Mandarin Chinese and China Business Program Curriculum and Teaching Standards

Study Study Chinese While Learning to Do Business in China!

• China Business Curriculum
• Mandarin Curriculum 
• Chinese Language Proficiency Levels
• Placement Test 
• Mandarin Chinese Teachers 
• Mandarin Chinese Teaching Materials
• Mandarin Chinese Teaching Topics
• Teaching Methods and Focus
• Certificate
• Total Immersion Curriculum
• Student Development Assessment and Quality Assurance Team
• Proven Track Record 
• Links to the other related pages for this program:

The China Business component offers an in-depth and insightful examination into China's dynamic business structure, including its current and historical economic, political, legal, social and cultural environments. The purpose is to present expert analysis on different aspects of Chinese business and to gain practical knowledge of how industry and commerce is carried out in China.

• Improve knowledge of industry & trade in China
• Get better equipped to find employment in China
• Understand the difference between western and Chinese business practices and rules and regulations

Conducted in English and organized by PRC Study in association with our partnering universities, the China Business component is a short intensive course comprised of lectures, seminars and discussions, and onsite visits which are designed to compliment the Mandarin Chinese language classes. Additionally, useful materials and handouts will be given to participants.

No previous business experience is required. Many participants from novice to senior executives have called this a "mini MBA" and an excellent program for people to network and jumpstart their careers or businesses in China.

Business professors from our partnering universities and industry experts present a series of lectures on Chinese business practices and issues. With immense knowledge and experience, these lecturers provide students with an in-depth understanding of China's unique historical and current economic, political, and legal frameworks, including business practices and management styles.

Lectures given could include the following China focused business topics:

Business Registration Process and Doing Business in China Economic Profile and Current Market Situations Foreign Trade Agreement & Environment Financial System and Different Forms of Foreign Investment Historical, Political and Cultural Environment Legal System and Structure Political Framework and Recent Reforms Human Resources and Employment Issues China's Insurance Policy for Staff Chinese History and Society China Business Etiquette and Business Culture

Designed to further provide first-hand information regarding China's business environment to participants, seminars are given by senior representatives from state-owned, private, foreign, and joint venture companies who present views on their area of expertise.

The seminars will give a highlight of various industries and illustrate different forms of foreign investment, taxation, company operations and practices, east-west management styles, marketing and advertising strategies used in China and more.

To learn more about our speakers, please click on Seminar Speaker Profiles.

During each on-site visit participants are given an opportunity to see first-hand the inner workings of a company's business operation and standards, production and quality control process, employee training and management styles, safety and health controls employed, supply chain management, and much more.

Students are first given a short presentation to learn more about the historical developments, current and future plans of the company, which is followed by a tour of the manufacturing facilities. Product sampling, where appropriate, will be given.

Previous on-site visits have included the following: Air China, CCTV 9, BTV 6, China Mobile, Haier, IKEA, LG-Phillips, Nokia, Samsung, Tetrapak, Lenovo, Yanjing Breweries, 51Job, Huiyuan Beverage and Food Group, Shougang Group, Coca-Cola, Cadbury, Nestle, Hyundai, BMW, Proctor & Gamble, Times Warner, China Hawk, Beijing Planning & Exhibition Center, Trade Development Council, & more.

To learn more about our previous onsite visits, please click on Onsite Visits.

The Mandarin Chinese language programs incorporates all aspects of the Chinese language including, speaking, reading, writing, listening, grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, phonetics and pronunciation, with a constant focus on Chinese culture, business and way of life.

To enable students to advance in all aspects of the Mandarin Chinese language, classroom curriculum is divided into four main areas: Phonics & Interactive Spoken Chinese, Listening Comprehension, Grammar & Vocabulary, and Reading Comprehension & Writing.

