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Accessibility statement
An image to illustrate Elementary Chinese 1: 入门了 rùmén le! short course
This 16-unit online course takes you further on your Chinese-learning journey, building on the basic knowledge gained in Beginners Chinese short courses. You’ll work with audio and interactive text-based materials and have access to a dedicated website, forum and learning advisers. While there’s no formal assessment, you’ll test your knowledge with quizzes at the end of each unit. Audio materials include transcripts, and quizzes, vocabulary glossaries and most audio clips are downloadable. This course teaches Mandarin Chinese and simplified characters. On completion, you’ll receive a digital badge to share on social media, add to emails or use as a certificate.
The course is divided into 16 units, each covering language, culture, and reflection. Four of the 16 units (units 4, 8, 12 and 16) are dedicated to revising what you have learned. In this course, you'll learn how to effectively communicate in a wide range of situations using a variety of language structures, including:
Throughout the course, you will improve your ability to understand spoken and written Chinese and to communicate your own information and ideas. You will acquire a knowledge of the basic structures of Chinese, along with key vocabulary and sentence patterns. Each unit comprises 3–4 hours of interactive activities, exercises, explanations, and tips about language learning. It’s a good idea to keep notes either in a notebook or on your preferred digital device. There are regular revision units and at the end of each unit, there is a quiz for you to practise what you’ve been learning.
We look forward to seeing you soon on Elementary Chinese 1: 入门了 rùmén le!
Please note that although this course is non-accredited, it can be used towards the module Making your learning count (YXM130) to gain OU credits.
After completing this course, you should be able to:
The course is designed to help you achieve a level of language proficiency equivalent to level A1 of the Council of Europe Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR).
You will have access to discussion forums that you are strongly encouraged to participate in as these forums combine self-help from fellow students with input from a language-specialist learning adviser. Other support is available via the StudentHome website and Computing Helpdesk.
The course is made up of 16 units, with each unit expected to take about 3-4 hours to study. In total, you’ll need around 64 hours to complete the course.
You can begin at any time during the life of the course and study at your own pace. The course will be open to you for a time period of between 6 and 18 months depending on your course registration date and you will be advised of the specific time limitations upon enrolment.
All learning materials are delivered entirely online and there is no formal tuition for this course.
Your study is self-directed and you’ll have access to a course website, which includes:
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations, which are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.
There are no entry requirements for this course.
However, it's beneficial if you have some basic knowledge of Chinese, similar or equivalent to the language, skills and vocabulary practised in Beginners Chinese 1: 开始吧 kāishĭ ba! (LGXC001), Beginners Chinese 2: 开始吧 kāishĭ ba! (LGXC002), and/or Beginners Chinese 3: 开始吧 kāishĭ ba! (LGXC003).
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact us.
The course is delivered online and makes use of a variety of online resources. If you use specialist hardware or software to assist you in using a computer or the internet you are advised to contact us about support which can be given to meet your needs.
The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying LGXC004 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.
StartEngland fee
At anytime before 31/07/2027£195
We accept American Express, Mastercard, Visa and Visa Electron.
If this course is geared towards your job or developing your career, you could ask your employer to sponsor you by paying some or all of the fees. Your sponsor just needs to complete a simple form to confirm how much they will be paying and we will invoice them.
The fee information provided here is valid for short courses starting in the 2026/27 academic year. Fees typically increase annually. For further information about the University's fee policy, visit our Fee Rules.
You can start this course anytime.
You can start this course anytime.
Level info