The information on this page is accurate for students entering the programme from September 2024. For students who entered the programme before September 2024, you can find the details of your programme:
BA Chinese and Japanese Studies
This programme equips students with the linguistic skills needed to understand a range of written, spoken and broadcast material in Chinese and Japanese, and the ability to communicate effectively with Chinese and Japanese speakers. The deliberately modern bias of the programme aims to produce graduates with an all-round proficiency in Chinese and Japanese, along with a range of transferable skills and insights.
Students begin both languages from scratch (although there is provision for those with some prior learning of Chinese or Japanese) and follow an intensive language programme in their first year. The second year is spent at a university in Japan, and the third year is spent at university in China or Taiwan. In each case students follow a prescribed course of study in language and, where offered, non-language courses.
Students return to Leeds in their fourth year to follow advanced upper-level language and non-language modules in both subjects. By the final year of the programme students should be able to interpret relevant material in a wider sense, fitting it into the broader social, political, economic and cultural context of present-day China, Japanese and the East Asian region.
Students are expected to graduate with a sound knowledge of the Chinese and Japanese languages, invaluable experience of life in Japan and in a Chinese-speaking society, and an understanding of the wider context of the East Asian region.
(For students entering from September 2024 onwards)
[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable
Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAST1110 | Modern China: History and Culture | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST1252 | Modern Japan | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) |
Candidates with no prior knowledge of Chinese will be required to study the following modules
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAST1010 | Basic Chinese Language 1 | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST1020 | Basic Chinese Language 2 | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | PFP |
Candidates with prior knowledge of Chinese will, subject to a placement test, be required to study the following modules
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAST1460 | Intermediate Chinese (1) | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST1461 | Intermediate Chinese (2) | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | PFP |
Candidates with no prior knowledge of Japanese will be required to study the following modules
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAST1210 | Basic Japanese Language (1) | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST1220 | Basic Japanese Language (2) | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | PFP |
Candidates with prior knowledge of Japanese will, subject to a placement test, be required to study the following modules
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAST1280 | Intermediate Japanese (1) | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST1281 | Intermediate Japanese (2) | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | PFP |
(For students entering from September 2024 onwards)
[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable
Year 2 will be spent in Japan.
Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MODL9500 | LCS Year Abroad | 120 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | PFP |
(For students entering from September 2024 onwards)
[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable
Year 3 will be spent in China or Taiwan.
Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MODL9501 | LCS Year Abroad 2 | 120 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | PFP |
(For students entering from September 2024 onwards)
[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable
Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAST2030 | Chinese Language Skills – 2A | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST2031 | Chinese Language Skills – 2B | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | PFP |
| EAST2719 | Japanese 2: Pre-Advanced Communication Skills 1 | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST2720 | Japanese 2: Pre-Advanced Communication Skills 2 | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | PFP |
Candidates will be required to study 20 credits from the following optional modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAST2006 | China Since 1979 | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST2126 | Classical Chinese | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| EAST2148 | Trauma Narratives in the Contemporary Sinophone World | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST2360 | Chinese Cinema | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| EAST2711 | Civil Society and the Non-Profit Sector in Contemporary China | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST2712 | An Introduction to Cantonese | 20 | Not running in 202526 | |
| EAST2717 | Society, Culture and Environment in Early Modern China | 20 | Not running in 202526 |
Candidates will be required to study 20 credits from the following optional modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAST2007 | Japan's International Relations | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| EAST2480 | Japanese Development Assistance in a Globalising World | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST2714 | Death in Japanese Society and Culture | 20 | Not running in 202526 | |
| EAST2715 | Japanese Cinema in the World | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST2716 | Nature and Technology in Japan: Cultural Images | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) |
(For students entering from September 2024 onwards)
[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable
In Level 3 students must study 120 credits. Students are required to take a minimum of 40 credits in Chinese and a minimum of 40 credits in Japanese. Overall, students must take 100 credits across their two subjects (Chinese and Japanese). The remaining 20 credits may be taken as discovery modules or as further options with either subject.
All students must take 40 credits as a Final Year Project (FYP) module, which can be taken in - and count towards - either of their two subjects (EITHER Chinese OR Japanese).
Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAST3275 | Chinese 3: Advanced Skills | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | PFP |
| EAST3285 | Japanese 3: Advanced Communication Skills | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | PFP |
| MODL3050 | Final Year Project | 40 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | PFP |
Candidates will be required to study 20 credits and may study up to 40 credits from the following optional modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAST3051 | Modern Documentary Chinese: Politics and Law | 10 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST3070 | Contemporary Chinese Literature | 10 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| EAST3286 | Advanced Japanese in Context: Culture and Identity | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST3287 | Advanced Japanese in Context 5: Japanese Diplomacy and Foreign Policy in Historical Context | 20 | Not running in 202526 | |
| EAST3580 | Advanced Japanese in Translation | 20 | Not running in 202526 | |
| EAST3630 | Advanced Chinese to English Translation | 20 | Not running in 202526 |
Candidates may study up to 20 credits from the following optional modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAST3015 | Religion in China | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| EAST3020 | Civil Society and the Non-Profit Sector in Contemporary China | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST3120 | Classical Chinese | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| EAST3148 | Trauma Narratives in the Contemporary Sinophone World | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST3157 | An Introduction to Cantonese | 20 | Not running in 202526 | |
| EAST3271 | East Asia's Regional Political Economy | 20 | Not running in 202526 | |
| EAST3525 | Globalising China and the Developing World | 20 | Not running in 202526 |
Candidates may study up to 20 credits from the following optional modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAST3016 | East Asian Performing Arts | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| EAST3017 | Japan-Korea Relations in the Shadow of Empire | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| EAST3018 | Death in Japanese Society and Culture | 20 | Not running in 202526 | |
| EAST3156 | Nature and Technology in Japan: Cultural Images | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| EAST3252 | Modern Japanese History | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST3350 | Japanese Cinema in the World | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) |
Candidates may study up to 20 credits of discovery modules.
Last updated: 24/07/2025 15:44:29
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