The Centre for Continuing Education offers a highly structured set of Basic Chinese courses based on our cooperation with the Confucius Institute (CI).

The cooperation between CCE and CI enables us to offer a two-year intensive program (taught over 4 hours per week in two sessions for 10 weeks) and a four-year standard program (taught over 2 hours per week in one session for 8 weeks) in Basic Chinese language that gives students a clear long-term perspective and a structure based on the most widely used international teaching material, Integrated Chinese.

Prescribed text

For all courses, students are required to use three course materials:

1. Integrated Chinese (Third Edition) Textbook
2. Integrated Chinese (Third Edition) Workbook
3. Integrated Chinese (Third Edition) Character Workbook

Both simplified and traditional character versions of the textbook and the two workbooks are available, however the simplified versions are recommended. Students can also opt for the electronic versions of the Chinese course materials.

In addition to the prescribed materials, the publisher provides supporting materials, such as Audio CDs and Course DVDs.

Additional online resources are also available.

Textbook: Integrated Chinese

Integrated Chinese is the leading introductory Chinese textbook at colleges and universities around the world. It meets the needs of today’s students with a full-colour design, fewer lessons in Level 1 to allow for more flexible pacing, more communicative activities, up-to-date vocabulary, expanded cultural notes, an exciting new storyline linking all the dialogues and readings, and more review sections. It is structured into two levels which have been split into two parts each.

The series provides coordinated practice in the four skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Throughout the series, Integrated Chinese builds on the three modes of communication – interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational – and the “Five Cs”- Communication, Culture, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities-to build proficiency in using the Chinese language in a variety of real-life situations.

The Integrated Chinese series is a two-year intensive or four-year standard program that includes textbooks, workbooks, character workbooks, online workbooks, audio CDs, multimedia resources, and teacher’s handbooks. Materials are available in both simplified character and traditional character versions.

Student Feedback

Enrolled students in Chinese courses are encouraged to provide feedback on the program at any time directly to the Chinese course co-ordinator through our online student feedback form.

Choosing the right language level

If you have studied Chinese previously, count the vocabulary items in your previous text book and convert to the following level:

• Up to 165 items: Chinese 101 (Intensive) or Chinese 1011/1012 (Standard)
• Up to 350 items: Chinese 102 (Intensive) or Chinese 1021/1022 (Standard)
• Up to 525 items: Chinese 103 (Intensive) or Chinese 1031/1032 (Standard)
• Up to 700 items: Chinese 104 (Intensive) or Chinese 1041/1042 (Standard)
• Up to 875 items: Chinese 201 (Intensive)
• Up to 1050 items: Chinese 202 (Intensive)
• Up to 1250 items: Chinese 203 (Intensive)
• Up to 1450 items: Chinese 204 (Intensive)

If you still require assistance, contact our Chinese language coordinator for specific advice.

We offer training courses, short courses, lessons, workshops and classes open to everyone. Enrol today and learn with the University of Sydney's premiere provider of short courses and training courses in Sydney - a professional and flexible learning and training development alternative to Sydney TAFE courses and Sydney community colleges - Jason Riley, Operations Manager, Centre for Continuing Education.