As a program sponsored by the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities, the China Studies Program is academically grounded in a Christian liberal arts context. Every effort is made to integrate the Christian faith within the context of the curriculum and community life. In light of the specific observations noted above, the objectives of the China Studies Program are:

• To create in students an awareness of, and appreciation for, the variety of peoples and cultures of China; acquainting them with the historical interweaving of religion, culture, politics and economics in this region of the world;

• To provide students with the opportunity for experiential learning through social interaction and service projects with Chinese people;

• To educate students concerning the global dimensions of China as it grows as a world power;

• To understand its contemporary political, economic, religious and social structures;

• To help students understand the complex issues surrounding the current regional tensions and the ongoing efforts toward achieving a lasting peace between East and West;

• To educate students concerning the international, political, intellectual and social presuppositions and rhetoric of those who engage China from the West, as well as the leadership of China itself;

• To help students with the basic process of learning from people of another culture by involving them in the study of a foreign language, and by exposing them to Chinese social contexts in ways that go far beyond textbook and classroom learning;

• To increase student awareness of the fundamental interplay of language and culture;

• To broaden student understanding of American culture and Christianity.