4-Term Pathway - International Foundation Year in Social Sciences and Humanities - Continue to Bachelor of Arts - English Language and Literature (Study Abroad)

This program will prepare students for entry to Year 1 of an undergraduate degree in a wide range of subjects, including many based at the £10m LICA building. Popular subjects include law, film studies, sociology, linguistics and politics.

Lancaster’s joint Chinese Studies and History degree is taught by the Department of Languages and Cultures in conjunction with the Department of History. This degree includes an international placement in Year 3.

This Chinese Studies programme gives students the opportunity to acquire high-level language skills while gaining a thorough understanding of the country’s historical, cultural, social and political background in a global context. Chinese may be studied at either beginner or advanced level. Students will learn language and culture in innovative and engaging ways. For example, students learn the Chinese language in its social and cultural context by participating in a wide range of activities through the Chinese Friendship Project. Recent activities have included a day trip to Manchester Chinatown, Chinese Food Corner, Chinese Film Night, Chinese festival celebration, and more.

In History, students will develop their critical abilities studying modules in British, European and American world history.

The first year comprises an exploration of the Chinese language and its cultural context as well as the core history module. Alongside this, students can choose a third first year subject either from History or from other subjects related to the degree.

Building on their language skills in Year 2, students will have the opportunity to study the culture, politics and history of the Chinese-speaking world in more depth in the core module, Shaping Contemporary China: Moments and Movements. They can also select a module that is international in scope and promotes comparative understanding at a global level. Students will combine these with the core module, Making History: Contexts, Sources and Publics and select from a range of History options.

Spending the third year - the International Placement Year - abroad in a Chinese-speaking country gives students the opportunity to develop their language proficiency while deepening their intercultural sensitivity. Students can study at a partner institution and practise your language skills in a real-world context.

In the final year, students will consolidate their Chinese language skills and study specialist culture and comparative modules. Students will select from a range of history modules and will also have the opportunity to combine their interests in both subjects in a longer, supervised project.

Beginners Languages

Studying a language from beginners level is somewhat intense in nature so students are only allowed to study one language from beginners level. Please bear this in mind when looking at the first year module options. If students apply to study a degree with a language from beginners level, their optional modules will only include higher level languages and modules in other subject areas.