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Wells
Leland

International Business
and Language
& Economics

Documentation of Coursework with Samples

The following information will detail the courses I have taken at Clemson that prepared me to enter my career. Additionally, you will find samples of my coursework that further support my skills and knowledge. 

CHIN 1010: Elementary Chinese 

This course introduces the student to the Chinese language and allows the student to learn and participate in various cultural events. This class excels at stressing the importance of the sound system in Chinese and lays the foundation for speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

CHIN 2020: Intermediate Chinese II

This is a continuing course for CHIN 2010 and further expands upon idiomatic expressions and Chinese colloquialisms.

CHIN 4160: Chinese for International Business II 

Conducted in Chinese. Is a further extension of CHIN 3160 that delves into Chinese business practices and culture while learning business grammar and vocabulary.

The samples include a sick-leave email, a company introduction with a job application, a factory defect report with solutions, a company profile, an internal COVID-19 memo, and an investment proposal addressing production issues and improvements.

Language-Oriented Instruction

Linguistic Proficiency Samples

CHIN 1020: Elementary Chinese II 

This is a continuing course for CHIN 1010. It allows the student to expand upon their existing foundation of the Chinese language, with more opportunities of learning about Chinese culture

CHIN 3050: Chinese Conversation and Composition I

This course consists of essays and speeches written in Chinese to improve tones, fluency, grammar, and writing structure. The student also learns practical skills related to Chinese communication.

CHIN 3980: Directed Reading (Twice)

Conducted in Chinese abroad in Taiwan. This course further expands on Chinese vocabulary and grammar while learning the subtle differences between the mainland Chinese simplified characters and Taiwanese traditional characters.

This presentation examines Trump’s inaugural address and its implications for U.S.–Taiwan policy, including background on China–Taiwan relations, U.S. strategy, and key economic and political factors.

CHIN 1020: Elementary Chinese II 

This course stressed the importance of conversation and communication skills. There was a lot of oral practice, as well as special phrases and idiomatic expressions.

CHIN 3160: Chinese for International Business I

Conducted in Chinese. This course specifically delves into Chinese business practices and supplies cross-cultural references to compare both American and Chinese business conduct

CHIN 4980: Independent Study

This course is to prepare the student for Clemson's Language Exit Exam. This course focuses on taking HSK exams, as well as practicing speaking, reading, listening and writing under the strict conditions of the Exit Exam.

The first essay describes a personal trip to China, highlighting my experience visiting the Great Wall and how it inspired my interest in Chinese language and culture. The second essay argues that traditional architecture should be preserved, discussing its cultural importance, impact on tourism, and the need to balance modernization with maintaining historical identity.

LAIB: 4000 Language and International Business Internship

This course is taken after you complete the mandatory internship with an international company in the United States or abroad. May be part-time or full-time during the summer or academic semester for a minimum of 140 hours. During this course, you create an 8-10 page report on the internship experience in the Chinese language.

These essays explore anthropological perspectives on culture, emphasizing concepts such as cultural relativism, symbolism, and social organization, and apply them to experiences in Taiwan. They also examine changing ideas of personhood, family, and identity in modern Chinese society, highlighting the tension between traditional Confucian values and increasing individualism.

Culture and Literature Courses

Culture and Literature Samples

CHIN 4010: Pre-Modern Chinese Literature

This course delves into Chinese literature in the following forms: poetry, prose, drama, fiction, and literary criticism. These works come from 8th century B.C.E. to 19th century C.E.

This essay compares Chinese and Western views of time and human effort, arguing that Chinese literature emphasizes harmony with nature and cyclical patterns, while Western literature focuses on linear time, individualism, and human control over nature. It uses literary examples and philosophical traditions to highlight these cultural differences.

CHIN 4990: Selected Topics in Chinese Culture

This course used Chinese films as basis and evidence for discussion of Chinese culture, politics, and other sociological ideas. There were also instances of cross-cultural examination.

CHIN 4180: Chinese Culture and Society

Examines basic cultural values and the patterns of Chinese social life. Focuses on Chinese social organization and interpersonal dynamics, including the family system, gender identities, social exchanges and networks.

This essay analyzes the cultural evolution of Sun Wukong, tracing his transformation from a rebellious figure in Journey to the West to a more introspective and morally complex character in modern adaptations. It compares classical Chinese portrayals with contemporary films and American superhero narratives to explore changing ideas of power, identity, and moral responsibility.

ACCT 2010: Financial Accounting Concepts

This course serves as an introduction to financial accounting concepts and stresses how accounting can be used to make decisions.

ECON 3140: Intermediate Microeconomics

This course expands on the foundation left by ECON 2110 by taking the fundamentals and applying to new, variable market conditions.

MGT 2010: Principles of Management

This course surveys management’s role in economic production and how management functions as principles and behavior in organization.

MGT 4230: International Business Management

This course examines individual and group behavioral science concepts and their application to the understanding of consumer decision making.

PCID 3040: Business Writing

This course introduces students to writing strategies for texts common in professional settings as well as the audience, context, and purpose. These settings included memoranda, letters, reports, and proposals.

This visual report analyzes cybersecurity risks and behaviors using survey data, highlighting the prevalence of incidents such as fraud and data breaches. It also examines common risky digital habits and emphasizes the importance of awareness, prevention, and effective customer support in managing cybersecurity threats.