Phonics & Interactive Spoken Chinese
Focuses on phonetics and developing accurate pronunciation skills and being able to communicate clearly and effectively

Listening Comprehension
Focuses on developing listening skills, and the ability to discern sound and tone patterns, and to comprehending Putonghua spoken conversations

Grammar and Vocabulary
Focuses on Chinese grammar fundamentals, such as sentence patterns and structures, punctuations, and word usage; as well as understanding and making use of Chinese idiom expressions and vocabulary. Also, focuses on teaching the Chinese character writing method by introducing the fundamentals of the radical system, brush stroke and stroke order.

Reading Comprehension and Writing Composition
Focuses on developing reading comprehension and writing composition skills, and increasing vocabulary recognition and speed with which all this is done.

Summary of the 6 Chinese Language Proficiency Levels:

• Total beginner or with little background in Mandarin Chinese and Chinese phonetics with knowledge of less than 400 Chinese characters
• Unable to communicate on simple and basic everyday topics in Chinese

Course Aims:

• Provide solid foundational learning, focusing on teaching Chinese phonetics by incorporating tone exercises to ensure that students learn correct Chinese pronunciation and intonation
• Help students to begin developing Chinese listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills with the use of pinyin and Chinese characters
• Introduce the basics of Chinese grammar and simple sentence structures
• Teach necessary vocabulary and survival Chinese for students to conduct simpl e dialogue exchanges for basic daily life requirements and needs
• Train students on how to write basic Chinese characters by introducing the radical system (Chinese character composition), different types of brush strokes and stroke orders
• After completion of course, students should be able to engage in basic and simple conversations; recognize over 400 Chinese characters/expressions; and be ready to progress into the Upper Beginner level.

Upper Beginner (Level 2)  

• Understand the basics of Chinese phonetics
• Can communicate using simple and basic sentences and know fewer than 800 Chinese characters/expressions

Course Aims:

• Provide more foundational learning to help students improve advanced Chinese pronunciation and sound recognition by focusing on use of proper phonetics and intonation with accuracy
• Help students improve and further develop their listening, speaking, reading, writing, and vocabulary usage skills
• Teach students to master the basics of Chinese grammar, while introducing the usage of slightly more complicated sentence structures
• Assist students to broaden their vocabulary and formulate various consolidated ideas and thoughts in Chinese for daily communication under a wide range of topics
• Help students learn to write more complicated Chinese characters with focus on using advanced brush strokes and stroke orders and use of proper writing techniques
• After completion of course, students should be able to engage in everyday conversations; recognize over 800 Chinese characters/expressions; and be ready to progress into the Elementary level.

• Know more than 800 Chinese characters/expressions
• Have a grasp of basic Chinese grammar and sentence structures
• Can engage in simple everyday conversations using complete sentences

Course Aims:

• Help students to become literary scholar with aristocratic knowledge and understand classical Chinese literature and Chinese philosophy;
• Assist students to gain further proficiency in understanding and expressing in-depth, intellectual comments on news reports, television, and radio broadcasts
• Provide a practice forum for students to discuss and debate on contemporary issues
• Help students to develop a solid knowledge and comprehension of Chinese idioms with full and extended knowledge about Chinese culture and language
• Teach students how to express themselves in a highly academic level, tackling the most complicated and complex sentence structures while being able to summarize and analyze all kinds of Chinese literature
• Assist students to gain an even better understanding of Chinese linguistic concepts and theories in order to understand modern Chinese language
• After completion of course, students would be at a highly proficient Chinese level with the ability to discuss and debate on complex issues; recognize over 5000 Chinese characters/expressions; and have a complete and thorough knowledge of the Chinese language.

Prerequisite:

• Know more than 1,500 Chinese characters/expressions
• Have a grasp of Elementary Chinese grammar and sentence structures
• Can engage in daily everyday topics and express oneself with a bit of sophistication

Course Aims:

• Establish a finer and more extensive vocabulary background with the aim of enabling participants to functionally express themselves in broad and specific contexts with people from different backgrounds
• Focus on reading and writing compositions, as well as understanding more complex grammar and sentence structures by learning rhetorical expressions which would enable students the ability to express themselves eloquently in an effective and persuasive manner
• Help students to become increasingly fluent by doing paraphrasing exercises to retell stories or articles while inciting students to engage in lively debates
• Introduce more practical situational texts to provide a greater awareness of Chinese culture and society, as well as the use of more sophisticated Chinese idioms
• Introduce students to advanced writing in various styles including prose, poetry, and business correspondence
• After completion of course, students should be able to gain a deeper understanding of the Chinese culture, converse on a wide variety of topics in practical and situational context; express themselves in an articulate manner using more complicated sentence structures; recognize over 2500 Chinese characters/expressions; and be ready to progress into the Advanced level.

