Our Curriculum
The Max Baucus Institute China Center curriculum transforms our programming into a coherent, lasting foundation for understanding one of the world's most complex economic and geopolitical systems. Following acceptance in late February, every student begins a two-month pre-departure runway, starting with an intensive Mandarin crash course and continuing through talks from leading China scholars, including Max Baucus himself. This runway is designed to build the language skills and critical lenses needed to make sense of what students will see and learn on the ground. By the time they depart in late May, our students arrive as prepared observers, primed to make the most of their time in-country. Our students are equipped with insights that extend the impact of the program long after they return.
1
Survival Mandarin
Free, self-paced language study opens to every accepted student. The goal is to provide students the confidence to arrive able to navigate China on their own, not start from zero.
2
Lecture Series
Weekly remote lectures from leading China scholars. Topics include modern history, demography, governance, economics, spirituality, and culture. Our goal is to build nuanced context for our students.
3
Culture-Building and Launch
Discussions and exercises designed to ensure students make the most of their travels. Cultural preparation and send-off before the first departures to China in late May.
Pre-Departure Timeline
February
Acceptances go out
In late February, the Baucus Institute China Center will send out acceptances to those students selected for our various programs. Following their confirmation, students will then embark on our pre-departure education.
March
Mandarin Courses Begin
Beginning in March, our students gain access to online survival Mandarin course. For the two months leading up to their departure, students will learn the basics enabling them to begin navigating China on their own.
late March - May
Lecture Series and Departure Training
Our lecture series will begin, where students will learn about topics critical for understanding modern China. Then, as final preparation before departure, students will discuss how to be resilient travelers, how to establish positive group culture, and how to be respectful guests in China.
Survival Mandarin
The Baucus Institute China Center understands how crucial it is to show respect while traveling.Learning the basics of a language is the first step for building that respect, and it is the foundational starting point for deepening an understanding of a people and culture. As such, the Baucus Institute China Center will provide every accepted student with free, crash-course Mandarin instruction.
Available online through a tutoring service, we will ensure students have accessible and useful exposure to the language. By the time students board their flight, they’ll have weeks of real spoken practice behind them, not just memorized vocabulary. All students without prior Mandarin experience are expected to attend.
Lecture Series
China is not a monolith. To understand more than generalizations about the country, beginning in late March, our students join once-a-week educational sessions, which serve as the intellectual core of the China Center. Led by world-leading scholars and committed educators, these sessions are designed to push students into a nuanced understanding of the cultural, historical, economic, and political forces that shape modern China today.
Culture-Building &
Launch
Beyond historical and economic lessons, we prime discussions with students about their goals, their interests, and how they plan to show up for one another. Group travel requires buy-in and teamwork, and as guests in a foreign country, it's crucial that our students know how to not only properly respect our hosts, but one another too.
Post-Program Opportunities
The educational and professional opportunities don't end when a student's trip is finished. We host range of "landing pad" offerings for our students upon their return in the Fall. These include alumni meetups, professional development assistance, and networking opportunities.
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Regardless of their personal or professional ambitions, we aim for our programs to be the beginning of a long line of success for each of our students. Whether applying for a new job, continuing onto graduate education, or looking to deepen their knowledge about China, the Institute and its alumni networks offer hands-on support.