Chinese Department

Life Beyond Reed for Chinese Majors 

Graduate Studies

Many of our alumni continue on to graduate education in Chinese studies-related fields, including Chinese literature, history, and religion. If you plan to apply to graduate school, you should begin the process--identifying potential programs, reviewing application processes, and locating sources of support for your graduate study if needed--at the beginning of your senior year, especially as some graduate schools require applications be completed by as early as December. so you want to make sure you have enough time to get all of your transcripts and letters of recommendation submitted. Further information about graduate schools can also be obtained at The Center for Life Beyond Reed. Chinese faculty can also be very helpful in providing graduate school counseling, especially for students considering attending graduate school in China or Taiwan.

Letters of recommendation should be requested from professors who know you well. Please remember that the faculty get many such requests, so ask early and give these professors ample time to write an evaluation and any materials that might be helpful to them in writing your letter (e.g., your CV, application essay, etc.). A student who wants to attend graduate school in the U.S. should take the Graduate Record Exam (G.R.E.) sometime during the first semester of their senior year; application, instructions, and sample test can be obtained from The Center for Life Beyond Reed (Greywood). The application lists the dates for the G.R.E. and the corresponding deadlines for paying the fees.

Study Abroad  

Many alumni have continued to improve their Chinese fluency after graduation by spending time living and studying abroad. Information about various programs and funding for post-graduate opportunities in China and Taiwan can be found on the Chinese department Study Abroad page. 

Internships 

Coming soon

Careers

In addition to cultural knowledge and linguistic competence, Chinese majors acquire problem-solving, critical thinking, and cross-cultural analytical skills that serve them well after graduation. Recent graduates of the department have gone on to careers in fields such as business management, law, medicine, government, IT, education, art, literature, and more. All continue to maintain a lifelong appreciation for and interest in Chinese language and culture, and will affirm that their Chinese major helped prepare them to be informed citizens during the Pacific Century.

The Center for Life Beyond Reed is the best source of information concerning career possibilities. Seniors who look forward to employment following graduation should begin job searching early. They should also take advantage of job shadow opportunities and schedule employment interviews with recruiters visiting campus.

Not sure what you'd like to do? Search the alumni directory by major to find out what choices former Reed Chinese majors have made.