Chinese

Chinese at Oxford is a degree that gives you access to one of the world's oldest and most significant civilisations through its language, literature, history, and culture. Mandarin Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world by number of first-language speakers, and China's economic, political, and cultural importance in the twenty-first century makes competence in Chinese and knowledge of Chinese civilisation among the most valuable assets a humanities graduate can possess. Oxford's approach emphasises both rigorous linguistic training and a deep understanding of the cultural, historical, and intellectual traditions of the Chinese world.

At the University of Oxford, this four-year, full-time programme is offered within the Asian and Middle Eastern Studies framework, which is unique in focusing on civilisations that differ from the western ones on which most British education is based. The programme presents both the major traditions and cultural trends of China and, in most cases, their modern developments. You will combine linguistic study with literary, historical, and cultural work, with options in areas such as art and archaeology, history, literature, philosophy, religion, and modern social studies.

This breadth reflects the conviction that a language can only be truly understood in relation to the civilisation that produced it. The typical entry tariff is 184 UCAS points.

Graduates from Chinese programmes at Oxford bring a combination of deep cultural knowledge and genuine linguistic competence that is highly valued in diplomacy, international business, journalism, academia, the arts, and the civil service. The ability to engage with China and the Chinese world on its own terms, through its language and culture, is genuinely distinctive in the graduate job market. The foreign office, multinational companies, international organisations, academic research, and cultural institutions are all natural destinations.

Postgraduate study in Chinese studies, area studies, or related fields provides a natural continuation.