Course Overview
China is one of the world's great civilisations with a rich cultural heritage providing the backdrop to a dynamic contemporary society. The Lampeter programme in Chinese Civilisation aims to broadly familiarise students with Chinese history and culture in its various manifestations across the entire span of China's pre-modern and modern history.
This programme is designed for students who wish to study China without having to go through our Mandarin language programme which aims at fluency in Chinese. However, you will still have the opportunity to acquire basic competence in Mandarin by choosing the introductory Basic Chinese 1 module in the first semester and by taking further Mandarin classes in the Confucius Institute.
You cannot truly understand our society, history, and the world around us without understanding the multiplicity of religions. The religious studies elements of this course are designed to help students understand religions in their cultural, sociological, historical and theological contexts. You will be exposed to the dynamic relationship between religion and society and will examine the roles that religions play in the pressing issues of our era. The programme takes students beyond superficial media coverage of contemporary events into deeper issues of history, identity, and the implications of religious commitment for issues of world concern.
The religious studies course covers an extensive array of thematic and geographical areas as well as a wide range of religions. This gives you a real insight into the human condition and the multiplicity of religions in the world. You will have the opportunity to visit places of worship and acquire practical, first-hand engagement with 'other' cultures and religions.
Within Chinese Studies, individual modules examine China's economic development, its history, media, politics, philosophy and religions, both in ancient and in modern times. As a student of Chinese Studies, you will have the opportunity to visit China and experience Chinese culture first-hand. All students have a further chance to apply for short-term language courses in China and scholarships administered by the Centre for Chinese Studies and the Confucius Institute.
Key Features
Reasons to choose this course include:
- Taught by experts in their respective fields
- Opportunity to develop independent research projects
- Opportunities to study abroad
- Excellent library facilities
- Opportunities for excursions to places of worship, previous trips have included Israel, Egypt, Syria, New York, Rome
- Opportunity to study in China
- Independent research project
Modules
Typical modules include:
- Approaches to the Study of Religion
- Understanding Contemporary China
- Confucian Ethics
- History and Civilisation of Traditional China
- Religious Experience
- Asian Religious Traditions
- Thinking About Religion
- Religion and Film
- New Religious Movements
- The Life of Muhammad
Course Tutor(s)
- Associate Prof Thomas Jansen
- Dr Yanxia ZHAO
- Ms Duo LUAN
Visiting Lecturers from Beijing Union University
Assessment
The School uses a wide range of assessment methods to ensure that students are given opportunities to demonstrate their attainment of learning outcomes and achieve a range of valuable transferable skills.
Assessment methods include:
- Written assignments
- Examinations
- Time tests
- Portfolios of work
- Oral presentations
- Extended essays/dissertations
- Reflective tasks
Career Opportunities
Career and employment opportunities include:
- Teaching
- Non-governmental organisations
- Media and publishing
- Journalism and Reviewing
- Postgraduate research
Further Information
Visiting the University
For any students considering studying BA Chinese Civilisation and Religious Studies at UWTSD it is worthwhile attending a Visit Day or Open Day. You can take a tour of the Lampeter campus, meet some students, and question the lecturers to get a comprehensive understanding of the university and its teaching. To find out more about forthcoming dates visit the Open Day and Visit Day pages.
- Associate Prof Thomas Jansen
- Confucius Institute
Related Courses
- BA Anthropology and Chinese Studies
- BA English and Chinese Studies
- BA Chinese Studies and Medieval Studies
- BA Philosophy and Chinese Studies
- BA Chinese Studies and Religious Studies
Tuition Fees
Annual tuition fees for entry in the academic year 2017/18 are as follows:
UK/EU: £9,000
International: £14,900
Tuition fees for years of study after your first year are subject to an increase of 3% for International students and at the capped fee rate as set by the UK Government for UK/EU students.
You can find further information on fees and how to pay on our Student Finance pages.
You may be eligible for funding to help support your study. To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available please visit the University's Bursaries and Scholarships page
Additional Costs
There is an optional fieldtrip connected to a module for second and third year students to visit religious sites first hand. The Faculty subsidises this trip but the cost each year is dependent on airfare, location, and currency exchange rates. The Faculty aims to keep the cost in the range £400-£700.
