Based in Shanghai and Beijing, this five-week program is designed to help students significantly improve their Mandarin and acquire in-depth knowledge of two of China’s most important cities through interview-based research.

We will begin in Shanghai on July 8 and finish in Beijing on August 11, with two and a half weeks dedicated to each city.  Except for the initial orientation days in Shanghai and Beijing and the last evening before departing from China, students will stay with local families*, where immersion in the Chinese home and neighborhood environment will accelerate Mandarin learning, and provide students with an invaluable ‘insider view’ on city life and culture.

For five and a half days a week, students will meet in program venues and divide their time between rigorous Mandarin studies and interview-based research projects of their choice.  Mandarin classes will be held in the mornings in small, ability-based groups led by instructors using an all-Mandarin, full-immersion approach.

For research projects, students will work in groups of two or three to select a ‘population group’ and define an angle for interview-based investigations.  One group might, for example, work on an oral history project to explore the changing fortunes and ideologies of middle-class families since 1978.  Another might focus on the present, looking into the very different circumstances and self-images of rich and poor teenagers in Shanghai and Beijing.  In combination, these people-based interview projects – e.g. with taxi drivers, migrant workers, restaurant owners, contemporary artists, college students – will provide students with powerful insights into two of China’s most fascinating cities.  Working closely with our Program Director, bilingual Teaching Assistants, and experienced journalists (who will serve as instructors/advisors), each student will synthesize his/her ideas and findings in a report or newspaper feature article of 1,500-2,500 words, augmented with photographs.

We welcome applications from students who have a strong interest in China and in learning Mandarin (including absolute beginners), and who may want to explore or develop their interest in oral history, cultural anthropology, journalism, or China Studies.  Prior travel or study experience in China or knowledge in Mandarin is desirable but not required.

* We have designed the Mandarin study, interview-based research, and homestay experience to be mutually reinforcing learning modules.  If a student has a strong preference and good reasons for pursuing only research or staying in a hotel rather than with a host family, he or she can contact us to discuss a case-by-case alternative.