Minor Advisor: Emma Teng

In light of the importance of foreign languages in today's international world of science, engineering and management, the HASS Minor gives undergraduates a unique opportunity to combine a degree in science or engineering with a Minor in Chinese. The HASS Chinese Minor offers students who have already reached an intermediate level of proficiency (third semester or above) an opportunity to pursue more advanced study of Chinese language, literature and culture. Note that Chinese I and II (i.e. 21F.101 /102 /107 /108/ 171/ 181) do not count toward the Minor.

The Minor Program in Chinese consists of six subjects, typically distributed among the following three tiers, depending on your level of language competence and the approval of the Minor Advisor. Unlike other Minor Programs in HASS, the Minor Advisor for languages can, at his or her discretion, approve a minor in which MIT subjects comprise a minimum of one third of the subjects of the program. However, this exception to the general HASS Minor Requirement is only allowed in those cases in which students have received transfer credits equal to four subjects through study abroad in a country where the language of the minor is the dominant tongue.

The Minor Program in Chinese consists of six subjects arranged into three levels of study as follows:

Tier I: Two language subjects at the intermediate level:

21F.103/173 or 21F.109/183 Chinese III, Regular or Streamlined (HASS-D Language Option)
21F.104 or 21F.110 Chinese IV, Regular or Streamlined (HASS-D Language Option)

Tier II: Two language subjects at the advanced level:

21F.105/175 or 21F.113/185 Chinese V (Regular or Streamlined)
21F.106 Chinese VI (Regular)
Students in the Streamlined sequence of subjects (as opposed to Regular) should consult with the minor advisor about the special options for them to fulfill the Tier II requirement.

Tier III: Two subjects in literature, history, or culture: one with the "Chinese language option"

Two subjects in Chinese literature, history, or culture, at least one of which must be a Chinese Language Option subject, i.e. 21F.190, 21F.191, or 21F.192. The Chinese Language Option subjects meet with the three subjects, 21F.036, 21F.046, and 21H.560, respectively, and include some assignments that require reading and writing in Chinese. (Subjects in parenthesis are not offered AY 2009 or AY 2010)

21F.030 East Asian Cultures: From Zen to Pop
21F.036 / 21F.190 Advertising and Popular Culture: East Asian Perspectives
21F.038 The Cultural Politics of Contemporary China
21F.044 Traditional Chinese Literature: Poetry, Fiction, and Drama
(21F.045) (Kung-Fu Cinema: Transnational Perspectives)
21F.046 / 21F.192 Modern Chinese Fiction and Cinema CI-H
21H.504 East Asia in the World: 1500-2000 A.D. HASS-D Cat. 5, CI-H
21H.560 / 21F.191 Smashing the Iron Rice Bowl: Chinese East Asia
21H.580 From the Silk Road to the Great Game

Your Chinese Minor and Your G.I.R.S

Of the six subjects required for the minor, at most five can count toward satisfaction of the eight-subject Institute HASS Requirement. Of these five, only one can count toward the HASS-D requirement.

You can Minor and Concentrate in the same field.

• You may not use your junior - senior Pass/Fail option for any of your minor subjects.

• The Application for a Minor should be on file by the end of your sophomore year, but no later than two terms before you intend to graduate.

• There is a $40 late fee if you have not filed your Minor Completion form by the end of the third week of the semester in which you intend to graduate.

HASS-D Language Option: Because the Institute regards competence in foreign language as a fundamental value, students may substitute one language subject at the level III or IV (Intermediate Level) for one HASS-D subject. Intermediate Level foreign language subjects taken at MIT will automatically count toward the HASS-D requirement; no petition is necessary. Students do NOT need to enter the HASS-D Lottery to choose the HASS-D Language Option. The two remaining HASS-Ds may be chosen from any two of the five HASS-D categories.

Paperwork Procedure

1. Pick up a Minor Application form in 14N-305, 14N-310, 14N-408, or 7-104.

2. Fill it out in consultation with the Minor Advisor. Distribute copies of the application to your Major Advisor, the HASS office, and the FL&L main office.

3. When you complete all of your minor subjects, bring the white copy of your grade report (as well as a copy of your proposal) back to your Minor Advisor. You will need his signature and that of the FL&L Section Head to certify that you have completed your minor program.