The International Business Concentration

International business issues are covered throughout the Robins School curriculum; however, some students wish to study international business in greater depth. For these students, the International Business concentration is offered. Students concentrating in international business must complete the standard set of courses required of all Robins School students. These courses provide the foundation upon which the business program is built.

All students concentrating in International Business, with the exception of those who also are completing a full major in the Arts and Sciences or in Leadership Studies, must have a major or co-concentration in one of the following areas: Accounting, Economics, Finance, Marketing, or Management.

In addition, students with an International Business concentration must satisfy international knowledge and international experience requirements. A grade of C or better must be earned in each course used to meet international knowledge requirements.

I. INTERNATIONAL KNOWLEDGE REQUIREMENTS. These requirements consist of international business knowledge and international cultural and social knowledge.

  1. International Business Knowledge: This requirement is met by completing 15 semester hours as follows:

    1. Two courses: IBUS 381 International Business Environment and IBUS 411 International Business Strategy.  Note that IBUS 411 is taken in lieu of BUAD 497 Strategic Management;

    2. One course from: ACCT 315 International Accounting Issues or FIN 462 International Financial Management;

    3. One course from MKT 325 International Marketing, MGMT 333 International Management, or IBUS 390 International Business Issues;

    4. One international economics course such as: ECON 210 The Economics of the European Union, ECON 211 Economic Development in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, or ECON 310 International Trade and Finance.

      Notes: One course in international business knowledge item 1B or one course in international business knowledge item 1C can apply to the second concentration. Item 1D satisfies the economics elective requirement that all business students must complete. 

  2. International Cultural and Social Knowledge: This requirement is met by completing six (6) semester hours as follows:
     
    1. One course with an international focus from art history, philosophy, foreign literature classics, music or religion;
       
    2. One course with an international focus from anthropology, geography, history,
      international studies, political science, or sociology.

      Note: International focused courses taken to meet the University's General Education fields-of-study requirements can be used to satisfy the international cultural and social knowledge requirements.
       

II. INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS. The international experience requirements consist of cultural experiences and a work experience.

  1. International Cultural Experience - Students concentrating in international business must complete two of three international cultural experiences:
     
    1. Successfully complete an approved university-level full semester or longer program of study in a foreign country. Summer study abroad does not satisfy this requirement.
       
    2. Demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language. This may be done by earning a grade of C or better in a Commercial language course (e.g., FREN 306 Commercial French, SPAN 306 Commercial Spanish) or in a 300 level Conversation course (e.g., ITAL 301 Italian Conversation, RUSN 301 Russian Conversation), or by earning a satisfactory score on an appropriate language proficiency examination.
       
    3. Live in a foreign country for at least 12 continuous weeks other than a study abroad experience.
       
  2. International Work Experience - An international work experience is required for the International Business concentration. This requirement may be met by completing an approved internship in the U.S. in an organization's international section, or by working in an organization located outside of the U.S.

    Notes: Subject to prior approval of the Director of International Business Programs,
    working abroad may satisfy both experience requirement 2 and experience
    requirement II.1C.
     
    1. Work Experience Requirements - The IBUS work experience, or internship, must consist of meaningful work activities that will contribute to a student's understanding of and provide practical experience in international business.  A student may complete the internship in the U.S. or abroad.  If the internship is completed at a domestic location, it must be in the international group or deal directly with the organization's international operations. If the internship occurs during the summer, it must be full-time for at least six (6) weeks. If the internship takes place during the regular academic year and is a part-time position, it must last for at least one full semester - approximately 12 weeks.

      Prior to starting the internship, the student should provide internship details (organization, country, type of work, duration of internship, name of supervisor) to the associate dean for international business programs to ensure that it will meet the IB concentration requirements.

      Upon completion of the internship, the student's internship supervisor must submit a letter directly to the associate dean for international business programs. The letter must include: a description of the duties that were performed and projects in which the student participated; the dates of the internship; whether it was full- or part-time; and a statement of the quality of work performed.

      Note: The Robins School does not grant academic credit for internships.
       
    2. Robins School Policy on Internships and Academic Credit - The Robins School does not award credit for internships. In order for a student to receive academic credit, an internship must include an academic component. The minimum requirements of this academic component are 1) the approval of a faculty member to act as sponsor for the work, 2) a daily journal of activities, and 3) a paper which examines some aspects of the internship which closely relates to the academic experience. There may be additional requirements as determined by the individual faculty advisor. An internship that meets these criteria would be considered a Directed Independent Study, such as BUAD 389, IBUS 389, MKT 389, etc.