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English for Business and Entrepreneurship

University of Pennsylvania

About this Course

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Welcome to English for Business and Entrepreneurship, a course created by the University of Pennsylvania, and funded by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of English Language Programs. 
To enroll in this course for free, click on “Enroll now” and then select "Full Course.  No certificate."

This course is designed for non-native English speakers who are interested in learning more about the global business economy. In this course, you will learn about topics and language necessary to succeed in the international workplace.  You will explore business English through authentic readings and video lectures, while learning about business vocabulary, concepts, and issues. Unit 1 will provide an introduction to entrepreneurship by examining ideas, products, and opportunities. In unit 2, you will learn about the basics of market research, including how to identify an opportunity. The next unit in the course will focus on business plans, why these plans are important, and will give you a chance to practice composing a business plan. In the final unit of the course, we will present basics for funding a business and will help you create a persuasive presentation, or pitch, based on a business plan. 

Unless otherwise noted, all course materials are available for re-use, repurposing and free distribution under a Creative Commons 4.0 Attribution license.

Supplemental reading materials were provided by Newsela, which publishes daily news articles at a level that's just right for each English language learner.

Flexible deadlines

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Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

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Beginner Level

Approx. 31 hours to complete

English

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Skills you will gain

Business Plan
Market Research
English Language
Entrepreneurship

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 31 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructors

Instructor rating

4.88/5 (1,283 Ratings)

Amy Nichols
Top Instructor

Manager of International Research and Program Development

English Language Programs

429,412 Learners

1 Course

James Riedel
Top Instructor

Executive Director

English Language Programs

429,412 Learners

1 Course

Offered by

University of Pennsylvania

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating99%(127,499 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

9 hours to complete

Unit 1: Becoming an Entrepreneur

9 hours to complete

24 videos (Total 83 min), 14 readings, 14 quizzes

24 videos

Welcome to English for Business & Entrepreneurship (Video 1)3mCourse Introduction Part I - Course Overview (Video 2)4mCourse Introduction Part II - Using the Course Site (Video 3)4mUnlockable Achievement9sWhat is Entrepreneurship? (Video 4 Part 1)2mWhat is Entrepreneurship? (Video 4 Part 2)5mLanguage Focus - Reading Skills (Video 5 Part 1)2mLanguage Focus - Reading Skills (Video 5 Part 2)5mUnlockable Achievement9sWhy Entrepreneurship? (Video 6 Part 1)6mWhy Entrepreneurship? (Video 6 Part 2)2mIdeas, Products, and Opportunities (Video 7)6mUnlockable Achievement9sUnlockable Achievement9sCreating Simple, One-Sentence Product Descriptions (Video 8 Part 1)7mCreating Simple, One-Sentence Product Descriptions (Video 8 Part 2)2mDeciding on a Type of Startup (Video 9 Part 1)5mDeciding on a Type of Startup, Guest Speaker (Video 9 Part 2)3mRisk, Failure, and Important Steps (Video 10 Part 1)4mRisk, Failure, and Important Steps (Video 10 Part 2)4mLanguage Focus - Comparative Structures (Video 11 Part 1)4mLanguage Focus - Comparative Structures (Video 11 Part 2)2mLanguage Focus - Comparative Structures (Video 11 Part 3)2mOnline Learning Opportunities to Extend Your Skills38s

14 readings

Overview of the Unit5mVideo/Listening: Elon Musk's Journey to Mars2mGame 1: Unit 1 Vocabulary Flashcards6mBASIC: Entrepreneurship seen as solution to South Africa's unemployment crisis5mADVANCED: Entrepreneurship seen as a solution to South Africa’s unemployment crisis7mWomen taxi startups gaining speed globally10mAfrican women entrepreneurs think big and share dreams10m“This recent grad brewed a startup by managing the details”5mYoung Entrepreneurs Win Million-Dollar Prize10m“Many paths lead to successful business startups”5m“Entrepreneurs find new ways to address housing shortages"10mVideo: “Ludwick Marishane: A bath without water”4m“Broadway rallies to save a beloved diner"4mGame: Unit 1 Vocabulary Flashcards5m

14 practice exercises

Unit 1 Assessment 1: Self-Assessment of Business & Entrepreneurship Vocabulary Knowledge10mCheck Your Understanding: "Entrepreneurship Seen as Solution to S. Africa's Unemployment Crisis"30mValue Affirmation Activity30mCheck Your Understanding: "African women entrepreneurs think big and share dreams"30mCheck Your Understanding: "This recent grad brewed a startup by managing the details"30mGame 2: Identifying Different Types of Products30mGame 3: Creating Product Descriptions30mGame 4: Correlative Connectors & Sentence Connectors30mCheck Your Understanding: "Young Entrepreneurs Win Million-Dollar Prize"Game: Connector Practice Activity30mCheck Your Understanding: "Many paths lead to successful business startups"30mCheck Your Understanding: Entrepreneurs find new ways to address housing shortages30mCheck Your Understanding: "Ludwick Marishane: A Bath Without Water"30mCheck Your Understanding: "Broadway rallies to save a beloved diner"30m

