Chinese Minor

The minor in Chinese Language offers a sophisticated framework to engage deeply with Chinese culture, history, and its immense impact on the global economy. Because the curriculum assumes completion of intermediate-level prerequisites, you will jump straight into advanced coursework. This flexible program allows you to pair rigorous language study with diverse departmental courses in literature, media, and thought. Ultimately, the minor equips graduates with the high-level communication skills and cross-cultural fluency necessary for international relations, public policy, and global career opportunities.

⚑ Minor Self-Service Portal

You do not need an advising appointment to declare or manage this minor. Use the quick links below to handle your requests online:

⚠️ Critical Deadline

You must submit your online minor declaration prior to the first day of classes of your Expected Graduation Term (EGT). For Summer graduates, minors must be declared prior to the first day of Summer Session A. Late declarations will not be accepted by the college.

Prerequisite Coursework

Before advancing into upper-division coursework, students must complete or demonstrate equivalence for the completion of the intermediate level:

  • Required Course: CHINESE 10B (Intermediate Chinese) or CHINESE 10X (Intermediate Chinese for Heritage Speakers).
  • Grading Options: May be taken for a letter grade (C or higher) or as Passed/Not Passed (P).
  • Transfer Credit: This course may be taken at another college or university. If the course is not automatically articulated on Assist.org, you can submit an online substitution request for departmental review.
  • Placing Out: Native speakers or students with prior language experience can bypass this prerequisite. To do so, you must successfully complete an advanced Chinese language course at UC Berkeley or place out by taking the Chinese placement exam. You can sign up online for the placement exam.

Minor Requirements

To complete the minor, students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 within the minor coursework and complete five letter-graded courses (minimum of 20 units) consisting of:

1. Chinese Advanced Core Courses (3 Courses)

  • Take three upper-division CHINESE courses.
  • Special Allowance: You may use CHINESE 7A (Introduction to Pre-modern Chinese Literature and Culture) or CHINESE 7B (Introduction to Modern Chinese Literature and Culture) to satisfy one of these three course requirements, even though they are lower-division courses.

2. Departmental Electives (2 Courses)

  • Take two upper-division elective courses offered by the Department of East Asian Languages & Cultures (EALC).
  • Eligible electives include any upper-division courses with the following prefixes: CHINESE, EALANG, JAPAN, KOREAN, MONGOLN, or TIBETAN.

Important Minor Policies

  • Letter Grades Only: All five courses used to satisfy the minor requirements must be taken for a letter grade. (Only the prerequisite CHINESE 10B/X allows P/NP).
  • Major Overlap Rule: Only one required course may be used to simultaneously satisfy both your major and minor requirements.
  • Outside Coursework & Study Abroad: You may count one related course taken in another UC Berkeley department or through an approved study abroad program toward your Chinese minor, subject to departmental approval. You must submit an Online Course Substitution / Outside Coursework Request before this course can apply to your minor tracking.

Stay Connected!

Sign up for the EALC Undergraduate Email List to receive announcements about upcoming department events, special guest lectures, and student opportunities.

Taipei