Bnedictine University offers Chinese language minor

China has the second-largest economy in the world and is one of the United States’ largest trading partners. One-fifth of the world’s population speaks Chinese. Students who hope to prosper in this environment must have more than just a passing familiarity with Chinese language and culture.

Beginning with the fall 2013 semester, Benedictine University will help prepare students for this increasingly China-centric global community by offering a minor in Chinese language (Mandarin) with an option for a Chinese culture track.

“Our students are wonderfully prepared in the sciences, education and the arts, but now they will have a very distinct advantage when they enter the workforce,” said Benedictine University President William J. Carroll. “They will have the added benefit of assimilating the university’s relationship with China into their own unique expertise.”

Through grant funding, Benedictine University’s College of Liberal Arts began offering limited courses in Chinese language and culture during the 2009-10 academic year. However, after increased demand from students, university officials sought to establish a program minor.

The Chinese language minor will foster students’ awareness of the increasingly global and multi-linguistic nature of society, allow them to connect specific issues in Chinese culture and history to current trends in Chinese society, and prepare them to communicate effectively in the context of another culture.

The minor also will allow students to explore more study abroad opportunities in China. The university has formed 14 partnerships with Chinese universities. Benedictine offers master’s degrees in business administration and management information systems in China and has approximately 1,000 alumni from these programs.

In addition, a growing number of Chinese students are attending Benedictine and a reciprocal number of Benedictine students are traveling to China. Several of these U.S. students have received Chinese government scholarships to study in the country. The Chinese language minor would help break down some of the barriers between these groups.

A Chinese language minor also could complement current majors such as international business and economics and political science as well as other majors where communicating across cultures is essential.

For information on the Chinese language minor, contact (630) 829-6300 or admissions@ben.edu.