Week2

Week 2

8 hours to complete

Unit 2: Identifying an Opportunity

8 hours to complete

20 videos (Total 67 min), 11 readings, 10 quizzes

20 videos

Market Research and Testing to Identify Opportunities (Video 1)6mUnlockable Achievement9sInformal Research - Advantages and Disadvantages (Video 2)5mFormal Research - Advantages and Disadvantages (Video 3 Part 1)2mFormal Research - Advantages and Disadvantages (Video 3 Part 2)4mLanguage Focus - Listening Strategies (Video 4 Part 1)4mLanguage Focus - Listening Strategies (Video 4 Part 2)2mUnlockable Achievement9sCreating a Survey (Video 5 Part 1)6mCreating a Survey (Video 5 Part 2)4mLanguage Focus - Questions and Intonation (Video 6 Part 1)2mLanguage Focus - Questions and Intonation (Video 6 Part 2)4mLanguage Focus: Sample questions and intonation2mUnlockable Achievement6sCollecting Data (Video 7)5mEvaluating Results (Video 8)6mUnlockable Achievement9sCompleting Assessment 2 (Video 9 Part 1)6mCompleting Assessment 2 (Video 9 Part 2)1mUnlockable Achievement9s

11 readings

Overview of the Unit1mGame 1: Unit 2 Vocabulary Flashcards5mBASIC: Washington state's new apple joining a changing industry5mADVANCED: Washington state's new apple joining a changing industry7mBASIC: Bugs are the new food4mADVANCED: Bugs are the new food5mSamples of Question Forms and Intonation (for Assessment 1)2mAssessment 2 Model10m“Taiwanese business seeks specialized markets”5m“People who bring their own grocery bags are more likely to buy junk food”5mGame: Unit 2 Vocabulary Flashcards6m

9 practice exercises

Check Your Comprehension: "Washington state's new apple joining a changing industry"30mGame 2: More Practice with Comparative Language30mCheck Your Comprehension: "Bugs are the new food"30mGame 3: Creating Survey Questions30mUnit 2, Assessment 1: Questions and Intonation30mAnalyzing Sample Survey Data30mGame: Question Matching Practice Activity30mCheck Your Understanding: "Taiwanese business seeks specialized markets"30mCheck Your Understanding: "People who bring their own grocery bags are more likely to buy junk food"30m

Week3

Week 3

4 hours to complete

Unit 3: Creating a Business Plan (Part 1)

4 hours to complete

10 videos (Total 39 min), 8 readings, 6 quizzes

10 videos

Why write a business plan? (Video 1)4mStrategic Language Focus - Intensifiers & degree complements in persuasive business writing (Video 2 Part 1)5mStrategic Language Focus - Intensifiers & degree complements in persuasive business writing (Video 2 Part 2)4mUnlockable Achievement9sBusiness description, including management and operations (Video 3)5mMarketing: Part I: Vocabulary and Concepts (Video 4 Part 1)3mMarketing: Part I: Vocabulary and Concepts (Video 4 Part 2)3mMarketing: Part I: Vocabulary and Concepts (Video 4 Part 3)3mMarketing: Part II: Business Plan (Video 5 Part 1)5mMarketing: Part II: Business Plan (Video 5 Part 2)3m

8 readings

Overview of Unit 31mBASIC: Nigeria's Wecyclers work for reusable future in Lagos5mADVANCED: Nigeria’s Wecyclers work for reusable future in Lagos7mBASIC: Chinese go to Los Angeles for Kobe Bryant, but skip the beach5mADVANCED: Chinese go to Los Angeles for Kobe Bryant, but skip the beach7m“50 business ideas you can start for under $100"7m"Chilean government seeks to boost female-led start-ups"5mGame: Unit 3 Vocabulary Flashcards7m

6 practice exercises

Game 1: Practice with degree complements and intensifiers30mCheck Your Understanding: "Nigeria's Wecyclers work for reusable future in Lagos"30mCheck Your Understanding: "Chinese Go to Los Angeles for Kobe Bryant, But Skip the Beach"30mGame 2: Sorting the 4 Ps30mCheck your Understanding: "50 business ideas you can start for under $100"30mCheck Your Understanding: "Chilean government seeks to boost female-led start-ups"30m

Week4

Week 4

3 hours to complete

Unit 3: Creating a Business Plan (Part 2)

3 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 36 min), 3 readings, 5 quizzes

