Learning Chinese at UQ opens a window to understanding Chinese culture and the Chinese way of life. A rapidly changing society with a history dating back to the 17th Century BC, China is also a multiethnic society consisting of 56 ethnic groups with a rich heritage of cultural diversity. In recent decades China has played an increasingly active and significant role in world culture, economy, and politics. The Chinese language is a key to understanding the redistribution of power in the Asia-Pacific region. There are separate majors for native speakers of Mandarin and other Chinese dialects. You can undertake specialist courses in literature, culture, translation, business and language teaching.