Chinese

Who should take the Chinese placement exam: The Chinese Placement Exam is for students who begin at Middlebury in September 2024 and have studied Mandarin before or have learned some Modern Standard Chinese (Mandarin) in a context other than formal study. Even if you think you will place into first year, if you have had any background in Modern Standard Chinese, you must take the exam. Fall Mandarin language classes into which students may place after the exam are: CHNS 0101 (1st year), CHNS 0201 (2nd-year), CHNS 0301 (3rd-year), CHNS 0400 (4th-year), CHNS 0425 (advanced seminar on contemporary social issues in China), and CHNS 0411 (Classical Chinese I). Chinese classes are not intended for native speakers of modern standard Chinese (Mandarin). 

Exam components: A 30-60 minute written test and a 10-20 minute oral interview by Zoom. The written test will be available starting May 15, 2024 on the Chinese Department Canvas site (middlebury.instructure.com/courses/6892). Complete instructions for the placement exam are at the top of the Canvas site in the document "READ FIRST: About the Chinese Placement Exam." After reading the document and before taking the exam, students should contact the department Chair, Professor Carrie Wiebe at wiebe@middlbury.edu to schedule the Zoom interview. Completed exams should be uploaded to the Canvas site. Instructions for uploading the completed exam are in the "READ FIRST" document. Students are encouraged to take the placement exam as early as possible after May 15, and all tests must be completed and submitted by June 15. Professor Wiebe will be happy to answer email with questions about the placement exam and/or the study of Chinese at Middlebury.  

Exam window:
May 15 - June 15

Exam results:
Results will be emailed to students.

Contact with questions: 

Professor Carrie Wiebe: wiebe@middlebury.edu