Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Get the skills you need to progress your career, with professional development courses from Newcastle University.
Our Language related courses
Our Chinese language courses consist of four levels: HSK1-HSK4. HSK stands for Hanyu Shuiping Kaosh. This is is an internationally standardized exam that focuses on testing the Chinese communication skills of non-native speakers in daily life, study, and work. The levels of HSK1-4 cover beginner to intermediate-high proficiency in Chinese.
The courses we provide aim to help you make a leap from beginner to advanced level in Chinese and develop the ability to use Chinese in your daily life. Whether you are learning Chinese for personal or professional reasons, we can help you achieve your language goals. If you are interested in taking the HSK exam, completing the courses will prepare you to take the corresponding level of the exam.
Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK) Preparation Course 1
After this course you'll be able to:
- say short and simple expressions from daily life such as saying hello and good-bye, expressing gratitude and making apologies
- carry out the most basic conversation like asking about names, nationality, ages, dates, times, weather
- use Chinese to talk about your everyday experiences, and ask about others’ experiences
Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK) Preparation Course 2
After this course you'll be able to:
- carry out conversations in daily life about topics such as shopping and ordering
- talk about experiences like travelling, celebrating birthdays, planning holidays
- ask for and give permission, suggestions and comments
- express views, needs, and wishes
Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK) Preparation Course 3 (A)
After this course you'll be able to:
- carry out conversations in daily life about topics such as weekend plans
- describe a person's appearance, character, movement, behaviour
- give orders and requests, ask about possibilities, compare people and things
Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK) Preparation Course 3 (B)
After this course you'll be able to:
- carry out more complex conversations in daily life and talk about more complex experiences
- talk about complex feelings and emotions and express views and ideas more fluently and authentically
- use Chinese to give reminders, make more complex requests, and make arrangements
Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK) Preparation Course 4 (A)
After this course you'll be able to:
- talk about complex topics such as love, marriage, and friendship
- express more complex views, such as views on money or consumption
- talk about more abstract topics such as beauty in life, or standards of happiness
Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK) Preparation Course 4 (B)
After this course you'll be able to:
- complex topics such as the benefits of reading, or the art of education
- simple philosophical topics such as the taste of life, or the view along the way
- complex social topics, such as environmental protection, the relationship between humans and nature, and the impact of technology on the world