The Advanced Chinese Program (ACP), is the premier Chinese language program intended for students who aspire to truly advanced competence, whether they be undergraduates, graduates, professionals, or established scholars. The ACP's mission is to raise students' Chinese language proficiency to the level of academic or professional functionality.

The ACP also serves as a program that qualifies students to enroll in Chinese universities, including the humanities and social science departments with the highest language prerequisites. Those who have chosen careers in China possess the linguistic skills to function successfully in such areas as public relations, law, and journalism. Prerequisites for admission are at least two years of college-level study of Mandarin or its equivalent, and a good academic record.

The ACP currently offers an Academic Year Program and an 8-week Summer Intensive Program, both located in China's prestigious State Key Universities (SKU).

While there is a certain amount of flexibility in the program, to allow for special emphasis on various language skills relevant to individual students' interests and career plans, it is assumed that students need high levels of competence in both speaking and reading the language to meet their academic and professional goals. Those preparing for scholarly or professional careers must be able to speak Chinese fluently with Chinese scholars and professionals as well as to read the materials pertinent to their research interests. Those planning careers in diplomacy or international business, where it is often assumed that the spoken language is of prime importance, must also be able to read ordinary modern language materials fluently, if not classical language materials. Students must be able to read newspapers and must have a ready command of the spoken language in order to move about easily in Chinese society.

As students advance during the course of the program, they will be able to choose the subject matter of the courses. The classes at the ACP provide the student with individual attention from our language teachers, many of them young, recently graduated Chinese language instructors from State Key Universities (SKU) in China, who are enthusiastic and passionate about teaching. The teacher to student ratio is 1:3 and courses include mandatory one on one sessions five times a week. Other courses will only have two to three students, individuals grouped together at comparable language levels or for common research interest purposes.