Abstract
This study investigates the communication and learning needs of Master of Business Administration (MBA) business English students and their perceptions of effective curriculum design. The research instruments are two-stage surveys of 99 MBA students from a public university in China. The results of the study show that English is not extensively used in the workplaces of MBA business English students, and that the majority of them use Chinese. Most English usage occurs in foreign businesses. The most difficult skills for MBA business English learners are found to be oral communication and listening comprehension. However, there are still very strong needs for further improvement in English communication. For the MBA business English courses, oral communication activities, especially with expatriate teachers, are particularly needed. The MBA business English courses should connect with real-world practice and be relevant to job and business needs. This study has significant implications for MBA business English curriculum reform in both Chinese and international contexts.
Highlights
Various types of Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs have been established in Chinese higher education institutions, including executive, joint and international programs, and China’s own MBA programs
This study investigates MBA students’ communication and learning needs analysis and business English curriculum development, which is addressing the limitation of previous research on job-experienced student groups
The theoretical framework of this study focuses on MBA business English student communication and learning needs analysis and curriculum development based on the needs
Summary
Various types of Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs have been established in Chinese higher education institutions, including executive, joint and international programs, and China’s own MBA programs. Garvin, and Cullen (2011) suggest that in the global context, an MBA program needs to “expand the global horizon, develop leadership skills and integration skills, understand the organizational reality, act creatively, think critically as well as understand the business and the market,” but these aims can create challenges for both teachers and students in the MBA programs 153) suggests that the business English course is the foundation course of MBA program. The teaching of business English is special. This is mainly evident in the student group. A primary objective in teaching MBA business English is to develop “application ability,” and the teaching methods and assessment approaches are different from those of traditional examination-oriented English teaching
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
