Education/Teaching
Georgetown offers a variety of China-related programs for diverse audiences, including traditional undergraduate and graduate students, as well as customized programs for mid-career and professional students. Scholarship, fellowship, and grant programs also provide Georgetown students with support for external study and research related to China.
- Undergraduate Programs
- Study Abroad
- Graduate Programs
- Scholarships and Awards
- Training Programs
- Summer Program in China for High School Students
- Search the university's course listings for courses on China.
Chinese Major: The Chinese major combines thorough training in spoken and written Chinese language with the development of critical approaches to a broad range of Chinese cultural phenomena including classical and modern literature, visual arts, film, popular culture, and underlying aspects of philosophical and social thought. Most courses are conducted in Chinese with readings in Chinese.
Regional and Comparative Studies Major: Open to undergraduate students in the School of Foreign Service, this major allows students to concentrate on either one or two geographical regions, drawing from across a variety of academic disciplines. The major requires a total of ten courses, as well as language proficiency in a modern language appropriate to the region studied. Under this major, students can explore topics such as Chinese language, literature, culture, politics, economics, and foreign policy.
History Major: The History Major offers students the opportunity to take a wide variety of courses related to the history of Chinese politics, culture, and society. Students must take two semesters of general education courses and nine elective courses, up to six of which may be focused on a specific region.
Chinese Minor: The Chinese minor requires seven courses, at least six of which must be Chinese language courses or advanced courses conducted in Chinese. The seventh course may be taught in either Chinese or English and must have Chinese literature, culture/civilization, or linguistics as a substantial component.
Asian Studies Certificate: Open to all undergraduate students, the certificate requires a minimum of six semester courses, including the study of more than one Asian society or national group. Specific requirements include one course in Asian history, one course in humanities, one course in politics, one course in economics of the Asian region, and two elective courses in Asian Studies. A minimum of two years of study of an Asian language is also required.
During 2008, 88 Georgetown undergraduates studied abroad in China through the Office of International Programs.
For the academic year, Georgetown offers programs located in:- Beijing (Peking University and The Beijing Center)
- Harbin (Harbin Institute of Technology)
- Hong Kong (Chinese University of Hong Kong and University of Hong Kong)
- Nanjing (Nanjing University)
- Shanghai (East China Normal University)
- Taipei (National Chengchi University)
- Beijing (Peking University)
- Hong Kong (Comparative Business: the Asia-Pacific Perspective)
- Shanghai (Fudan University School of Public Health)
For Graduate Student Study Abroad, see Graduate Programs
MBA and EMBA Global Residencies: For the past several years, MBA and EMBA students have studied business conditions in China and conducted consulting projects for Chinese companies as part of a Global Integrative Course, culminating in a week-long residency. During the residencies, student teams present their results to client companies and visit a number of Chinese businesses.
The School of Business is currently seeking consulting projects from either small or large companies or organizations, located in the US or anywhere else in the world, which have interests in China. Projects can focus on market and industry analysis, financial valuation, production and operations, social issues, or any specific functional or management issue that confronts management of the sponsoring organization. For more information, see this introduction to the project.
Law-Asia Program: Law-Asia’s mission is to encourage scholarly communication between the faculty and students of Georgetown and their counterparts in East Asia; to focus the academic strengths of the Georgetown law and foreign policy faculty on legal issues arising out of Asia’s growing economic power; to ensure that Georgetown’s graduates will be equipped to practice competently and ethically in a global context shared with the nations of East Asia; and to make its expertise in law, legal pedagogy and foreign policy available to coming generations of US and Asian lawyers and policy makers. The program is co-directed by Viet Dinh and James Feinerman.
Global Law Scholars Program: In 2000, Georgetown inaugurated the Global Law Scholars Program in response to the changing nature of legal practice and in recognition of the Law Center’s prominent positioning—both academic and geographic—in the field of International Law. The GLS Program is small and selective, accepting only about 20 students each year. GLS students have enjoyed summer positions at law firms abroad—most recently, for example, in Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, France, Japan, Switzerland, Russia, and the United Kingdom—or at companies that operate across borders—for example, at General Electric International in China and Belgium.
Semester Abroad at Tsinghua University Law School: Students at the Law Center have the opportunity to spend a semester abroad at Tsinghua University Law School. These students are able to participate in the LL.M program in Chinese Law while at Tsinghua. It is the first of its kind in China and is taught entirely in English. Georgetown students will take classes with other foreign law students and legal professionals. Students will be able to earn up to 12 credits through coursework completed at Tsinghua.
