and writing courses are 100% online and facilitator/instructor supported. Modules are released weekly, and you can review materials, complete assignments and interactive quizzes, and contribute to a discussion forum on your own time. Your facilitator/instructor provides feedback on your work and guides the online forum discussions. Some may hold virtual office hours.

Expected effort

Expect to spend two to three hours on your course per week, including time spent in class sessions, and completing homework and course materials.

To obtain the award of achievement you must complete all courses within 16 months.

Technology requirements

To take this program, you need access to:

• an email account
• a computer, laptop or tablet, using Windows or macOS
• the latest version of a web browser (or previous major version release)
• a reliable internet connection
• a video camera and microphone (to access real-time classes)

Assessment

You are assessed informally on your demonstrated oral abilities and on written assignments. It’s possible you may need to repeat a course to achieve the required competency before moving to the next level.

To be granted the UBC Award of Achievement in Chinese, you must successfully complete four courses and progress a minimum of two levels within 16 months. In addition, you must attend a minimum of 80% of scheduled classes and complete all readings and online learning activities with a minimum of 75% on all graded assignments.

Instructor(s)

Joan Li, Jenny Lu

Our passionate instructors are native Chinese speakers and qualified, experienced adult educators.

The admissions process helps to ensure that the needs, intentions and expectations of participants are adequately matched to the program's objectives and capabilities.

Application steps

Complete the following steps to submit your application:

1. Complete the online application form. You should include personal and/or career goals, interests and program expectations.
2. You will be directed to pay the $175 non-refundable application fee online.
3. Once you have been accepted into the award of achievement program, you can begin registering for courses.