Wharton Global Youth Online Programs provide an innovative and interactive approach to business education learning.
Overview
Academics
Online programs are designed to reflect the Wharton undergraduate experience while adapting it for high-touch interaction, practical skill development, and active peer engagement. Although course topics vary, all program participants will engage in dynamic asynchronous pre-work, live lectures led by Wharton instructors, interactive simulations or case studies, and small-group recitations facilitated by Penn Teaching Assistants. Assignments reinforce foundational concepts and develop the analytical skills needed for advanced study. Each program culminates in a collaborative team capstone project that fosters strategic thinking and real-world problem-solving.
Program formats and topics vary. Each program has its own instructional model, course format, schedule, and subject focus. The information below is intended to provide a representative glimpse into the types of learning experiences, activities, and outcomes students may encounter; specific elements and expectations vary by program.*
Applied Capstone and Final Projects
- Practical Deliverables: Teams develop comprehensive pitch decks, strategic business models, or financial analysis reports that address real-world market challenges.
- Portfolio Development: Capstone projects provide tangible evidence of students’ business acumen, research abilities, and teamwork—valuable assets for college applications and future academic pursuits.
Case-Based Learning and Practical Analysis
- Wharton Case Method: Students analyze real-world corporate scenarios, evaluating strategic decisions, leadership choices, and market positioning from the perspective of industry leaders.
- Interactive Recitation Debates: Small-group recitations provide a dedicated forum for debating case solutions and evaluating strategic trade-offs.
- Framework Application: Students apply core business frameworks—including SWOT analysis, discounted cash flow, and market sizing—to diagnose complex commercial challenges.
Interactive Simulations and Experiential Learning
- Negotiation and Conflict Resolution: Live role-play scenarios require students to manage competing stakeholder interests, negotiate deal terms, and navigate high-stakes business trade-offs.
- Data-Driven Strategy: Simulations emphasize quantitative decision-making, teaching students to analyze real-time data and adapt their strategies in response to changing conditions or crises.
* Understanding Your Money and Understanding Investing and Portfolio Management are distinctive, fully asynchronous, self-paced online courses available year-round. Unlike the instructor-led programs described above, they do not include live lectures, interactive simulations, or small-group recitations. Instead, they offer maximum flexibility, allowing students to engage with the material independently and progress at their own pace while developing practical financial knowledge and investment skills.
Live Sessions
We aim to keep live interactions dynamic, collaborative, and condensed, to allow for meaningful participation and maximum flexibility. Any content that can be pre-recorded or provided asynchronously will be made available as independent work. The exact break down of live to asynchronous content delivery will vary by program. All programs will include at least 3 hours of live daily programming, with some programs providing up to 6 hours of live daily programming. Beyond live daily interactions, students will also be presented with independent assignments, asynchronous pre-work, small group work or projects, recitations, office hours, and optional events and challenges within the Wharton Youth Network virtual community.
Benefits of Being Virtual
The flexibility of online programming allows for a more robust lineup of guest speakers, a more globally diverse student population, and increased summer-long opportunities to network and connect with peers and the Wharton community from any location. Program participants will have the opportunity to interact with high-achieving students from across the world both throughout their academic program and within the extracurricular Wharton Youth Network (WYN) virtual community. Opportunities are abundant online and students will have the ability to sit in on more guest lectures, alumni panels, and online-only special events and competitions.
Online Community: Wharton Youth Network (WYN)
The Wharton Youth Network (WYN) is an extracurricular, virtual community designed to supplement academic programming for Wharton Global Youth Online Program participants.* The Wharton Youth Network is available throughout the summer and will provide opportunities for students to connect with peers, explore new business-focused interests, hear from Penn and Wharton students, and engage with the Wharton community outside of their academic program. Programming will include a combination of live events and opportunities to interact on any schedule that suits the student. Some things to look forward to in the Wharton Youth Network are: a summer long Trading Sprint, faculty speaker series, Penn student panels, talks from notable Wharton alumni, simulation sprints and many more. For more information, please visit the Wharton Youth Network webpage.
*Students enrolled in asynchronous courses do not have access to the Wharton Youth Network.
Wharton Online Learning Platform
All Wharton online programs utilize the Wharton Online Canvas platform, which is a learning management system that easily connects students and instructors with course material and resources. The platform incorporates Zoom links, messaging capabilities, a program calendar, discussion boards, announcements, feedback, and all independent assignments, including videos; articles; and quizzes. The platform is designed to be intuitive and easy to navigate, with customizable user profiles and accessibility features to ensure academic accommodations.
Time Zones
Our programs enroll a globally diverse student body with a common thread of academic accomplishment and intellectual curiosity. While all programming is based out of Philadelphia, PA in the Eastern Standard/Daylight Time zone, we recognize not everyone will share the same time zone or scheduling preferences. For students with limiting time zone considerations, we encourage you to consider the Future of the Business World (FBW) online program, which offers the most flexible programming options for students. Within FBW, live programming is repeated twice daily, to allow students from across time zones to participate in their preferred time slots.
Technical or Browser Requirements
All online programming requires a computer that meets the minimum system requirements for Canvas LMS and Zoom videoconferencing, as well as reliable internet access and a webcam with microphone. We use Canvas as our Learning Management System and Zoom for live sessions. Our courseware works best with current versions of Chrome, Firefox or Safari, or with Internet Explorer version 9 and above. For the best possible experience, we recommend switching to an up-to-date version of Google Chrome. If you do not have Chrome installed you can get it for free here.
At this time, our system does not fully support access with mobile devices. While many components of this course will function on a mobile device, some may not.
If you experience any technical difficulties with the course site, including problems viewing videos or other features, please email wgyp-online@wharton.upenn.edu.
For more information, please contact whartonyouth@wharton.upenn.edu or call +1.215-746-3666.