Pacific and Asian Studies Courses (PAAS)
Undergraduate Courses
Language Course Restriction
Students who have completed courses in a language at UVic or through transfer credit will not be granted credit for subsequent courses at a lower level in the same language.
Chinese Language Courses:
The department takes two criteria into account in considering advanced placement for students entering Chinese language courses at the University. One of these is competence in spoken Modern Standard Chinese (Mandarin); the other is ability to read and write the Chinese script.
For purposes of course placement, the department normally defines "native speakers" as those who are native speakers of any of these languages and who are also able to read at least simple materials (i.e., at the middle school level) written in the Chinese script. "Native speakers" who lack a good foundation in spoken Mandarin or whose reading ability in Chinese is not equivalent to that of a high school graduate should register in PAAS 212 or 313; others should register in PAAS 410.
Students whose ability to read and write Chinese is limited but who have some experience in spoken Mandarin, including those with high school credit in Mandarin, should consult the department about advanced placement. Students who register in Chinese language courses without such consultation may be required to transfer to different courses at the department's discretion. Note that students who have passed the provincial examination in Mandarin 12 may not register in PAAS 118 or 218.
Indonesian and Japanese Language Courses:
Courses marked * are not available to native speakers of Indonesian and Japanese. A native speaker is normally defined in this context as a person who has received sufficient instruction to be literate in the language. Students who are not native speakers, but who do have some knowledge of the language, will be placed at an appropriate level; however, such students may, at the instructor's discretion, be required to withdraw or to transfer to a higher level course should their language proficiency prove greater than was initially supposed.