ATS2040 Understanding contemporary China
Faculty of Arts
ATS2040 Understanding contemporary China is a level 2, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Arts. It isn't offered in 2025. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2025
- Not offered
- Assessment
- No exam
- 4 tasks
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
This is the 2025 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
Reviews
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Requisites
Before ATS2040
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After ATS2040
No unit lists ATS2040 as a prerequisite in the 2025 handbook.
Enrolment rules
Overview
The unit introduces you to perspectives on contemporary Chinese culture and society as presented in academic publications, social commentary, media reports and on the Chinese Internet. It covers key topics in cultural studies, politics and social studies, as these are discussed and written about in English and Chinese. It examines and compares Chinese and Western views on contemporary issues in China. Research methods and skills relevant to the study of contemporary China are an important feature of this unit.
Offerings in 2025
The 2025 handbook lists no offerings for ATS2040.
Assessment
- Analytical exerciseExercise10%
- Presentation20%
- Research proposalWritten20%
- EssayWritten50%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
A basic understanding of key issues in contemporary Chinese society and politics, focused on (i) the concepts of trust and justice; (ii) media reporting in and about present-day China; (iii) Chinese nationalism and patriotism; and (iv) public culture and debate in the Chinese-speaking world;
- 2
Library and web-based research skills relevant to modern Chinese studies;
- 3
A good knowledge of the academic literature relevant to studies of contemporary China;
- 4
Skills of analysis and interpretation in the study of China through exposure to the materials used in this unit.
Workload and teaching
- Tutorials24 hours
- Lectures12 hours
- Teaching approachResearch activities
- Teaching approachActive learning
- Teaching approachEnquiry-based learning
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.
This unit allows you to develop your research skills by engaging in structured inquiry using a systematic approach and discipline-specific methodologies.
This unit engages you in actively applying your knowledge, skills and attributes in interactive, collaborative and reflective activities.
This unit engages you in enquiry-based learning, where you will be encouraged to use your own knowledge to develop and engage in a process of enquiry, study and research to identify areas to be investigated and an approach to doing so.
Learning resources
Required resources
This unit requires access to a laptop that meets minimum specifications (https://www.monash.edu/esolutions/students/bring-your-own-device-byod). Free specialist software is available via MoVE (https://www.monash.edu/learning-teaching/innovation/learning-technologies/move).
Where it fits
ATS2040 is part of 4 areas of study in the 2025 handbook.
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Dr Jonathan Benney
- Chief Examiners
- Dr Jonathan Benney
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for ATS2040?
ATS2040 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is ATS2040 offered?
ATS2040 has no offerings listed in the 2025 handbook.
How much work is ATS2040?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does ATS2040 have an exam?
No. ATS2040 has 4 assessment tasks and no exam.
Which majors and minors include ATS2040?
ATS2040 is part of Chinese studies and Global Asia.