• Know more than 2,500 Chinese characters/expressions, including idioms
• Have a grasp of Intermediate to Advanced Chinese grammar and sentence structures
• Have the ability to engage in practical situational context and express themselves using complicated sentence structures

Course Aims:

• Teach students higher-level subject matters related to politics, economy, literature, and society, as well as to have in-depth debates and detailed discussions.
• Class work includes reading newspapers, watching films and documentaries, and listening to news broadcasts enabling students to grasp the meaning of more sophisticated Chinese messages and information while building up higher vocabulary required for intellectual conversations
• Assist students to use advanced Chinese in order to express their opinions and insights with precisions, vividness, and richness in a very logical and comprehensive manner
• Teach students how to write formal business letters and correspondences
• After completion of course, students should be able to discuss general and specialized topics, raise complex questions, and express their opinions clearly; recognize over 3500 Chinese characters/expressions; and be ready to progress into the Upper Advanced level.

Upper Advanced (Level 6)  

Prerequisite:

• Know more than 3,500 Chinese characters/expressions
• Be able to read and comprehend newspapers, periodicals and understand radio broadcasts and television programs
• Can express oneself systematically using appropriate expressions and language norms.

Course Aims:

• Help students to become literary scholar with aristocratic knowledge and understand classical Chinese literature and Chinese philosophy;
• Assist students to gain further proficiency in understanding and expressing in-depth, intellectual comments on news reports, television, and radio broadcasts
• Provide a practice forum for students to discuss and debate on contemporary issues
• Help students to develop a solid knowledge and comprehension of Chinese idioms with full and extended knowledge about Chinese culture and language
• Teach students how to express themselves in a highly academic level, tackling the most complicated and complex sentence structures while being able to summarize and analyze all kinds of Chinese literature
• Assist students to gain an even better understanding of Chinese linguistic concepts and theories in order to understand modern Chinese language
• After completion of course, students would be at a highly proficient Chinese level with the ability to discuss and debate on complex issues; recognize over 5000 Chinese characters/expressions; and have a complete and thorough knowledge of the Chinese language.

Students are first placed according to the Chinese language proficiency level indicated on the application form. During the morning of your first class day, you will be tested in the following areas: grammar, comprehension, writing, and fluency. Based on the test results, you will be placed in a class best suited to your current comprehension and fluency level. The classes will be both comfortable and challenging.

In some cases and depending on the school, students who have completed a level may be transferred into another class already in progress. This offers flexibility so that students who have mastered a certain level quicker than other students may then advance to the next level with some flexibility.

All of the Chinese language teaching staff are native Mandarin speakers. The teachers are qualified with a minimum of a university degree related to the Chinese language and are also certified by the Chinese Ministry of Education to teach Mandarin as a second language to foreigners. Friendly, professional and experienced, these teachers are active in curriculum development and keen to help you succeed in learning the Chinese language.

Teaching materials, textbooks and handouts used in classes are carefully selected according to different learning levels. In some instances, DVDs, tapes, and other learning aids are used to help students learn Chinese. The various materials used are to enable students to develop their Chinese language skills while having fun, as well as be stimulated and challenged at the same time.

Textbooks, as well as a Chinese-English dictionary, are provided by PRC Study for all full service students. Cassette tapes can be purchased at an additional fee.

Students may choose to participate in the Mandarin Chinese classes or the Business Mandarin classes. Please note however, that a minimum of 800 Chinese characters / expressions are required for enrollment in the Business Mandarin classes which are only available at UIBE and the PRC-CIE Academy.

