The Hopkins-Nanjing Center (HNC) is a one-of-a-kind residential academic community in Nanjing, China, committed to cross-cultural learning, free and open academic inquiry, and advanced bilingual proficiency.
The one-year Certificate in Chinese and American Studies provides students with flexibility in course selection while deepening their knowledge of Sino-global relations.
Our target-language curriculum gives graduates a competitive edge. American and international students take courses in Chinese, while Chinese students are taught primarily in English. A shared residential community deepens cultural ties and creates individuals who are both bilingual and at home in two cultures.
Alumni of the Hopkins-Nanjing Center are renowned for their Chinese-language proficiency and their multidisciplinary approach to understanding international affairs and China studies. They play key roles in government, business, journalism, NGOs, and academia and are uniquely poised to understand and manage diverse facets of US-China commercial, academic, economic, and political relations.
Degree Requirements
Campus: Nanjing, China
Credits: 24
Duration: One academic year, Full-Time
Course delivery: In-person
Curriculum
The one-year certificate gives students flexibility in course selection while deepening their knowledge of Sino-global relations. Courses are offered on topics such as international economics, international politics, Chinese studies, energy, and international law.
Students in the certificate program must complete at least 24 credits of coursework, with 20 of these credits taught in Mandarin. Many students elect to take additional courses taught in English with their Chinese peers.
The certificate is jointly awarded by Johns Hopkins SAIS and Nanjing University.
Certificate + MAIR
Following completion of the one-year Certificate program in Nanjing, some students continue their graduate studies at Johns Hopkins SAIS with the Master of Arts in International Relations. The MAIR portion of study can take as little as an additional academic year to complete. Students can pursue their studies at either campus in Washington DC or SAIS Europe, although at least one semester must be spent in Washington DC.
Students who complete the HNC certificate earn advanced standing toward the MAIR. Students earn 4 credits of Advanced Standing for each completed HNC course (up to 32 credits maximum). Advanced standing reduces the total number of credits needed for the MAIR from 64 to 32-40. Advanced standing, however, does not fulfill specific degree requirements and the student may be required to take more than the minimum number of overall credits in order to complete the MAIR.
Students may use up to 2 approved courses taught at the HNC in English toward MAIR requirements. Each semester prior to registration, the Office of Academic Advising (DC) will provide a list of approved English language courses and which MAIR requirement the course may fulfill. Students may use only one HNC course toward the International Economics and Finance functional focus area. Students may use up to 2 approved courses taught in Chinese toward the China regional focus area.
Students at the HNC who complete a course(s) equivalent to a required International Economics course (International Economics I or International Economics 2) or Research Methods course (Econometrics) are waived from this requirement. Students may use one Level 2 HNC Economics course (whether taken in English or Chinese) as a replacement International Economics course if they pass a waiver exam. Courses taken at the HNC may not be used to fulfill the Data Analytics requirement, but may qualify a student to take a waiver exam. If the student is waived from the Data Analytics requirement, the student must complete 2 Research Methods courses to fulfill MAIR requirements.
Non-native Chinese-speaking students who complete the HNC Certificate automatically fulfill Chinese language proficiency. Native Chinese-speaking students may fulfill the the language proficiency requirement with any non-native language, including English.
Certificate + MAIA
Students may also combine the Certificate with the Master of Arts in International Affairs. Students in the Certificate + MAIA program spend one year each at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center and SAIS Europe, and may choose to begin their studies at either location. At the HNC, students must complete at least 32 credits of coursework, with at least 20 of these credits taught in Chinese. Once the Certificate is completed, they receive 32 credits of Advanced Standing toward the MAIA. Students can complete the MAIA in one academic year at SAIS Europe by completing an additional 32 credits.
The MAIA curriculum includes a minimum of two International Economics courses, four elective courses, and a thesis (8 credits). Students can opt to take two additional elective courses in place of the thesis as long as one of the courses produces a research paper.
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 can use English for their required non-native language proficiency requirement by passing proficiency exams at SAIS Europe.