Professional Development Program
Develop high-level professional skills
Our highly connected global economy has created an internationally competitive workplace. Professional development and advanced understanding in business theory and practice is more important than ever.
This TALK Professional Development Program offers students an opportunity to gain a competitive advantage by offering insights and understanding into the global economy and business world.
The courses in business, humanities and social sciences teach the theory and practice of each subject, and include analytical tools used by business managers to make important real-life decisions. Students will have the opportunity to develop their business skills and advance their English proficiency.
Benefits
- Develop new skills and an understanding of the global economy and the business world.
- Potential for increased career opportunities when returning to your home country.
- Graduating students are awarded designations and qualifications for successfully completing courses.
- Development of international alumni contacts.
- Although not an exam preparation course, the curriculum follows specific guidelines, providing students an opportunity to gain college credits by examination in the US and worldwide.
Requirements
- International Students: BC16: Non-F1 students (B1/B2, ESTA or similar) BC18: Students on Student Visa (F-1 or similar)
- Minimum age of 18 years
- High-school completion
- English proficiency of TALK Level 5 or higher
- Minimum enrollment of 1 full course (7 or 8 weeks)
Program Details & Designations
- Program duration is a minimum of 1 course (7 or 8 weeks) and a maximum of 15 courses (3 years).
- 6 courses are taught per year including 1 course taught during the summer break.
- A minimum of 3 business courses and a minimum of 2 in the humanities, social sciences or arts are offered each year.
College Credit Through Examination
Standardized testing provides students an opportunity to earn college credits by taking and passing an exam. The program applies to specific subjects and the exam covers a defined, comprehensive curriculum acceptable to most colleges. Scheduled testing is administered at thousands of sites across the United States and the credits earned are accepted at thousands of colleges in the United States and around
the world.
The Clep Exam
The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) is a group of standardized tests that are created and administered by College Board; an American not-for profit organization created to expand access to higher education. Examination cost is currently (7/23) USD $93, but subject to change. The exams are administered at more than 1,000 sites across the United States. There are about 2,900 colleges which grant CLEP credit.
The DSST Exam
The DSST Program (DSST) were designed for service members of the US Department of Defense. Now it is open to all students. The program is administered by Prometric, an American education and testing company. Examination cost is currently (7/23) USD $85, but subject to change. The exams are administered at more than 1,000 sites across the United States. There are about 1,500 colleges which grant DSST credit.
Courses
Courses are taught at a first-year US college level and cover the fundamental principles, practice, and theory of the subject.
Course curricula follow nationally, and internationally accepted guidelines as determined by the College Board or the American Council on Education. The designated textbook follows the curriculum and is required for studies. Online resources are used when appropriate, to enrich the learning experience.
Courses are coded as BC16 (16-hours/week) and BC18 (18-hours/week), and are offered in sequence, as follows:
This course is designed for students to develop a general knowledge of literature, art, music, and the performing arts. The course covers periods from classical to contemporary in the fields of poetry, prose, philosophy, art, architecture, music, dance, theater, and film. Students will develop a framework to comprehend, analyze and interpret various works of art.
This course is designed for students to develop an understanding of how free markets work to allocate resources efficiently, how individual consumers make economic decisions to maximize utility, how individual firms make decisions to maximize profits, how to identify the characteristics of the different market structures, and how to analyze the behavior of firms in terms of price and output.
The goal is for students to develop an understanding of the history and sources of American law and the legal system, and its application to businesses and commerce. Emphasis is placed on the functions of contracts in American business law, specifically as applied to torts, agency, employment, and sales.
This course is designed for students to understand concepts including the role of marketing in society and within a firm, consumer and organizational markets, marketing strategy planning, the marketing mix, marketing institutions, and other selected topics, such as international marketing, ethics, marketing research, services, and not-for-profit marketing.
This course is designed for students to develop a knowledge and understanding of the basic principles and concepts of science, the comprehension of scientific information, and the understanding of issues of science in contemporary society. Students will learn the qualitative and quantitative application of scientific principles.
This course is designed for students to develop an understanding of the principles of economics that apply to an economy. Concepts including the general price level, output, income, gross domestic product, and consumption, are discussed. Also, the interrelations among sectors of the economy, aggregate supply, monetary and fiscal policy tools that can be used to achieve specific policy objectives are considered.
Weekly course schedule
- 16 Lessons per week – No student visa required
- 18 Lessons per week – Complies with F1 Student Visa requirements
- 4-day per week schedule
| Mondays to Thursday | Mornings | Evenings * |
|---|---|---|
| Class (Tue only) | 15:30 – 17:20 ** | |
| Break (Tue only) | 17:20 – 17:50 | |
| Class | 9:00 – 10:50 | 17:50 – 19:40 |
| Break | 10:50 – 11:20 | 19:40 – 20:10 |
| Class | 11:20 – 13:10 | 20:10 – 22:00 |
| Break (Mon only) | 13:10 – 13:40 | |
| Class (Mon only) | 13:40 – 15:30 ** |
* Evening schedule not available at all schools
** BC16 does not include this session
Summer Break Eligibility
- Students are eligible to take a summer break provided they comply with study duration requirements and return to studies after the break.
- Summer break period depends on the student’s program start date, as follows:
| Student Start Date | Summer Break No. of Weeks | Summer Break Dates |
|---|---|---|
| In 2024 - summer course required | 5 Weeks | Jul 28 - Aug 31 |
Find Out What Our Students Say About Us
“Very Satisfied”
"I'm very satisfied with this course and would recommend it to other students. The amount of assignments was just right, which was really helpful for me as I'm planning to start university in Washington D.C. in September. The homestay arrangement was good, and overall, I enjoyed studying at TALK Boston."
“Offers Broad and Deep Learning”
"I'm impressed with how TALK's Business Certificate program offers broad and deep learning opportunities. Additionally, it was much more interesting for me as it covered new topics I hadn't explored before. The teachers put a lot of effort into helping students understand new concepts. I can confidently recommend it to other students."
"I highly recommend the TALK Schools Business Certificate program”
"I highly recommend the TALK Schools Business Certificate program. For students planning to study in the US in the future, the teaching style of these courses will be very helpful as a warm-up exercise. For students with work experience, the class discussions will resonate with you, and you'll also learn new concepts and gain insight into European and American thought processes."
“Incredible Opportunity to Meet Top Brokers”
"Attending The Money Show 2024 in Miami through TALK Schools’ business program was a transformative experience for me. Thanks to our amazing teacher, Sandra Falcon, my business course at TALK Miami had the incredible opportunity to meet top brokers and traders, including Peter Schiff and the Najarian brothers. The insights they shared about the stock market and trading strategies were invaluable. This event significantly contributed to my growth, and I’m deeply grateful for this opportunity."
"It Was An Active Learning Experience"
"I have a degree in Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation and four years of experience as a physiotherapist. I’m planning to open a clinic in my home country and took a marketing course at TALK Miami to improve my Business English. The course was hands-on, with activities like SWOT analysis and visits to various organizations. The instructor was knowledgeable and offered personalized marketing strategy advice. I highly recommend the course to others."
Professional Development Program is available at
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Accreditations & Associations
TALK Schools are accredited by the United States Department of Homeland Security and ACCET and are member of TESOL, NAFSA, IELTS and ATD.
TALK Schools is a part of the TALK Education Group, together with UnistudyUSA, TALK IELTS Center, TALK Kids, Real World Translations and Brentwood.
