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Curriculum | Certificate in Chinese and American Studies + MAIA

The Certificate in Chinese and American Studies at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center will give you the flexibility in course selection while deepening your knowledge of Sino-global relations.

The MAIA at SAIS Europe is a research-focused program, where you will be able to personalize your curriculum and focus on the contemporary issues in international affairs of the greatest importance to you aligned with your career interests. 

Requirements 

Students must complete a total of eight courses in Nanjing, five of which must be taught in Mandarin. Many students elect to take additional courses taught in English with their Chinese peers.

Intermediate to advanced level proficiency in Mandarin is required prior to beginning studies. Most applicants have typically completed 3-4 years of undergraduate Chinese language study. To apply for any HNC program, you must provide Chinese reading and listening proficiency test results from one of the following language assessments: STAMP, HSK, ACTFL, CEFR, or ILR. Test results must be from within the last 12 months, and available for review before the application deadline. If you have not yet taken any of these tests, you can request to take the STAMP test via the online application



All MAIA candidates must successfully complete at least two economics courses in the fall or spring terms. Students may choose between International Economics I or Essentials of International Economics I and International Economics II or Essentials of International Economics II.

Students who have previously taken courses equivalent to International Economics I and/or International Economics II may petition to take a waiver exam during the summer to demonstrate their knowledge. Those who pass one or both of the the above exams are not required to substitute those courses with other economics course.

Native English speakers must pass a proficiency examination in one of the foreign languages offered at SAIS Europe:

  • Arabic
  • French
  • German
  • Italian
  • Russian
  • Spanish

Non-native English speakers must pass an English proficiency exam administered by the school. 

Non-native Chinese speakers who complete the HNC Certificate are automatically approved for language proficiency in Chinese since their content courses were taught in that language. Native Chinese speaking students must pass the English proficiency exam at SAIS Europe.

During the application process, non-native speakers of English will be required to submit a score from one of the following English competency exam: TOEFL, IELTS or a CPE.  To see our English Language Examination policy, please click here. However, at the start of the academic year, all non-native English speaking students at SAIS Europe must take the English proficiency exam, regardless of previous test results, to ensure an adequate level in all skills.

Upon admission to the MAIA program, candidates determine whether they wish to pursue the option to complete 14 non-language courses and write a thesis of approximately 15-20,000 words, or in lieu of a thesis complete two additional courses, one of which entails a substantial research paper or short thesis. Students meet with the MAIA program director or academic coordinator to discuss their options and potential thesis topics of interest.