Requirements for a Major or Minor in Business: International


Major in International Business
Most large and many emerging businesses do business across international borders. They earn and spend foreign exchange, operate under different laws, and deal with more cultural issues than domestic business does.

The international business major offers students the broad liberal arts foundation essential to understanding the complexities and cultural differences of an increasingly global marketplace. Specific discipline-related coursework is designed to provide students the knowledge, skill and abilities needed to succeed in a competitive world.

In addition to language proficiency, cultural understanding is an important dimension of the major. Students gain both understanding and proficiency in one of five language areas: Chinese, French, German, Norwegian or Spanish. English is an option for international students for whom English is a second language. These foreign students could satisfy both study and work abroad requirements in the United States. Additionally, providing that they fulfill their language requirement as indicated below, students wanting to study in an English-speaking country abroad or students who want to complete their internship requirement with an English-speaking multinational firm abroad could also choose those options. Upon approval by the director of the international business program, additional languages could also be considered to fulfill the language requirement for this major.

The major in international business includes a comprehensive set of business courses, required study abroad experience including at least one business course, a minor in one language or the equivocal number of credits in more than one language and an international internship. Students must take supporting and foundation business classes prior to enrolling in upper-division business courses (300 and 400 level). Permission may be granted by the instructor for students to concurrently take one foundation or supporting class with upper-division courses. It is recommended that students take the MATH course prior to economics and accounting courses.

The requirements for a major in international business are 82 credits:
• CSC 104 – Software Applications for Business, 4 credits
• MATH 121 – Calculus 1, 4 credits OR
MATH 203 – Finite Mathematics, 4 credits
• 20 credits in business foundation courses:
– BUS 201 – Principles of Global Economics, 4 credits
– BUS 210 – Ethics and Leadership, 4 credits
– BUS 262 – Introduction to Business Law, 4 credits
– ACCT 255 – Principles of Financial Accounting, 4 credits
– ACCT 256 – Principles of Managerial Accounting, 4 credits
• 15 credits in business core courses:
– BUS 303, BUSN 303 – Managerial Finance in the Global Economy, 3 credits
– BUSN 315 – Management Information Systems, 3 credits
– BUS 339 – Principles of Management, 3 credits
– BUSN 351 – Principles of Marketing and Sales, 3 credits
– BUSN 495 – Business Analysis and Strategic Management (Capstone), 3 credits
• 9 credits in international business courses:
– BUSN 439 – Cross-Cultural Management, 3 credits
– BUSN 451 – Global Marketing, 3 credits
• 3 credits from the following:
– BUSN 300 – May Seminar
– BUSN 310 – Global Supply Chain Management, 3 credits
– BUSN 372 – International Law, 3 credits
– International Trade Certificate offered by NDTO
– Other approved elective
• IBUS 390 – International Internship, 3 credits
• 4 credits from the following supporting courses:
– COM 316 – Intercultural Communication, 4 credits
– FREN 255 – Francophone World, 4 credits
– FREN 370 – Current French Political, Social and Economic Affairs, 4 credits
– FREN 360 – French in the Business World, 4 credits
– GEOG 201 – World Geography, 4 credits
– GER 420 – Contemporary German Society and Culture, 4 credits
– GER 314 – German in the Business World, 4 credits
– GS 220 – Asia in a Global Age, 4 credits
– PSC 241 – International Politics, 4 credits
– PSC 256 – Comparative Politics, 4 credits
– PSC 441 – Ethics and International Relations, 4 credits
– PSYC 420 – Cross-Cultural Psychology, 4 credits
– SPAN 331 – Business Spanish, 4 credits
– SPAN 363 – Mexican Culture, 4 credits
– SPAN 341 – The Culture of Spain, 4 credits
– SPAN 351 – Contemporary Latin American Culture, 4 credits
– SPAN 361 – Latin American Historical and Cultural Perspectives, 4 credits
– SCAN 337 – Reel Norden, 4 credits
– SCAN 367 – Arctic Nations, Arctic Issues, 4 credits
• Study abroad – Students are required to successfully complete at least one semester in an approved study abroad program, during which they must take at least one business or accounting class.
• Language requirement – Students will complete a language minor OR 20 credits above course number 112 in more than one language. Several current programs have specific language requirements for internships and study abroad. Consult advisor about those expectations. Non-English native
speaking foreign students will be required to fulfill the 20 credit language requirements by taking approved English and/or foreign language courses.
• recommended supporting courses:
– COM 205 – Advanced Public Speaking, 4 credits
– COM 312 – Interpersonal Communication, 4 credits
– COM 314 – Group Communications, 4 credits
– ENG 316 – Business Writing, 4 credits
– ENG 324 – Technical Writing, 4 credits
– ENG 371 – Editing and Grammar for Professionals, 4 credits

International Business Committee
Odile J. Streed, director, international business program
Per M. Anderson
Jonathan P. Clark
Viann M. Pederson de Castañeda
Gay G. Rawson
Mary K. Rice

Program Coordinators in International Business
Nanette De Paoli, program coordinator in Mexico
Uta Knoche, Universität Hannover Germany
Ursula Bell-Kohler, Universität Mainz Germany
Marc Gaugain, Université de Rennes France