Explore your interests in Chinese or Japanese at Lawrence.


Academic advising at Lawrence seeks to empower each student to craft and pursue a transformative liberal arts experience that prepares them for impactful and personally fulfilling lives. Faculty advisors support students in planning and achieving their educational goals, facilitate connections to campus resources and communities, and guide students to make informed decisions as they pursue their academic interests and aspirations. 

Course Planning for New and Exploring Students

For students interested in majoring in Chinese language and literature or minoring in Chinese, we recommend beginning the Chinese language sequence in your first year (CHJA 101: Beginning Chinese I; CHJA 102: Beginning Chinese II; and CHJA 201: Beginning Intermediate Chinese).

For students interested in the Japanese minor, we recommend beginning the Japanese language sequence in your first year (CHJA 111: Beginning Japanese I; CHJA 112: Beginning Japanese II; and CHJA 211: Beginning Intermediate Japanese.

AP/IB Credit and Advanced Placement

Students who have earned AP or IB credit in Chinese or Japanese should take a language placement exam to determine the appropriate starting point in the Chinese or Japanese language sequences.  

Students who are already proficient in Chinese or Japanese may opt to fulfill their language competency general education requirement with a competency exam or documentation as outlined in the Course Catalog. Please email advising@lawrence.edu if you wish to pursue either option.

Declare a Major/Minor

All students are expected to declare a major before the end of sophomore year. Ideally, sophomore students will declare a major (and switch to an advisor in the major) before advance registration advising begins in spring term.

Major Advising

All students will transition to a major advisor upon declaration. The major advisor will help students plan their coursework to satisfy requirements for the major, select courses in other areas to complement the major or satisfy personal interests, and prepare for their Senior Experience. Prospective Chinese language and literature majors should add Kuo-ming Sung as a major advisor at the time of declaration.

Add a Major Advisor

Need help identifying an advisor in the major? Students can contact advising@lawrence.edu for assistance with advisor matching.

Minor Advising

Students do not need an official advisor for the Japanese or Chinese minors. Instead, Japanese and Chinese minors are encouraged to consult with the department chair, Kuo-ming Sung, for advice on course selection and satisfying minor requirements.

Additional Student Resources

If you still have questions about advising support related to the Chinese & Japanese program, we invite you to contact the department chair. 

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