About PiB
General Information
Princeton in Beijing, a high-quality intensive program in intermediate and advanced Chinese language study for the serious language student, will hold its 18th session from June 25 to August 20, 2010. The faculty from Princeton brings to this effort more than three decades of leadership in the pioneering of intensive "total immersion" summer Chinese language programs in the United States, as well as more than three decades of experience in producing Chinese language textbooks at Princeton University's Chinese Linguistics Project. To this experience is added the ultimate Chinese language environment -- China's capital city of Beijing.
The Princeton Chinese Language Program has established its own distinctive pedagogy while developing a series of Chinese language textbooks based on the belief that a strong foundation with an emphasis on accurate pronunciation and grammar is absolutely necessary for language mastery. The "total immersion" approach includes such special features as: a student pledge to speak no language other than Mandarin Chinese throughout the session; individual tutorial sessions in the afternoons; contact with faculty at meals and in campus life; and special lectures on aspects of China studies. The Princeton in Beijing faculty combines this approach with their years of experience to provide students with an intensive learning atmosphere within the natural language environment of mainland China.
Princeton in Beijing is unique among in-country Chinese language programs in its use of an American model. All teaching materials and methods, as well as techniques of testing, grading, and course evaluation, are from Princeton. The teaching faculty in charge of courses is also from the United States.