Class size is limited for language courses in order to promote each student’s participation and interaction with the instructors as well as other students. The use of the target language is essential in class. Independent studies may be arranged for advanced levels to meet specific needs of students.
Chinese (CHI)
Linguistics
609 Baldy HallNorth Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260-1030
Xuehong Lu
Chair
Chair
The Learning Environment
About Our Facilities
The Department of Linguistics is housed in Baldy Hall, and has several dedicated classrooms and meeting spaces. The department also holds classes in centrally scheduled space throughout the campus.
About Our Faculty
The faculty of the Linguistics department includes internationally known and respected scholars, with diverse backgrounds and interests. The Chinese Program has a full-time faculty director, a full-time adjunct faculty coordinator, two adjunct faculty instructors, and three teaching assistants.
Faculty List Directory
Please visit the Linguistics department website for more information about our faculty.
CHI Courses
- CHI 100LEC Business Chinese: Conversation Lecture
Develops necessary language skills for both business and travel. Little or no knowledge of the Chinese language required. Basics about Chinese culture and business etiquettes are also integrated in the course.
Credits: 3
Grading: Graded (GRD)
Typically Offered: Fall
- CHI 101LEC First-Year Chinese Lecture
Basic language skills in speaking, reading, and writing of modern vernacular Chinese. Strongly emphasizes fluency in speaking and reading. Not open to native speakers of Mandarin or those who can read and/or write Chinese characters.
Credits: 5
Grading: Graded (GRD)
Typically Offered: Fall
- CHI 102LEC First-Year Chinese Lecture
Basic language skills in speaking, reading, and writing of modern vernacular Chinese. Strongly emphasizes fluency in speaking and reading. Not open to native speakers of Mandarin or those who can read and/or write Chinese characters.
- CHI 104LEC Transitional First-Year Chinese Lecture
For students who can speak Mandarin or any local dialect of Chinese but have only a little knowledge of reading and writing in Chinese. Students taking this course are not permitted to enroll in CHI 101- CHI 102 and vice versa.
Credits: 5
Grading: Graded (GRD)
Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
- CHI 105LEC Intensive 1st Year Chinese
- CHI 110LEC Beginning Business Chinese Lecture
Designed to help students develop basic language skills for both business and travel. No prior knowledge of the Chinese language required. Basics about Chinese culture and business etiquettes are also integrated in the course.
Credits: 4
Grading: Graded (GRD)
Typically Offered: Fall
- CHI 191LEC Beginning Chinese for Professionals Lecture
This is the first semester of the three-semester sequence of introductory Mandarin Chinese course (three credits each semester) and it aims to lay a solid foundation in Chinese for students in professional programs such as business and health. The course also covers basic concepts of Chinese culture related to these fields. Upon course completion, students will have acquired elementary language skills in the language, including basic knowledge of the phonetic Pinyin system and Chinese characters, basic terminology specific to the professional fields, and key concepts of Chinese culture.
Credits: 3
Grading: Graded (GRD)
Typically Offered: Varies
- CHI 194LEC Beginning Chinese for Health Care Professionals 1 Lecture
This is the second semester of the three-semester sequence of introductory Mandarin Chinese course (three credits each semester) and it aims to lay a solid foundation in Chinese for students in healthcare-related programs. Upon course completion, students will have acquired elementary language skills in the language, basic terminology useful for healthcare professionals, and key concepts of Chinese culture.
- CHI 195LEC Beginning Chinese for Health Care Professionals 2 Lecture
This is the final semester of the three-semester sequence of introductory Mandarin Chinese course (three credits each semester) and it aims to lay a solid foundation in Chinese for students in healthcare-related programs. Upon course completion, students will have acquired elementary language skills in the language, basic terminology useful for healthcare professionals, and key concepts of Chinese culture.
- CHI 198SEM UB Seminar Seminar
The one credit UB Seminar is focused on a big idea or challenging issue to engage students with questions of significance in a field of study and, ultimately, to connect their studies with issues of consequence in the wider world. Essential to the UB Curriculum, the Seminar helps transition to UB through an early connection to UB faculty and the undergraduate experience at a comprehensive, research university. This course is equivalent to any 198 offered in any subject. This course is a controlled enrollment (impacted) course. Students who have previously attempted the course and received a grade of F or R may not be able to repeat the course during the fall or spring semester.
Credits: 1
Grading: Graded (GRD)
Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
Other Requisites: Students who have already successfully completed the UB seminar course may not repeat this course. If you have any questions regarding enrollment for this course, please contact your academic advisor.
- CHI 199SEM UB Seminar Seminar
The three credit UB Seminar is focused on a big idea or challenging issue to engage students with questions of significance in a field of study and, ultimately, to connect their studies with issues of consequence in the wider world. Essential to the UB Curriculum, the Seminar helps students with common learning outcomes focused on fundamental expectations for critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and oral communication, and learning at a university, all within topic focused subject matter. The Seminars provide students with an early connection to UB faculty and the undergraduate experience at a comprehensive, research university. This course is equivalent to any 199 offered in any subject. This course is a controlled enrollment (impacted) course. Students who have previously attempted the course and received a grade of F or R may not be able to repeat the course during the fall or spring semester.
