Founded in 1959, the Chinese Program at San Francisco State University provides comprehensive degree programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. For all major and minor options, the Chinese Program offers electives taught in both English and Chinese, which provide insight into one of the world’s oldest civilizations and inspire the student to view the modern world from alternative perspectives. Courses on modern literature and film taught in Chinese reflect the dynamic transformations of contemporary Chinese society and culture. Training in the fundamentals of linguistics complements program goals by revealing the underlying structures of language. To prepare students as fully as possible for future challenges, the Chinese Program balances traditional academic offerings with practical courses such as Business Chinese, Media Chinese, and Web Chinese, which equip students with career-related language skills.

The Bachelor of Arts in Chinese is divided into three separate concentrations: Chinese Language, designed for students with little or no background in the Chinese language; Chinese Literature and Linguistics, aimed at native and near-native speakers of Chinese language; and Flagship Chinese Language, a federally funded honors program.

The Concentration in Chinese Literature and Linguistics is aimed at native and near-native speakers of a Chinese language and consists of 18 units of required coursework in advanced language, linguistics, oratory, literature, and culture, plus an additional 12 units of lower and upper-division electives in Chinese or a related subject. GWAR is built into the course design.