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M.A. in China-U.S. Relations

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Program Chair:
Eric Im, Ph. D.
eim@hawaii.edu
College of Business and Economics
200 West Kawili Street
Hilo, HI 96720-4091
Phone: 808-974-7467
Fax: (808) 974-7685

Faculty:
Jerry M. Calton, Ph.D., Business Administration calton@hawaii.edu
Jon T. Cauley, Ph.D. (Emeritus), Economics jcauley@hawaii.edu
John H.L. Cheng, Ph.D., Philosophy/Religious Studies johnhlcheng@yahoo.com
Jonathan Dresner, Ph.D., History dresner@hawaii.edu
Eric I. Im, Ph.D., Economics eim@hawaii.edu
Jean M. Ippolito, Ph.D., Art jippolit@hawaii.edu
James O. Juvik, Ph.D., Geography jjuvik@hawaii.edu
Seri Luangphinith, Ph.D., English seri@hawaii.edu
Yoshitaka Miike, Ph.D. , Communication ymiike@hawaii.edu
Douglas K. Mikkelson, Ph.D., Religious Studies dougmikk@hawaii.edu
Christopher A. Reichl, Ph.D., Anthropology reichl@hawaii.edu
Tam Vu, Ph.D., Economics tamv@hawaii.edu
Enbao Wang, Ph.D., Political Science enbao@hawaii.edu

Program Purpose

The Master of Arts in China-U.S. Relations at UH Hilo is a 30-credit-hour program designed to provide students with an interdisciplinary, liberal arts background in Chinese culture and its relation to the United States’ role in Pacific affairs. It will prepare students for a broad spectrum of professions such as international education, business and tourism, government, cultural exchange, and international service in China and the Pacific region.

The program aims to promote China-U.S. cultural communication. It provides a forum for dialogue and understanding between the United States and the Chinese people. United States’ students will study various aspects of Chinese civilization and see the United States from a Chinese perspective, while Chinese students will learn about United States’ culture and see China from a Pacific Rim perspective.

Program Emphasis

The program emphasizes three key areas of study:

1. United States’ Perceptions of China's Historical and Cultural Traditions

While considerable emphasis is placed on China's turbulent modern history, students also study, in depth, China's cultural, philosophical, and religious traditions. Students learn about China from Confucianism, Taoist, and Buddhist, as well as modern, perspectives. This learning provides a context for review of prevailing perceptions of China held by the United States in the decades prior to and after the Second World War, perceptions which have helped shape U.S. policies toward China.

2. United States' Role in China's Economic Reform

The focus is on China's evolution from a highly-centralized, planned economy to its mass mobilization for market socialism—or capitalism with Chinese characteristics. Students examine how China has adopted market liberalization and the resulting tension with state political structures. The importance of economic relations between China and the U.S. in terms of trade and investment, and how these relations may evolve, is a main aspect of study. Related study is China's need for technological and educational advancement and the United States’ role in helping it achieve those ends.

3. Government and Public Policy in China

Students examine China's elaborate institutional structure for the party and state, and how China's leaders have attempted to move party-state organizations toward modernity. A related aspect of study involves analysis of the military's role in policy-making, especially on issues such as Taiwan, democratic reform, dissent, human rights, and the environment. These issues influence ongoing Sino-American relations.

Distinctive Features

China Summer Tour

Students study at both UH Hilo and Peking University in China. The program welcomes international students.

Multidisciplinary Approach

Students enroll in interdisciplinary courses in religion, philosophy, history, business, economics, political science, anthropology, geography, and languages of China. Core courses within the program are designed and taught from an interdisciplinary approach.

China-U.S. Encounter

This summer program promotes China-U.S. cultural communication. A special emphasis is placed on the study of Chinese culture and its relationship to United States’ values. To provide a forum for dialogue and understanding between the American and Chinese people, the experience will consist of a mix of Asian, Pacific, and American students.

Pacific Focus

Students explore the cultural, social, political and economic relationships between China, the United States, and other nations in the Pacific region. Specifically, American students will see the United States from the Chinese perspective, while Chinese students will comprehend China within the Pacific Rim context.