Credits: 3
Grading: Graded (GRD)
Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
Other Requisites: Students who have already successfully completed the first year seminar course may not repeat this course. If you have any questions regarding enrollment for this course, please contact your academic advisor.
- CHI 201LEC Second-Year Chinese
- CHI 202LEC Second-Year Chinese
- CHI 280LEC Survey of Chinese Culture Lecture
Surveys major cultural and traditional elements that have influenced various aspects of Chinese life. Topics include classical Chinese philosophical ideals, religion, women, family, education, Chinese language and symbolic reference, and literature and art. Taught in English; requires no knowledge of Chinese language.
Credits: 3
Grading: Graded (GRD)
Typically Offered: Spring
- CHI 301LEC Third-Year Chinese Lecture
Involves readings and discussions, both written and oral, of works on contemporary cultural and social life in the vernacular.
- CHI 302LEC Third-Year Chinese
- CHI 341LEC Literary Chinese I Lecture
A reading course on historical, philosophical, and literary works in the literary language of Wenyan by leading men of letters in classical China.
Credits: 3
Grading: Graded (GRD)
Typically Offered: Fall
- CHI 342LEC Literary Chinese II Lecture
Continuation of CHI 341. A reading course on historical, philosophical, and literary works in the literary language of Wenyan by leading men of letters in classical China.
Credits: 3
Grading: Graded (GRD)
Typically Offered: Spring
- CHI 380LEC Chinese Tradition & Guanxi Lecture
Surveys major cultural and traditional elements that have influenced various aspects of contemporary Chinese life. Topics include Chinese philosophical ideals, religion, women, family, education, Chinese language and symbolic reference, literature and art in both traditional and modern China. Taught in English; requires no knowledge of Chinese language.
Credits: 3
Grading: Graded (GRD)
Typically Offered: Fall
- CHI 401LEC Readings On Chinese Culture and Customs Lecture
An advanced vernacular Chinese (Baihua) language course with readings on daily life and customs in China today. In learning the language, students learn how a Chinese person would behave, think, and talk in various situations. Students also study and discuss the differences between Chinese and American social customs and behaviors (all in Chinese, of course). An informative course for a student whose future career may require close contact and association with China.
Credits: 3
Grading: Graded (GRD)
Typically Offered: Fall
- CHI 402LEC Readings On Chinese Culture and Customs Lecture
Continuation of CHI 401. An advanced vernacular Chinese (Baihua) language course with readings on daily life and customs in China today. In learning the language, students learn how a Chinese person would behave, think, and talk in various situations. Students also study and discuss the differences between Chinese and American social customs and behaviors (all in Chinese, of course). An informative course for a student whose future career may require close contact and association with China.
- CHI 410LEC Introduction to Chinese Linguistics Lecture
This introductory course surveys various aspects of Chinese linguistics, including linguistic affiliation and dialectal classification of Standard Mandarin Chinese, its phonetics and phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics. The major topics to be covered are: (1) the sound system of Chinese; (2) Chinese word formation; (3) phrase structure and word order in Chinese; (4) tense and aspect in Chinese; and (5) information structure and discourse.
Credits: 3
Grading: Graded (GRD)
Typically Offered: Varies
- CHI 430LEC Special Topics Lecture
Topic to be determined per the specialization of the instructor.
Credits: 3
Grading: Graded (GRD)
Typically Offered: Varies
- CHI 490TUT Directed Readings in Chinese Tutorial
Involves readings tailored to the individual needs and interests of students of advanced standing.
Credits: 2 - 3
Grading: Graded (GRD)
Typically Offered: Varies
- CHI 494TUT Senior Capstone Course Tutorial
Course for senior-level majors intended to provide a learning experience that integrates knowledge from lower-level courses. Topics may vary.
Credits: 3
Grading: Graded (GRD)
Typically Offered: Fall
- CHI 496TUT Internship/Practicum Tutorial
Hands-on experience in language and cultural studies at institutions and organizations in Western New York and/or nationwide.
Credits: 3
Grading: Graded (GRD)
Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
- CHI 498TUT Undergraduate Research Tutorial
Students collaborate with faculty research mentors on an ongoing project or conduct independent research under the guidance of a faculty member. This experience provides students with an inquiry-based learning opportunity and engages them as active learners in a research setting.
Credits: 1 - 8
Grading: Graded (GRD)
Typically Offered: Varies
- CHI 499TUT Independent Study Tutorial
Allows students with some prior knowledge of Chinese to sit in courses, be involved in classroom activities, help tutor students taking lower level Chinese courses and help the instructors with some of the grading.
Credits: 1 - 3
Grading: Graded (GRD)
Typically Offered: Fall, Spring