International Programs for Medical Students: Medical students can spend part of their academic program at Fudan University's Huashan Hospital. Students find this is an excellent way to apply their medical skills and knowledge, as well as receive a culturally diverse medical experience.
Asian Studies Graduate Certificate: The Asian Studies Graduate Certificate is open to individuals already admitted to a Georgetown University graduate program. For graduate students interested in China, the program offers classes in Chinese government, history, economics, sociology, anthropology, philosophy, and culture/society.
Henry Chen Memorial Scholarship: Awarded annually by the Asian Studies Faculty to a student who exemplifies the qualities and ideals to which Professor Chen’s life was devoted. The $500 scholarship supports overseas study of Chinese language and culture. Students interested in this award are required to submit a proposal and resume by mid April to the School of Foreign Service, Asian Studies Program, 513A ICC, or via e-mail to asianstudies@georgetown.edu.
Chinese Government Scholarship: Since 2006, the China Scholarship Council (CSC), in conjunction with the Chinese Embassy in Washington, has awarded full scholarships for Georgetown students to study in China for one year. In 2008, three Georgetown students received this award.
Fulbright Awards: Georgetown students have been consistently competitive in receiving Fulbright Awards to do research in China. The most recent winner is Alexander Davenport (SFS ’08), who will explore the role of education in the future of migrants within Shanghai society. Other recent winners include Maria Repnikova (SFS ’06), who researched Chinese labor migration into Russia, Christine Fu (SFS ’04), who studied the economic development of minorities in Yunnan Province, and Meredith Oyen (G'04, G'07), who did research on her doctoral dissertation, "Allies, Enemies, and Aliens: Migration in US-Chinese Relations, 1943-65."
In 2002, the Chinese government granted Georgetown a license to train Chinese officials in Washington and in China. The license, granted by China’s State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, was one of only 11 such licenses issued at the time.
Center for Intercultural Education and Development (CIED): CIED conducts customized training for visiting Chinese officials. These professional development programs include classroom sessions with Georgetown professors coupled with site visits to businesses, organizations and government agencies. The goal of these programs is to provide participants with a deeper understanding of how their areas of interest are managed in the United States. Recent programs include:
Partner: U.S.-China Business and Culture Exchange Center (Virginia)
Partner: U.S.-China Business Training Center (California)
Center for Language Education and Development (CLED): CLED runs training programs in English language proficiency, cross-cultural communication, and business and professional skills. From 2004-2006, CLED ran several programs specially designed for the Guangzhou Personnel Bureau for groups numbering from 19 to 34. Officials from the Guangzhou Provincial Government participated in either one-week programs on E-Government or three-week programs on Public Administration in the U.S. Each program consisted of special lectures from University professors and other experts in the field, site visits to federal and international organizations, as well as introductory sessions on U.S. culture.
Besides training students of English, CLED also specializes in teacher training, offering courses online, on-site and off-site. In 2009, CLED will run a 6-week teacher training program for Business English teachers from the University of International Business and Economics, Beijing. The training program, which will be held on the Georgetown campus, will be customized to the needs of UIBE faculty and will include classroom discussion as well as observations and practice.
School of Continuing Studies (SCS): The School of Continuing Studies (SCS) hosted a group of 18 undergraduates from China for a month during the summer of 2007. The academic program was comprised of an American studies seminar, a curriculum for emerging leaders, and a community service component. Topics studied included the evolution of American society, culture, values, and institutions, as well as a practical look at questions of justice, democracy, political authority, liberty, and the limits of government.
English Language Fellows Program: The English Language Fellow Program, funded by the United States Department of State, serves countries that are committed to developing English communicative competence in their students and professionals. Since 2001, the EL Fellow Program has placed American English language teachers (Fellows) in over 80 countries in all regions of the world. Through projects initiated by U.S. Embassies abroad, Fellows promote English language learning around the globe. The Center for Intercultural Education and Development (CIED) at Georgetown University has managed the program since 2005. ELFP Fellows programs in China include:
Custom Programs for Chinese Officials: Law Center Professors James Feinerman and John Jackson led three training programs for top PRC officials on WTO accession in 2000-2001.
Summer Program in China for High School Students
During the summer, high school students have the opportunity to travel to China to collaborate with Georgetown faculty and local nongovernmental organizations to examine water quality, river stewardship, and other pressing environmental issues through visits to Beijing and Yunnan Province. For details, visit Georgetown Abroad: Discover China.