Year-Round Schedule

Courses will be offered during the traditional academic year (Fall/Spring) as well as summer and winter sessions. Full time graduate students can finish their degrees more quickly, and professionals, especially schoolteachers, can use their summers for advanced education.

Application Process

General Procedures

Applications to the program will be examined beginning March 1 for admission the following Fall semester. After March 1 applications will be considered on a space available basis until July 1.

Applications and supporting documents should be sent to the Graduate Office of Admissions, UH Hilo, 200 West Kawili Street, Hilo, HI 96720. This office maintains applications through final notification to applicants. If you do not hear from the Graduate Office of Admissions within 30 days of submission of your application, please contact the office at 808-974-7414.

Applications that meet the initial requirements are forwarded to the China-U.S. Admissions Committee for a comprehensive review. The names of graduate candidates selected by the committee are forwarded to the Graduate Office of Admissions which sends final notification to the applicant.

Application Requirements

  1. A completed application form and appropriate fee. The application form and fee information are available online (www.uhh.hawaii.edu) or from the Graduate Office of Admissions.
  2. One official transcript from each post-secondary institution attended. These transcripts must be sent directly from the institution or submitted by the applicant in a sealed institutional envelope if accompanying the application. Transcripts from within the UH system are not required.
  3. Official Graduate Record Exam scores are required unless other qualifying test scores are required by a specific program (check admissions requirements in each program description). International applicants whose native language is not English, or who have not attained a baccalaureate or higher degree from an English-speaking institution, also must submit TOEFL scores.
  4. A minimum of three letters of recommendation attesting to the academic ability or other qualifications of the applicant.
  5. Statement of academic and/or long range goals.
  6. Verification of financial status (for all international students).

Admission Status

The applicant’s admission status is valid for only the semester to which the student is accepted. Applications for those who do not register or who withdraw from the University are voided but retained for a period of one year. Students may reapply for admission the next year by notifying the Graduate Office of Admissions and submitting another application fee.

Minimum Criteria for Admission*

An applicant must:

  1. have earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited U.S. college or university or its equivalent from a recognized non-U.S. institution of higher learning;
  2. have earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher (on an A = 4.0 scale);
  3. have taken and submitted General Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores;
  4. have ensured that three letters of recommendation have been submitted by references who have observed or supervised the applicant’s performance and can attest to the academic ability of the applicant to pursue graduate study or other qualifications of the applicant;
  5. have earned a TOEFL score of 550 or higher (paper version) or 213 or higher (computer version) if she or he is a non-native speaker of English or has attained a baccalaureate or higher degree from a non-English speaking institution;
  6. have submitted a personal statement of academic and/or long range goals.

* Please Note: A minimum of one year of college-level Chinese language or its equivalent is required for graduation for non-native speakers of Chinese.

Transfer of Credits

Requests for transfer of graduate credits must be made during the first semester in which the student is enrolled in the program. Courses which may be eligible for transfer will be reviewed by the CHUS program to determine program credit. Only classes with a grade of B (3.0) or higher from accredited universities or colleges will be considered for transfer. Transfer credit hours must have been completed within five years preceding the date upon which the advanced degree is to be conferred by UH Hilo.

International Credentials

A statement describing minimum academic qualifications expected of international application may be obtained from the Graduate Office of Admissions. These qualifications must be completed prior to enrollment.

Graduation Requirements

  1. Completion of at least 30 semester credits;
  2. Minimum of 24 semester credits in courses numbered 600 or above. Remainder of credits may be taken from courses numbered at 400 or above at the discretion of the China-U.S. Relations program chair. Courses numbered 499 may not be used for graduate credit. Also, credits used to meet requirements for an undergraduate degree may not be used to meet graduate program requirements.
  3. Completion of the program with a GPA of at least 3.0;
  4. Minimum of two semesters of full time study beyond the baccalaureate degree;
  5. Successful completion of a thesis (Plan A) or a series of papers (Plan B);
  6. Successful completion of a thesis oral examination (Plan A) or an exit oral examination (Plan B).

