Asian studies for Asians? (1 Viewer)

[mimiian]

Hi, my name is Ian. I am wondering that would it be wise for a native Chinese (like me) to choose Bacholar of Asian Studies(Specialist, Specialise in Chinese). I already mastered the Chinese language but I am interested to study the Chinese history and politics at ANU. Please tell me if a native Chinese like me is allowed to do the combined degree of Bacholar of Asian Studies/B of Law. A quick reply would be most welcomed because I am putting up my preference in a few days, thank you.

 

[lulu2]

hey ian! i'ts lucy, i didnt know u were considering asian studies. so r u definately going 2 anu?

 

[neo o]

Hi, my name is Ian. I am wondering that would it be wise for a native Chinese (like me) to choose Bacholar of Asian Studies(Specialist, Specialise in Chinese). I already mastered the Chinese language but I am interested to study the Chinese history and politics at ANU. Please tell me if a native Chinese like me is allowed to do the combined degree of Bacholar of Asian Studies/B of Law. A quick reply would be most welcomed because I am putting up my preference in a few days, thank you.

You MUST do the language. Quite a few Cantonese speakers take the course, but can you imagine learning something that you already know for the next three years? The language in the first year is also 12 credit points, which means that it will take up half of your subjects instead of one quarter. The thing is, you don't specialise until later in your degree when you go on the trip (so before then you are just an Asian Studies Specialist with no speciality ). Before that you do the same material as other Asian Studies students. To be honest there's nothing stopping you from taking say Japanese and studying Chinese history - particularly if you're doing straight Asian Studies (though I suggest you combine it with something like arts so that you can widen your subject choices).

However, if you want to study Chinese to improve your writing skills, you can skip forward a year by taking a test at the start of the year, if you're already proficient in the language.

You can also do courses in traditional Chinese and Cantonese (though there may be pre-reqs). I suggest that you look at the 2006 course guide to give you a good idea on how the degree is structured and the courses that are available to you.

Also I don't think that the first year course was structured very well. I didn't think that there was enough oral assessment in the course (only 20%). It made my first year a bit of a joke when I had to compete against people who knew quite good traditional Chinese.

Oh, and heaps of asians do Asian Studies

 

[mimiian]

thanks

thanks neo_o. i would definitely look at the 2006 course guide if i could, but the problem is that i am currently in China and the book is not with me (damn...)

anyway, say if i really do Asian Studies, does it mean i could just do nothing in the first few years when everyone is doing language? i am thinking to do Asian Studies(spec)/Law, does it mean i could just concentrate on law for like 2 years?

 

[neo o]

thanks neo_o. i would definitely look at the 2006 course guide if i could, but the problem is that i am currently in China and the book is not with me (damn...)

anyway, say if i really do Asian Studies, does it mean i could just do nothing in the first few years when everyone is doing language? i am thinking to do Asian Studies(spec)/Law, does it mean i could just concentrate on law for like 2 years?

The course guide is online at www.anu.edu.au

1) You MUST do a language with asian studies. MUST MUST MUST. There's no two ways around it .

2) If you do Law/Asian Studies (Chinese Spec) AND accelerate forward a year your first year will look something like this:

Year 1 Semester 1
Foundations (Compulsary Law)
Torts (Compulsary Law)
Modern Chinese 3 (Compulsary Language)
Individual and Society A (Compulsary Asian Studies Subject)

Year 1 Semester 2
Ethics (Compulsary Law)
Torts (Compulsary Law)
Modern Chinese 4 (Compulsary Language)
Individual and Society B (Compulsary Asian Studies Subject)

If you DON'T accelerate the Chinese, because it's double weighted, you'll JUST do Chinese in your first year in Asian studies, then have to do individual and society in your second year. AGAIN I'll emphasise this one million times over - there's no point in learning a language that you already know. Do another language, and mix it up with some Chinese history, you can do that .

 

[Wolfowitz]

Is there Noodle Studies? Chow Mein to begin? How about 'The 10 Chinese best insults to snipe at unsuspecting whites'?

 

[loquasagacious]

It'll also look more impressive on your resume if you can say: native chinese and english speaker studied law, chinese history and japanese language..... eg 3 languages > 2

 

[panayotaki]

Im meant to be doing Asian Studies (chinese)/ Science...

I sincerely hope there arent too many native chinese speakers to compete with

or it will be HSC Chinese where i was the only guy in the class who couldnt already speak chinese... in the non-background speakers stream !!!

btw any of u guys doing asian studies this year, add me on msn: peterbaldas@hotmail.com