Business Courses

Business Course Samples

ECON 2110: Principles of Microeconomics

​This course is an introduction to economic reasoning and how it applies to studying consumer behavior and business firms. Specifically, this course covers competition, monopoly, international trade, and the impact of selected public policies.

MATH 1020: Business Calculus I

This course teaches the concepts and application of calculus with topics including: functions and graphing, differentiation, and integration. There are also additional applications from social, biological, and management sciences applied.

MGT 4230: International Business Management

This course studies both theoretical and institutional factors of international business operations with topics including: exporting, importing, foreign investment, multinational corporations, and international payment systems.

MKT 4270: International Marketing

This course covers the study of marketing from an international viewpoint and provides information on the necessary modification of marketing thinking and practices for foreign markets that arise due to individual environmental differences.

FIN 3070: Prin of Real Estate

This course introduces the fundamental concepts of real estate, including property types, market analysis, valuation, financing, and legal principles related to buying, selling, and managing real estate.

This presentation evaluates the potential expansion of Chick-fil-A into Switzerland by analyzing political and legal risks, market demand, competition, and available resources. It highlights Switzerland’s strong infrastructure and high-income market while recommending entry through franchising with local adaptations to ensure compliance and long-term success.

ECON 2120: Principles of Macroeconomics

This course takes economic foundations and apply them to the study of aggregate economic performance with specific study in rates of inflation, unemployment, and economic growth.

MATH 2070: Business Calculus II

This course introduces calculus of several variables, differential calculus and optimization of several variables, and multiple integrals. Like MATH 1020, this course also offers management science points of view to illustrate these concepts.

MKT 3010: Principles of Marketing

This course covers the principles and concepts involved in planning, pricing, promoting, and distributing goods and service

LAIB 1270: Introduction to Language and International Business

This course introduces the nature of international business and related career opportunities. 

FIN 3060: Corporation Finance

This course covers the principles of corporate finance, including financial statement analysis, valuation, risk and return, capital budgeting, and decisions related to capital structure and dividend policy.

This report reflects on a summer internship at TD SYNNEX, describing how I obtained the position, my responsibilities in data analysis, communication, and project work, and the skills I developed. It highlights growth in understanding the IT distribution industry, cross-cultural communication, and professional development, while also discussing challenges and future career goals.

Required Courses for Economics Major

ECON 4230: Economics of Health

Applies microeconomic theory to examine the demand for health services and medical care, the market for medical insurance, the behavior of physicians and hospitals, and the role of government in health-care provision and regulation

ECON 3100: International Economics

Studies of the process of international commerce. Covers basic theory of trade and exchange rates, institutional and legal environment, and current policy issues.

Uses tools of economic analysis in classifying problems in organizing and evaluating information, and in comparing alternative courses of action. Bridges the gap between economic theory and managerial practices.

ECON 3060: Managerial Economics

ECON 4980: Enviro Law & Econ

This course examines the intersection of environmental law and economics, focusing on issues like externalities, regulation, property rights, and policy tools used to address environmental challenges such as pollution and resource management.

ECON 4120: International Micro

This course applies microeconomic theory to international contexts, focusing on trade, firm behavior, market structure, and how policies and globalization affect resource allocation and economic outcomes across countries.

This course applies economic theory to workplace behavior, examining topics such as hiring, incentives, compensation, productivity, and how firms design policies to motivate and manage employees effectively.

ECON 3250: Personnel Economics

ECON 4050 - Intro to Econometric

This course introduces econometric methods used to analyze economic data, focusing on regression analysis, causal inference, hypothesis testing, and interpreting empirical results.

ECON 4240: Econ of Mkts, Comp & Strategy

ECON 3150: Intermediate Macro

This course examines how firms compete in different market structures, focusing on pricing, strategy, game theory, and how competitive dynamics shape business decisions and market outcomes.

This course develops macroeconomic theory to analyze national income, economic growth, inflation, unemployment, and monetary and fiscal policy, using formal models to understand how the overall economy functions.

Major Course Samples

These position statements apply economic and legal theory to environmental policy issues, arguing for a temporary halt to a data center project due to groundwater risks and advocating for a carbon tax to address climate change. They use concepts such as externalities, the tragedy of the commons, and transaction costs to support policy recommendations.

This report reflects on a summer internship at TD SYNNEX, describing how I obtained the position, my responsibilities in data analysis, communication, and project work, and the skills I developed. It highlights growth in understanding the IT distribution industry, cross-cultural communication, and professional development, while also discussing challenges and future career goals.

COMM 2500: Public Speaking

This course prepares the student in all aspects of public speaking, including but not limited to: practice in preparation, delivery, and criticism. Also studies the process of communication.

LANG 4990: Language Portfolio

This course allows students to opportunity and tools to create a digital portfolio which will demonstrate various competencies such as: reasoning, critical thinking, problem solving skills, cross-cultural awareness, and ethical judgement. There is also documentation of a study abroad or internship experience.

Other Courses

CU 1000: Clemson Connect

This course introduces the student of life and learning at Clemson University as well as additional learning in information technology and related skills

ENTR 1010: Entrepreneurial Mindset

This course introduces the principles of entrepreneurship, focusing on developing an entrepreneurial mindset through opportunity recognition, innovation, problem-solving, and value creation in business and everyday contexts.

ENGL 1030: Composition and Rhetoric 

This course teaches student to compose correct and effective expository, argumentative and documented essays.

MGT 2180: Managment of PC App

This course focuses on the use of personal computer applications for business, including spreadsheets, word processing, presentations, and data management to support decision-making and productivity.

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