Beginning Business Chinese I

Catalog description

This course, together with Beginning Business Chinese II, forms a two‑semester sequence that fulfills Wharton’s undergraduate foreign language requirement. While the course satisfies Wharton’s requirement, it is not restricted to Wharton students and is open to all students interested in developing Chinese for professional contexts. Designed for learners with little or no prior exposure to Mandarin, the course builds foundational listening, speaking, reading, and writing/typing skills with emphasis on oral communication in business settings. Students learn essential vocabulary for meeting people, scheduling appointments, and other basic professional interactions, along with practical language for navigating everyday life in China. Cultural instruction highlights social norms, communication styles, and workplace etiquette. By the end of the course, students gain beginning-level Mandarin proficiency and cross-cultural competence for effective communication in Chinese business and social environments.