Concordia College

Requirements for a Major or Minor in International Business

Programs offered:

• Major in International Business
– World language option (19.0 course credits)
– English language option (15.0 course credits plus
additional credit requirements in cultural awareness as appropriate)
• Minor in International Business
– World language option (14.0 course credits)
– English language option (6.0 course credits plus
additional credit requirements in cultural awareness as appropriate)

International Business Committee
Thomas W. Hiestand, director, international business program
Odile J. Streed, associate director, international business program
Per M. Anderson
Jonathan P. Clark
Stephen A. Grollman
Annette Lang, Universität Hannover
Viann M. Pederson de Castañeda
Gay Rawson
Mary K. Rice
Ronald G. Twedt

Program Coordinators in International Business
Nanette De Paoli, program coordinator in Mexico
Annette Lang, Universität Hannover
Patrick Reffait, Université de Rennes

Department Course Descriptions

Majors and Minors 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.

Students concentrate in one of four specializations — management, marketing, economics or finance. These options give students the opportunity to design a program of study suited to their interests and abilities.

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: French, German, Spanish, Scandinavian Studies or Russian. English is an option for international students for whom English is a second language. It is also an option for students wanting to study and work in an English-speaking country or for students who want to complete their study and work-abroad requirements with a multinational firm that uses English.

Major in International Business
Requirements for a major in international business are 15.0 to 19.0 course credits:
• Required supporting courses:
2.0 credits from the following courses for world language option majors:
3.0 credits from the following courses for English language option majors:
– COM 316 — Intercultural Communication, 1.0 credit
– FREN 220 — The Best of French Literature, 1.0 credit
– FREN 223 — Race, Gender and Power in the Francophone World, 1.0 credit
– FREN 331 — French Culture and Civilization, 1.0 credit
– FREN 370 — Current French Political, Social and Economic Affairs, 1.0 credit
– GEOG 201 — World Geography, 1.0 credit
– GER 320 — German Cultural History in Overview, 1.0 credit
– GER 321 — The Fine Arts in German Cultural History, 0.5 credit
– GER 322 — Politics, Economics and Social Structure, 0.5 credit
– GER 360 — German Contributions to World Culture: Courses in English, 1.0 credit
– GER 420 — Contemporary German Society and Culture, 1.0 credit
– HIST 131 — European History in Perspective to 1500, 1.0 credit
– HIST 132 — European History in Perspective since 1500, 1.0 credit
– HIST 151 — World in Perspective to 1500, 1.0 credit
– HIST 152 — World in Perspective since 1500, 1.0 credit
– HIST 317, SCAN 317 — Scandinavian Immigration and Settlement in America, 1.0 credit
– HIST 320 — Latin American History, 1.0 credit
– HIST 331 — Imperial Russia, 1.0 credit
– HIST 332 — Twentieth-Century Russia, 1.0 credit
– HIST 333 — Modern European Thought and Culture, 1.0 credit
– HIST 336 — Clash of Cultures: The World and the West, 1.0 credit
– HIST 337, SCAN 337 — History of Scandinavia, 1.0 credit
– HIST 338 — Hitler’s Germany, 1.0 credit
– P SC 241 — International Politics, 1.0 credit
– P SC 256 — Comparative Politics, 1.0 credit
– P SC 441 — Ethics and International Relations, 1.0 credit
– PSYC 420 — Cross-cultural Psychology, 1.0 credit
– SCAN 201 — Scandinavia in the Modern World, 1.0 credit
– SCAN 272 — Scandinavia Through Folklore, 1.0 credit
– S WK 350 — Comparative Cultural Encounter, 1.0 credit
– SOC 217 — Cultural Anthropology, 1.0 credit. E2.
– SPAN 320 — Spanish Grammar in Context, 1.0 credit
– SPAN 325 — Hispanic Women Writers, 0.5 credit
– SPAN 326 — Introduction to Hispanic Literature, 1.0 credit
– SPAN 331 — Business Spanish, 1.0 credit
– SPAN 335 — Advanced Oral Communication Skills, 0.5 credit
– SPAN 341 — The Culture of Spain, 0.5 credit
– SPAN 351 — Contemporary Latin American Culture, 0.5 credit
– SPAN 361 — Latin American Views, 0.5 credit
– SPAN 363 — Mexican Culture, 0.5 credit
– SPAN 365 — Introduction to Translation, 0.5 credit
– SPAN 413 — Topics in Latin American Literature, 0.5 credit
– SPAN 423 — Topics in Spanish Literature, 0.5 credit

