For your reference, these are the recommended prerequisites for Chinese:
| IVC Course | Recommended Prerequisite |
| Chinese 1 | No prerequisite |
| Chinese 2 | IVC Chinese 1 or two years of high school Chinese |
| Chinese 3 | IVC Chinese 2, three years of high school Chinese, or AP score of 3 or above |
| Chinese 4 | IVC Chinese 3, four years of high school Chinese, or AP score of 4 or above |
If you don’t meet the above prerequisites, and/or you prefer to assess your level on your own, please review the skills and classes below and choose the course that best fits your Chinese level (keep in mind that having a solid foundation in beginning Chinese will help you succeed in more advanced courses):
Chinese 2 is a good fit for you if you are comfortable with the tasks below:
- Write a paragraph in Chinese of approximately 100-150 Chinese characters.
- Read a one paragraph essay written in Chinese.
- Speak in Chinese using an active vocabulary of approximately 250 words on topics such as school, daily activities, family, and food.
- Understand spoken Chinese on everyday activities and familiar topics using approximately 250 words.
Chinese 3 is a good fit for you if you are comfortable with the tasks below:
- Write a short essay of approximately 150-250 Chinese characters.
- Read a two-paragraph essay written in Chinese.
- Speak in Chinese using an active vocabulary of approximately 500 words on topics such as home, neighborhood, shopping, travels, and transportation.
- Understand spoken Chinese on past events and activities using approximately 500 words..
Chinese 4 is a good fit for you if you are comfortable with the tasks below:
- Write an essay of approximately 250-350 Chinese characters.
- Read a three-paragraph short story written in Chinese.
- Speak in Chinese using an active vocabulary of approximately 850 words on topics such as weather, season, health, technology, and community.
- Understand spoken Chinese on a wide variety of topics using approximately 850 wordsds.
If you want to see the detailed topics (vocabulary, grammar, and culture) covered in each Chinese level, please visit the IVC schedule of classes, click on the “DETAILS” link on the far right, and at the bottom of the page, click on the first blue button “Topics Covered.”
If, after two weeks, you feel the course is too hard or too easy for you, please let your instructor know so you can discuss the possibility of changing the course level.
For further information, please contact the Japanese Department Coordinator: Joanne Chen