9 videos

Financials: Part I: Startup Costs, Operating Costs & Sales Projections (Vocabulary & concept focus) (Video 6)5mFinancials: Part II: Income statement (Vocabulary & concept focus) (Video 7)6mFinancials: Part III: Startup Costs, Sales & Revenue Projections, Cost Projections & Income Statement (Calculations) (Video 8 Part 1)4mFinancials: Part III: Startup Costs, Sales & Revenue Projections, Cost Projections & Income Statement (Calculations) (Video 8 Part 2)3mFinancials: Part III: Startup Costs, Sales & Revenue Projections, Cost Projections & Income Statement (Calculations) (Video 8 Part 3)3mStrategic Language Focus - Describing Financials (Video 9)5mCreating a brief business plan (Video 10 Part 1)3mCreating a brief business plan (Video 10 Part 2)3mUnlockable Achievement9s

3 readings

Template and Model for Brief Business Plans (for Assessment 2)5mIt's a startup world!10mGame: Unit 3 Vocabulary Flashcards7m

4 practice exercises

Game 3: Vocabulary: Word problems matching numbers with words30mGame 4: Vocabulary: Word problems matching numbers with words30mGame 5: Interpreting Results30mCheck Your Understanding: "It's a startup world!"

Week5

Week 5

7 hours to complete

Unit 4: Attracting Investors and Obtaining Financial Support

7 hours to complete

23 videos (Total 74 min), 9 readings, 10 quizzes

23 videos

Financing a Business: Bootstrapping versus Outside Funding (Video 1 Part 1)4mFinancing a Business: Bootstrapping versus Outside Funding (Video 1 Part 2)3mUnlockable Achievement9sDebt-Financing: Bank Loans and Microloans (Video 2 Part 1)4mDebt-Financing: Bank Loans and Microloans (Video 2 Part 2)3mUnlockable Achievement9sEquity-Financing: Venture Capital (Video 3 Part 1)5mEquity-Financing: Venture Capital (Video 3 Part 2)2mFinding Investors in the Social Network (Video 4)4mCrowdfunding (Video 5 Part 1)4mCrowdfunding (Video 5 Part 2)3mListening: Crowd-sourced funding provides kickstart to new business ventures2mUnlockable Achievement9sMaking a Pitch to Attract Investors (Video 6 Part 1)5mMaking a Pitch to Attract Investors (Video 6 Part 2)5mCreating an Effective Hook (Video 7 Part 1)5mCreating an Effective Hook (Video 7 Part 2)4mAdding Impact: Word Stress, Body Language,& Eye Contact (Video 8)5mListening: How to Pitch a Business 2mUnlockable Achievement9sPersuasive Pitch, Two Samples3mUnlockable Achievement6sCourse Conclusion2m

9 readings

Overview of the Unit1mPoll: Businesses Designed to Help India's Poor Attract Overseas Investors10mInstructions for Assessment 2: Persuasive Elevator Pitch5mSample Elevator Pitch and Elevator Pitch Template10mBASIC: Tech startups boom in India, attract big investments5mADVANCED: Tech startups boom in India, attract big investments7m"Crowdfunding for business growing in Africa"5m"The original social network: How global diasporas can mean big business"5mGame: Unit 4 Vocabulary Flashcards7m

10 practice exercises

Unit 4 Assessment 1: Reflective Response30mCheck Your Understanding: "Poll: Businesses Designed to Help India's Poor Attract Overseas Investors"30mCheck Your Understanding: "Crowd-sourced funding provides 'Kickstart' to new business ventures"30mGame 1: Be brief!30mCheck Your Understanding: "How to Pitch a Business"30mUnit 4 Assessment 2: Elevator Pitch (written)30mCheck Your Understanding: "Tech startups boom in India, attract big investments"30mCheck Your Understanding: "Crowdfunding for businesses growing in Africa"30mCheck Your Understanding: "The original social network: How global diasporas can mean big business"30mGame: Build a Pitch - Structure Practice30m

Reviews

4.8

1634 reviews

5 stars
87.75%
4 stars
10.36%
3 stars
1.11%
2 stars
0.24%
1 star
0.51%

TOP REVIEWS FROM ENGLISH FOR BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

by LNJun 20, 2016

This course is really good. I came at it thinking I know English well and do not need to be taught like I'm a first grader. But I'm learning more about entrepreneurship. It is fantastic.

by SSJun 16, 2020

I have learnt lot of new information on this online course. Mentors nicely explain the same. Way of assessment totally different. I like it very much. Convey my thanks to courses community

by AAMay 22, 2020

Concepts were explained in a easy method and helped me a lot. Also gave a lot of skills and methods of communication. Helped conducting market research and creating a business plan. Thank you !!!

by FFJan 27, 2017

A cornerstone course for anyone wanting to improve their English with focus on Business & Entrepreneurship. Takes you through setting up you Business and the English you might need. Good Course!

View all reviews

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English for Business and Entrepreneurship

English for Business and Entrepreneurship

About this Course

Skills you will gain