Students at the beginner level will be taught simpler topics, while advanced level students will be presented with more complex and specialized subject matters.

Topics covered in the Mandarin Chinese classes include: Everyday lifestyle situations, current affairs, Chinese history, culture, and society. More advanced students will also be presented with topics related to economy and current affairs, leading up to reading newspapers, periodicals, literature and understanding television and radio programs. Those students at the Upper Advanced level will also be presented with topics related to classical Chinese literature and Chinese philosophy.

Students enrolled in the Business Mandarin Chinese classes will still learn the topics as stated above, but the syllabus will also be more geared towards learning Mandarin Chinese language as used in a workplace and business situations.

PRC Study programs are carefully designed to promote accelerated comprehensive learning through total immersion into each area of study. Classroom instructions provide structured learning, enabling learners of all levels to achieve expedited progress in Chinese language skills and business knowledge within a short period of time. Out-of-class activities provide additional insight into China's business environment, culture, and lifestyle.

A highly interactive approach is adopted, with focus placed on giving students ample opportunity to practice their Mandarin Chinese speaking, listening, reading and writing skills and knowledge of China business whether in:

• Classroom settings
• One-on-one language tutorials
• Language Partner Exchange
• Business Networking Events
• Social / Cultural Activities
• Everyday living in China

The goal is to quickly enable students to communicate effectively and competently.

After successful completion of the course the student will be awarded a certificate issued by the university or institution he/she attended. University credits may be received provided the student has met all the requirements by their hometown university.

Extra care and focus are placed on providing an optimal immersion environment for students to learn Mandarin Chinese for effective communication. A 10 components formula is offered for accelerated Chinese immersion learning, which includes: 1-on-1 after class language tutorials; multi-media learning courseware; supervised homework support; language exchange program; language lab; use of library and reference materials; electives; social activities, guided tours and excursions; student development assessment and certification; and Mandarin only policy. For more details, please click on Total Immersion Curriculum.

Students' Chinese language development progress is regularly assessed by homework assignments and tests throughout the program. Semester and academic year programs also have formal mid-terms and final examinations. Attendance is mandatory. After successful completion of the course, students are awarded certificates at the end of their study program.

In addition, PRC Study Quality Assurance team will closely monitor the programs offered by each university or institution to ensure that they are providing the best educational services by giving them student feedbacks.

Sergey Mikhail Morgachev, Oil Industry, Russia "You did a great job! The China Business Program is excellent and I found the one-on-one meetings offered through the Corporate Premium Service really helped me to know a lot more about the industry I would like to focus on. I believe with the contacts I have made, our company in Russia, with headquarters in the UK, will now be able to enter the China market. I have nothing else to add. Don't change anything!" Eva Budyanskaya, Real Estate Management, Sweden "I really like the information I learned during the China Business Program, because I cannot hear it anywhere else. I like the topics the Program deals with, they are very interesting and useful if you want to do business in China. The discussions we had are very interesting, informative and exciting! Thank you!" Yat-sen Nepomuceno, Entrepreneur, The Netherlands "What I like about the program is that the program caters to your specific needs as a student/ professional. In the private meetings the students can ask anything they wish to learn about a certain business or field. One feels very comfortable to ask questions that may be of a more in-depth or specific nature. One can easily come in contact with the much needed 'guanxi' in the Chinese business world. A private meeting is extremely valuable and that is why the student can choose his-/herself which branches in the business market(s) he wishes to explore. The lectures and seminars cover a broad range of topics from, for example, economic trends to insurance to franchising to Chinese law. The speakers are very professional and still the general mood is very open for dialogue and very interactive. The speakers offer a wide range of expertise and have had many years of experience in their field, this is evident in their general as well as in depth knowledge; they also explain in easy terms - this is especially useful for laymen (foreign students) who are not familiar with all fields or jargon."

For more student feedbacks, please click here.

• Mandarin Chinese and China Business Program Overview
• Mandarin Chinese and China Business Program Details and Structure
• Mandarin Chinese and China Business Program Fees & Schedules
• Registration Procedures
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