The Beijing Center’s curriculum is at least as academically intensive as, if not more so, than programs in the United States. For example, the study of Chinese will demand a significant investment in time. The trips arranged by TBC are academic excursions, students are expected to read, research, write, and to provide presentations on various aspects of the journey. Studying China in China is an especially unique challenge. Students are advised to keep all of this in mind when selecting their courses.

All students, regardless of their home university, will register for courses using Loyola University Chicago’s on-line student system. After being admitted to The Beijing Center (TBC), they will be instructed by TBC Chicago Office on both how to log into the system and when to register for classes.

Althouh registration dates change from year to year, it usually takes place during May for Fall semester and November for Spring semester. Registration will close well before the program begins. The next opportunity for students to switch courses is in Beijing during “add/drop”, which follows shortly after the first week of class. It is not advisable to plan on changing courses in Beijing, because courses are usually filled up by that time and purchasing textbooks is quite a challenge in China.

Credit Hours
It is required by The Beijing Center that students enroll in a minimum of 12 credit hours and a maximum of 18 credit hours per semester.

Chinese Language
Students should register for one Chinese language class in Mandarin Chinese. Fluent students who wish to be exempt from taking Chinese should consult The Beijing Center’s Chicago office at admissions@luc.edu. Students who believe they fit into this category will be asked to provide copious documentation attesting to their level of competence. The Beijing Center’s Chicago office can also help students decide which Chinese level is best for them.

Class Schedule
After registration, The Beijing Center designs a schedule with the least amount of overlapping courses as possible. Students will find out closer to the start of the program whether their courses overlap. Students will be notified if any of their courses are cancelled due to under-enrollment or a sudden conflict with a professor’s schedule. While rare, such cancellations could occur anywhere from a couple of months to a couple of days before classes start. If there are schedule conflicts or cancellations, students will be given the opportunity to choose alternative courses.