Two intensive eight-week classes in the Chinese language (Mandarin dialect) will be offered this fall at Rogers State University in Bartlesville.
The fall semester begins on Thursday, Aug. 13. Enrollment is currently underway on the first floor of the RSU campus, located at Fourth St. and Dewey Ave. in downtown Bartlesville.
“Mandarin is the most commonly spoken language in the world,” said Dr. Gregory Thompson, head of the RSU Department of English and Humanities. “Considering our close economic ties to China, many business professionals will benefit from learning the Chinese language.”
Chinese I will be offered from 7:00 to 8:40 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings from Aug. 13 through Oct. 9. Chinese I is a beginning class focusing on understanding and speaking Chinese in the Mandarin dialect, and will include some exploration of Chinese culture.
Chinese II will be offered from 7:00 to 8:40 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings from Oct. 12 through Dec. 11. Chinese II is a continuation of the understanding and speaking the Chinese language, with expanded vocabulary and an introduction of more complex sentence structures. The class will include a continued exploration of Chinese culture.
The instructor will be Jan Yang, who lives in Bartlesville.
The classes are open to students at Bartlesville High School, business professionals and other members of the community, Thompson said. High school students should apply to the university as concurrent students.
Surveys conducted by RSU in Bartlesville indicated a demand for the Chinese language classes, Thompson said.
RSU also offers classes in the Spanish, French and German languages on its campus in Claremore, and anticipates adding classes in Italian next spring, Thompson said. RSU conducts a summer study abroad program in Montone, Italy. The university also may consider adding classes in the Arabic language, he said.
For more information on enrolling in the Chinese language classes at RSU in Bartlesville, call (918) 338-8000, or visit the admission office on the first floor of the Bartlesville campus at Fourth St. and Dewey Ave. in downtown Bartlesville.