We teach Modern Standard Chinese, known as 普通话 Pǔtōnghuà. References are made to other forms of Mandarin Chinese spoken in different regions.
Courses
Our language courses aim to develop your linguistic skills and intercultural competence. You can find out more on the general information page.
The following Mandarin Chinese courses are available for members of the public and University of Bath staff:
| Courses | Availability | Courses | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete Beginner | Semester 1 | Post Beginner | Semester 2 |
| Lower Intermediate Part 1 | Semester 1 | Lower Intermediate Part 2 | Semester 2 |
The cost for each course is £144 per semester.
University of Bath staff receive a 10% discount. Staff will be invoiced for the cost of the course after they have enrolled on MySkills.
Placement test
If you have never learned Mandarin Chinese with us before, please take this placement test so that you know which course is suitable for you.
Please also refer to the course descriptions below.
Course descriptions
Complete Beginner (Semester 1)
This course is suitable for you if you have never studied Chinese before, or if you know some basic phrases.
Post Beginner (Semester 2)
Enrol on this course if you have completed the Complete Beginner course with us, or if you can:
- note down words and phrases you hear using pinyin with reasonable accuracy
- engage in basic conversations, exchanging information such as age, name, nationality, occupation, etc.
- read and write around 50 basic Chinese characters
Lower Intermediate Part 1 (Semester 1)
Enrol on this course if you have completed the Post Beginner course with us, or have achieved HSK 1, or if you can:
- engage in conversations on topics such as the weather, routine and leisure activities, state preferences
- read and understand short texts written in Chinese characters on familiar topics
- produce short texts using Chinese characters to give basic information and describe simple situations
Lower Intermediate Part 2 (Semester 2)
Enrol on this course if you have completed Lower Intermediate Part 1 with us, or achieved HSK 1, or if you can:
- perform simple tasks such as going shopping, asking for information such as directions and opening hours
- read and understand short texts written in Chinese characters on familiar topics
- produce short texts using Chinese characters to give essential information and describe simple experiences
Course dates and times
All courses consist of 10 weekly interactive sessions delivered either on our Claverton Down campus in person (IPL = In-person learning) or remotely (LOIL = Live online interactive learning).
Semester 1 courses will run on the following dates and times:
| Courses | Delivery | Day | Time | Start date | End date | Enrolment - members of the public |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Complete Beginner | LOIL | Thursday | 18:15 - 20:05 | 12 Oct | 14 Dec | Enrol as members of the public |
| Lower Intermediate Part 1 | IPL | Tuesday | 18:15 - 20:05 | 10 Oct | 12 Dec | Enrol as members of the public |
| Lower Intermediate Part 1 | LOIL | Thursday | 14:15 - 16:05 | 12 Oct | 14 Dec | Enrol as members of the public |
Dates and times for Semester 2 courses will be published in January 2024.
Student experience
"I enjoyed my lessons with the Skills Centre. Students, staff, and the general public can register and learn a new language through engaging lessons and taking part in discussions which pushes you out of your comfort zone and speeds up your learning." (Kamile Bagdanaviciute)
Read about the experiences of members of the public and staff learning Mandarin Chinese in the following blogs: