The Minor Program in Chinese Studies is an interdisciplinary program offering specialized study of China and other Chinese speaking regions through coursework in the related disciplines of language and culture, anthropology, history, geography, philosophy, and political science. China's economic and political presence is increasingly prominent in the United States. CU CU Denver is uniquely positioned to make use of its location as the cultural, economic and political center of the Rocky Mountain region and of its diverse, well trained and highly qualified faculty to offer courses of interdisciplinary studies related to China. Students may choose to focus either on General Chinese Studies or Chinese Language and Culture. On the one hand, General Chinese Studies encourages an interdisciplinary approach of accepting courses from various departments that focus on history, political science, art, philosophy, and more from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore. On the other hand, Chinese Language and Culture further develops students' linguistic competence and cultural awareness. The minor program offers a wide variety and levels of Mandarin Chinese language and culture courses that not only improve students' communication skills but also give a deeper look into different aspects of Chinese culture.