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. How long does it take to complete the program? The program is designed to be completed in 3-4 semesters, or 2-3 semesters including summer sessions, with additional time needed for writing the thesis (Plan A).
  2. Do I need to write a Master’s Thesis? Plan A requires 24 semester credits of course work and a thesis of original research. Plan B requires 30 semester credits of course work and research papers.
  3. What are the entrance requirements? See section entitled Minimum Requirements for Admission.
  4. Do I have to take the GRE? Yes. Applicants are required to submit official General GRE scores to UH Hilo.
  5. Can I transfer credits? Yes, subject to program approval (see section entitled Transfer of Credits).
  6. How much will it cost to live in Hilo? In-state students should budget approximately $13,000 per year for tuition, books, housing, food, and personal expenses; out-of-state students should budget approximately $18,000.
  7. Is financial aid available? Contact the UH Hilo Financial Aid Office for information (808-974-7323).
  8. Do I need a computer? Yes, or at least daily access to one.
  9. Are summer graduate courses available? Yes. UH Hilo and Peking University co-sponsor the Summer Institute in Chinese Thought and Chinese Culture. The program includes lectures on Chinese culture as well as field trips to various historical sites, ancient cities, and cultural centers in China. Students can earn 6 credits per summer.
  10. Do I have to know Chinese in order to be admitted to the program? A minimum of one year of college-level Chinese language study is recommended. At the discretion of the program Admissions Committee, however, students with no formal Chinese language training may be admitted to the program. See Chinese Language Requirement below.

Program Curriculum

Total Semester Credit Hours Required: 30

  • At least 24 semester hours must be in courses numbered 600 or higher.
  • Up to 6 semester hours in 400-level courses can be used to meet the required 30 credits.
  1. Required Core Courses (9 credits):
    • CHUS 600 (3) Approaches & Perceptions: Understanding China and America
    • CHUS 610 (3) Problems and Issues of Contemporary China
    • CHUS 695 (3) Seminar: Comparative Study of China and the U.S.
  2. Area Course Electives: (see semester credit requirements in Plan A and Plan B below)
    • CHUS 621 (3) Seminar in Chinese Philosophy
    • CHUS 622 (3) Chinese Religions and the West
    • CHUS 623 (3) Chinese Immigrants in the United States
    • CHUS 624 (3) Ethnography of Modern China
    • CHUS 630 (3) Comparative Study of Business Ethics in China and US
    • CHUS 640 (3) Chinese & U.S. Economies: A Comparative Approach
    • CHUS 641 (3) Seminar: U.S.-China Environmental Issues
    • CHUS 643 (3) Advanced Graduate Study on Contemporary Chinese Politics
    • CHUS 650 (3) Intercultural Communication: China and the United States
    • CHUS 661 (3) Comparative Political Economy: US and Greater China
    • CHUS 670 (3) Chinese Literature in the United States
    • CHUS 680 (3) Chinese Culture Study Tour
    • CHUS 694 (3) Special Topics in China-US Relations (repeatable only with approval from Program Director)
    • CHUS 699 (3) Directed Studies in China-US Relations (repeatable only with approval from Program Director)
    • CHUS 700 (v) Thesis Research (repeatable up to 6 semester hours)

Plan A: Take 15 semester credits in area electives in addition to 9 credits of core classes, 6 credits in CHUS 700 (or 3 credits in CHUS 700 and 3 credits in an additional area elective) and thesis defense. Satisfy Chinese language requirement.

Plan B: Take 21 credits in area electives in addition to 9 credits of core classes and an exit oral exam based on two research papers. Satisfy Chinese language requirements.

Chinese Language Requirement: Non-native Chinese speakers are required to take two semesters of Chinese language courses or the equivalent with approval of the Program Chair. Credits in Chinese language earned at other institutions are transferable to meet this requirement. Credits in Chinese language DO NOT count toward the required 30 semester hours for the Program.