Unparalleled opportunities for those interested in contemporary China and U.S.-China relations

Academics

The Brittney and Adam J. Levinson Program in China and Asia-Pacific Studies offers unparalleled opportunities for those interested in contemporary China and/or U.S.-China relations by providing a wide variety of courses, two off-campus options in Beijing, China and Washington, D.C., multiple tracks of Chinese language training, and high-quality internship opportunities in both the U.S. and China.

Explore Levinson Program Academics

Major Minor Courses Chinese Language Requirements Off-campus Semesters

Undergraduate program

The program offers a four-year undergraduate major to Cornell students in the College of Arts & Sciences, and a cross-college minor to all Cornell undergraduate students.

CAPS major

CAPS minor

Experiences on the Cornell Campus and Beyond

On campus in Ithaca

Levinson Program students usually spend their freshman and sophomore years in Ithaca to

Fullfill general A & S college requirements
Start taking Chinese language courses
Take one of the four Levinson Program gateway courses.

Off-campus in Beijing and Washington, D.C.:

Beijing, China: Levinson Program students spend either the spring semester of their junior year or the fall semester of their senior year in Beijing at Peking University, China’s most distinguished institution of higher learning. In addition to Chinese language studies, the students will take two courses on Chinese history, politics, and foreign relations. In Beijing, students will hold internships with agencies comparable to those in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.: Levinson Program students have the option of spending the fall semester of their junior year in Washington, D.C., at Cornell in Washington (CIW). CIW is not required for the major but is highly recommended. In addition to Chinese language studies, students take a seminar on U.S.-China relations and a CIW/CAPS core course. Meanwhile, they will have China-related internships working in government agencies, embassies, media, business, law firms, NGOs, and other organizations.

Click here to read more about the off-campus semesters.

Levinson Program News

Congratulations to the Levinson Program/CAPS Class of 2025!

"Many of us came into Cornell in the aftermath of a global pandemic, amid deteriorating U.S.-China ties, and a world more fragmented than ever. But rather than retreating into simplicity or cynicism, we chose to lean in. While each of us came to CAPS with different backgrounds, experiences, and reas...