Admission requirements
- Admission to the MA Asian Studies (research) or another relevant Research MA. Students from other (regular MA) programmes are kindly referred to the course description of the regular MA course.
Intermediate to advanced level of classical Chinese is required (i.e. having successfully finished “Classical Chinees III” or a comparable course). Contact the instructor if you are not sure whether this course is suitable for your level of familiarity with classical Chinese.
Description
This course is designed for MA students who have successfully completed their studies of classical Chinese at BA3 level. It introduces students to non-scriptural texts from Buddhist, Daoist, and popular religious traditions, focusing on accounts of the strange, extraordinary, and supernatural. In addition to translation skills, students will learn how to analyze narrative strategies that have shaped discourses of transcendence.
Course objectives
1) Further development of language skills in classical Chinese (reading and translation)
2) Further development of research skills in classical Chinese (interpretation and analysis)
3) Development of familiarity with a wide range of religious topics and primary sources in classical Chinese.
4) Mastery of important religious terminologies and concepts
Timetable
The timetables are available through My Timetable.
The deadline(s) in MyTimetable is/are set for administrative purposes only. The actual date(s) will be communicated by the lecturer(s) in Brightspace.
Mode of instruction
Seminar
Attendance is compulsory for all sessions. Students must prepare well and contribute to in-class discussion. If a student cannot attend because of illness or misadventure, they should promptly inform the convener. Extra assignments may be set to make up for missed class time, at the convener’s discretion. Absence without notification may result in lower grades or exclusion from assessment components and a failing grade for the course.
Assessment method
Academic integrity
Students should familiarize themselves with the notion of academic integrity and the ways in which this plays out in their own work. A good place to start is this page. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Students may not substantially reuse texts they have previously submitted in this or other courses. Minor overlap with previous work is allowed as long as it is duly noted in citation. For information on plagiarism (in the context of academic writing at large), see clips 4-5-6 in this series of video clips.
Students must submit their assignment(s) to Brightspace through Turnitin, so they can be checked for plagiarism. Submission via email is not accepted.
ChatGPT: What is possible and what is allowed? Dos and Don'ts.
Assessment and Weighing
Active participation in class/group
Essay, paper
| Partial assessment | Weighing |
|---|---|
| Participation and assignments | 40% |
| Final Project | 60% |
Final project
The topicof the final project will be determined by the student and convener of the course. A revision is required but not marked.
ResMA students will discuss with the convener of the course about the required additional work to complete this course.
The final mark for this course is formed by the weighted average.
In order to pass the course, students must complete all requirements (participation, assignments, final essay) and obtain an overall mark of 5.50 (=6) or higher.
The course is an integrated whole. All assessment parts must be completed in the same academic year. No partial marks can be carried over into following years.
Resit
Only if the total weighted average is insufficient (5.49 or lower) and the insufficient grade is the result of an insufficient final essay, a resit of the essay is possible (60%). In that case the convener of the course may assign a (new) topic and give a new deadline. The resit will then make up 100% of the grade.
A resit of the other partial assessments is not possible.
Inspection and feedback
Feedback will be supplied primarily through Brightspace. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the assessment results, a review will be organized.
Reading list
To be announced on Brightspace
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the information bar on the right
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Herta Mohr