Other courses may be applicable upon approval of the director of the international business program.
• Additional required supporting courses:
– C SC 104 — Software Applications for Business, 1.0 credit
– MATH 121 — Calculus I, 1.0 credit OR
MATH 203 — Mathematics for the Behavioral Sciences, 1.0 credit
• Core courses (5.0 credits):
– ACCT 155 — Principles of Accounting I, 1.0 credit
– ACCT 156 — Principles of Accounting II, 1.0 credit
– ECON 201 — Principles of Economics, 1.0 credit
– IBUS 210 — Introduction to International Business, 0.5 credit
– BUS 425 — Ethical Behavior in Business and Organizations, 0.5 credit
– ECON 274 — Introduction to Business and Economic Statistics, 1.0 credit
• Areas of specialization (5.0 credits in one of these four areas; students may petition the director of international business to use courses that they wish to take abroad to satisfy these requirements.)
(For international students, the United States serves as the country for courses required to be “taken abroad.”)
– Specialization in International Business — Economics (5.0 course credits):
• ECON 301 — Microeconomic Theory, 1.0 credit
• ECON 302 — Macroeconomic Theory, 1.0 credit
• ECON 333 — International Economics I, 0.5 credit
• ECON 335 — International Economics II, 0.5 credit
• 1.0 credit economics course taken abroad
• IBUS 390 — Cooperative Education, 1.0 credit, in economics, taken abroad
– Specialization in International Business — Finance (5.0 course credits):
• BUS 303 — Managerial Finance, 1.0 credit
• BUS 403 — International Finance, 1.0 credit
• 1.0 credit upper-level finance elective
• 1.0 credit finance course taken abroad
• IBUS 390 — Cooperative Education, 1.0 credit, in finance, taken abroad
– Specialization in International Business — Management (5.0 course credits):
• BUS 339 — Management, 1.0 credit
• BUS 341 — Human Resource Management, 1.0 credit
• BUS 439 — International Management, 1.0 credit
• 1.0 credit management course taken abroad
• IBUS 390 — Cooperative Education, 1.0 credit, in management, taken abroad
– Specialization in International Business — Marketing (5.0 course credits):
• BUS 351 — Marketing, 1.0 credit
• BUS 451 — International Marketing, 1.0 credit
• BUS 453 — Consumer Behavior, 1.0 credit
• 1.0 credit marketing course taken abroad
• IBUS 390 — Cooperative Education, 1.0 credit, in marketing, taken abroad
• Language requirement (one of the following options):
– Language component — a minor in French, German, Scandinavian/Norwegian, Spanish or Russian (see individual language departments for specific requirements for participation in the international business program)
– Language and cultural component — English-language proficiency and cultural awareness as appropriate for each work experience abroad and other coursework taken abroad.

Minor in International Business
Requirements for a minor in international business are 6.0 to 14.0 course credits:
• Core courses (3.0 credits):
– ACCT 155 — Principles of Accounting I, 1.0 credit
– ECON 201 — Principles of Economics, 1.0 credit
– IBUS 210 — Introduction to International Business, 0.5 credit
– BUS 425 — Ethical Behavior in Business and Organizations, 0.5 credit
• Areas of specialization (3.0 credits in one of these four areas):
(For international students, the United States serves as the country for courses required to be “taken abroad.”)
– Specialization in International Business — Economics (3.0 course credits):
• ECON 301 — Microeconomic Theory, 1.0 credit
• ECON 333 — International Economics I, 0.5 credit
• ECON 353 — International Economics II, 0.5 credit
• IBUS 390 — Cooperative Education, 1.0 credit, in economics, taken abroad
– Specialization in International Business — Finance (3.0 course credits):
• BUS 303 — Managerial Finance, 1.0 credit
• BUS 403 — International Finance, 1.0 credit
• IBUS 390 — Cooperative Education, 1.0 credit, in finance, taken abroad
– Specialization in International Business — Management (3.0 course credits):
• BUS 339 — Management, 1.0 credit
• BUS 439 — International Management, 1.0 credit
• IBUS 390 — Cooperative Education, 1.0 credit, in management, taken abroad
– Specialization in International Business — Marketing (3.0 course credits):
• BUS 351 — Marketing, 1.0 credit
• BUS 451 — International Marketing, 1.0 credit
• IBUS 390 — Cooperative Education, 1.0 credit, in marketing, taken abroad
• Language requirement (one of the following options):
– Language component — a major in French, German, Scandinavian/Norwegian, Spanish or Russian (see individual language departments for specific requirements for participation in the international business program)
– Language and cultural component — English-language proficiency and cultural awareness as appropriate for each work experience abroad and other coursework taken abroad.

Requirements for Studying Abroad
Before going abroad, students majoring in international business must satisfy the requirements listed below. Students not meeting these requirements may submit an appeal for exemption from one or more of the requirements to the director of the international business program who, in consultation with the appropriate language department, must approve any exceptions to these requirements.
A. Course requirements prior to study abroad:
• See the language departments for specific requirements for studying abroad. Students enrolled in the English language option must complete the English proficiency and cultural awareness requirements of the program.
• Completion of at least 1.0 credit from the list of the international business supporting courses located above (at least 2.0 credits for English language option).
• Completion of the mathematics and computer science requirements (2.0 credits):
– C SC 104 — Software Applications for Business, 1.0 credit
– MATH 121 — Calculus I, 1.0 credit OR
MATH 203 — Mathematics for the Behavioral Sciences, 1.0 credit
• Completion of the following international business core courses (4.5 credits):
– ACCT 155 — Principles of Accounting I, 1.0 credit
– ACCT 156 — Principles of Accounting II, 1.0 credit
– ECON 201 — Principles of Economics, 1.0 credit
– IBUS 210 — Introduction to International Business, 0.5 credit
– ECON 274 — Introduction to Business and Economic Statistics, 1.0 credit
• Completion of 1.0 credit in student’s selected specialization in international business
B. Minimum overall grade point average of 2.5
C. International business study abroad application completed one semester in advance of the time foreign study will begin upon acceptance by the international business program and completion of the requirements above, students may initiate arrangements for their study abroad program.

Study Requirements While Abroad (equivalent of 4.0 credits):
• 2.0 credits in international business:
– 1.0 credit in student’s area of specialization
– 1.0 credit as an international business Cooperative Education work-based learning experience.
• Normally, 2.0 other credits will be taken at the same time.