Program Overview

The CLS Program in Dalian provides an intensive 8-week language learning environment designed to cover the equivalent of one academic year of university-level Chinese study. Students receive a minimum of 20 hours per week of formal classroom instruction that focuses on intensive reading, writing, speaking and listening practice. Formal language instruction is supplemented with additional cultural activities and classes, such as calligraphy and martial arts. The CLS Program in Dalian also offers a specialized optional course focusing on environmental issues. Finalists for the CLS Dalian program will be given more information in the spring.

Additionally, students meet with a language partner several hours each week to practice language skills and engage in learning outside the classroom with native speakers through activities such as getting coffee together, exploring Dalian, and participating in sports such as climbing and hiking. On weekends, students in Dalian participate in a variety of cultural excursions to explore the rich culture and history of their host city and surrounding areas. Past excursions included overnight trips to Shenyang and Huanren, as well as excursions to visit local companies. These activities are designed to deepen the students’ understanding of Chinese culture and language through interaction with local Chinese people.

CLS students in Dalian live with host families, which provides them with the opportunity to experience life in a Chinese family and further develop their language skills outside of formal program activities. Students typically eat breakfast and dinner with their host families, giving them an opportunity to practice speaking Chinese, to experience home-cooked Chinese food, and to gain insight into cultural norms and day-to-day life in Dalian. The CLS program in Dalian also incorporates a language policy that requires scholarship recipients to speak only Chinese during all program activities, with one another, and with all staff.

The CLS Program in Dalian is hosted by Dalian University of Technology. Founded in 1949, the Dalian University of Technology (DLUT) was established originally as the School of Engineering of Dalian University. DLUT has three campuses and over 34,700 full-time students, with more than 700 international students. CLS classes take place on the Lingshui campus of the university.