Language Requirements
Graduates of the IMBA program are proficient in two languages. While many students enter the IMBA program having met the language requirements (Advanced-Mid level of proficiency on the Oral Proficiency Interview), other students will to raise their second language ability to a certified professional level during the program.
The language requirement for admission into the IMBA program is a demonstrated strong functional minimum Intermediate-High level of speaking proficiency in a second language declared when applying. The level of proficiency is determined through the OPI conducted by an accredited American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTGL) tester.
IMBA languages fall into two categories. IMBA core supported languages and unsupported IMBA languages.
Core Supported Languages
For the languages listed below, non-credit business language courses are offered in Terms 1 and 2 (on condition that there is sufficient enrolment). Taught by language experts, the courses expose students to business and cultural idiosyncrasies of the countries in which the languages are spoken. Students must achieve a minimum of B- in these two language courses to meet the graduation requirements of the program.French
German
Japanese
Mandarin
Spanish
English as a Second Language
Unsupported IMBA Languages
Unsupported languages are those for which the IMBA program does not offer classes and may be any language testable by ACTFL that corresponds to one of the five regions offered in the IMBA program. Students whose second language is unsupported need to continue their language studies on an independent, self-funded basis. To graduate students must meet a minimum level of Advanced-Mid on at the exit OPI.Examples of recent unsupported languages include Portuguese, Cantonese, Hindi, Russian, Tagalog, Korean, and Serbo-Croatian.