Offered through the Penn Language Center. This course is designed to help students improve their Korean language proficiency by learning essential communication skills necessary to engage in business in Korea. Students will also develop their knowledge of and competence in Korean business culture and practice. The course objectives include: (1) to learn essential business terms, advanced grammar structures and communication strategies in business transactions; (2) to learn Korean business customs and culture, work norms, and business etiquette that students need to successfully communicate in a Korean business context. Topics include job application, business correspondence and reports, discussion and presentation in business meetings, communication styles and strategies in business contexts, current business culture, etc.

This class is for those that have little to no knowledge of Korean. The main focus is the development of Korean communication skills by exploring a variety of everyday topics beyond school settings. Students will improve their Korean communication skills by engaging in a variety of interactive activities, role plays, and presentations. Class topics include, but are not limited to, introducing oneself, describing one's surroundings, discussing daily activities and past events, talking about common objects and people, etc. We will also introduce cultural topics in order to deepen students' understanding of Korea's culture and language. NOTE: This course does not count toward the language requirement or the EALC major or minor. Offered through the Penn Language Center.

An intermediate level course of Japanese language focusing on workplace-related topics. Intended for students who will use Japanese in the professions. Textbook: Powering Up Your Japanese Through Case Studies: Intermediate and Advanced Japanese.

Intended for students who have no Japanese background. The major emphasis is on oral communication skills, although some reading and writing instructions are given. Japanese pop-culture will also be incorporated.

“Advanced Medical Chinese” is a specialized language course tailored for medical, nursing, and other healthcare-related professionals. It offers Mandarin language instruction to individuals who anticipate interactions with Chinese-speaking patients, either during visits to China or while serving patients with limited English proficiency. This course specifically targets students with a minimum of three years of Chinese language study in a standard college program or an equivalent language competency level. Its primary focus is on facilitating effective physician and nurse communication with patients.
The course’s ultimate aim extends beyond language proficiency to positively impact patient care within the Chinese community by mitigating language and cultural barriers. By honing language skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking within clinical healthcare contexts, participants will be better equipped to engage in meaningful interactions. The curriculum covers a wide spectrum of subjects, spanning from foundational rapport-building and medical terminology to exploring Chinese cultural attitudes toward health-related matters.

This course is designed for students who have completed at least the intermediate level Chinese language course, or have studied the language for at least three years. The objective of this course is to consolidate the knowledge and skills students have acquired from their previous Mandarin Chinese classes and to enhance their oral expressive skills. By the end of the semester, students are expected to be able to carry on a conversation with a native Mandarin speaker on various common topics, including the current issues in China on education, society, politics, culture and history. Students will also learn how to gather information necessary for conducting oral presentations and speeches.

Intermediate Cantonese is a course for students who are able to communicate in the dialect in basic survival situations. Through this course, the students will acquire a better understanding of Cantonese and its related culture, and can confidently cope with a wide range of situations. Classes will be conducted through Cantonese textbooks, discussions of various topics, and composition and presentation of students' own dialogues so that in time they may express more complex ideas and feelings. Continuation to Intermediate Cantonese II is strongly encouraged.

This course is designed for students who have completed one year of college level Chinese classes or equivalent. The main objective of the course is to improve students' conversational ability in Chinese in order to accomplish day-to-day tasks. These tasks include relating one's personal life and experiences, expressing preference, feeling and opinion, ordering a meal, purchasing goods, asking for directions, making travel plans, visiting a doctor, attending a social functions etc. Short Chinese movies or television shows will be integrated into the course curriculum. Chinese characters will not be taught.

Along with Beginning Business Chinese II, this is the first course in a two-semester sequence. By completing both semesters, students will fulfill Wharton's undergraduate foreign language requirement. The sequence begins each fall semester. This course is designed to introduce students with little or no prior exposure to Mandarin Chinese to beginning-level business Chinese. Throughout this course, students will develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing/typing skills, with a primary emphasis on listening and speaking in Mandarin-speaking business contexts. This will be achieved by acquiring basic vocabulary and expressions related to business activities, such as visiting companies and making appointments. Furthermore, students will also be exposed to useful expressions for everyday life in China, including greetings, introductions, and navigating daily situations. The course places a strong emphasis on culture, considering it a critical component. Students will actively explore Chinese social and cultural norms, fostering an understanding of Chinese cultural products, practices, perspectives, and interpersonal behavioral culture. This knowledge equips students to communicate effectively across ethnic, cultural, ideological, and national boundaries. An additional objective of this course is to help students develop cross-cultural competence, enabling them to navigate and succeed in professional Chinese environments.

Beginning Taiwanese I is designed to help students learn enough to enable them to handle basic social interactions when visiting Taiwan, such as greeting others, introducing yourself, ordering food, asking directions, etc. You will also learn to listen and understand the oral language typically heard in locations such as the grocery store, train station, bus stop, and restaurants.