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International Business Program

All programs offered by the Foster College of Business Administration, Bradley University, are accredited by the AACSB International: The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

Faculty: Crowe, Griffin (Program Coordinator), Highfill, Iyer, Rubash.

The international business program is interdisciplinary, integrating international studies and foreign languages with business. Supplementing the academic program are opportunities for participating in internships with international companies, study abroad programs, and internationally-oriented business outreach programs.

The objective of the international business curriculum is to provide opportunities for students to gain competence in various aspects of global business operations. In addition, a broad training incorporating international studies and foreign language will make the student better prepared to assume managerial positions with business enterprises. Most international business majors will seek employment with companies engaged in international business activities, such as exporters and multinational corporations. Other potential employers include international business intermediaries (banks, trading companies, research and consulting firms, transportation agencies, port authorities, and so on), international economic institutions, and state and federal agencies.

The need for a separate curriculum in international business is reinforced by growing internationalization and globalization of American business and interdependency of world economies. Today, businesses find themselves in intense competition with foreign companies here at home. More direct involvement in international business comes in the form of global sourcing activities, exporting, licensing and technology transfer, and foreign direct investment. A variety of small and large companies in the manufacturing, service, and agricultural sectors currently participate in international business.

Students may study international business at Bradley University in three ways. First, students may major in international business leading to an undergraduate baccalaureate degree. Others may pursue international business in addition to another major outside the Foster College of Business Administration. Still others may take as electives one or more courses in international business.

Graduation Requirements

International Business Major Requirements

In addition to the University and Foster College of Business Administration requirements, students enrolled in the international business major must fulfill the following requirements:

  • Foreign Language

    • 200 level or above, of which 3 semesters must be in the same language 12

  • International Studies

    • IS 103, 104 Introduction to International Studies 6
    • Area Studies* 6
      • Africa: IS 340, 440, 448
      • Asia: IS 182, 385
      • East Asia: HIS 107, IB 204, IS 285, 318, 381
      • Europe: IS 330, 331
      • Globalization: IS 410, 475
      • Latin America: HIS 105, IS 322, 323
      • Middle East: HIS 104, IS 363
      • Russia/CIS: HIS 103, IS 353, 355, 359
      • South & Southeast Asia: IS 373
    • 12 hours

      • * An IS course used to satisfy the Non-Western Civilization or Social Forces and Institutions Gen. Ed. requirement may be counted toward the Area Studies requirement in International Business.

  • International Business
    • IB 306 Introduction to International Business 2
    • IB 323 International Financial Management 3
    • IB 390 International Monetary Economics or IB 391 International Trade* 3
    • IB 406 International Business Senior Project 1
    • IB 407 Management of International Markets 2
    • IB 408 International Business Leadership 1
    • 12 hours

      • * Satisfies the FCBA Economics elective requirement.

  • Cognate Elective Courses

    • Elective courses to be selected from Business, Foreign Language, or International Studies 15
    • International business majors are strongly encouraged to fulfill the 15-hour elective requirement by choosing an additional course in foreign languages or international/area studies and one of the following 12- or 13-hour career-oriented business functional area emphases:
      • Accounting: ATG 201, ATG 301, and ATG 322 plus two courses to be selected from ATG 204, ATG 477, ATG 401 and ATG 457.
      • Finance: Four courses to be selected from FIN 325, FIN 327, FIN 328, FIN 421, FIN 422, FIN 423, and FIN 424.
      • Human Resource Management: Four courses to be selected from the following: BMA 345, BMA 355, BMA 356, BMA 357, and BMA 459.
      • Marketing: MTG 341, MTG 350, and two additional marketing courses
      • Sales: MTG 304, MTG 384, MTG 404, and MTG 420
      • Alternatively, a student may wish to opt for a minor in economics. (See Economics.)

In addition to the above requirements, each international business major is required to earn at least four semester hours (or the equivalent) of college credit while enrolled in one or more approved study abroad programs.

Other Requirements

  1. The total number of semester hours required for the international business major is 130 hours.
  2. International business majors must plan their schedules to include Introduction to International Studies I and II (IS 103 and 104) as well as two Area Studies offerings (courses dealing with Latin America, Europe, Africa, Russia, Commonwealth of Independent States, the Middle East, South and Southeast Asia, or East Asia). Problems of the Developing World (IS 275) may be taken as one of the Area Studies requirements. Students can fulfill their area studies requirements as part of non-Western civilization and social forces and institutions courses as long as they select those courses that are in the approved general education curriculum.
  3. International business majors must complete a total of 12 semester hours of foreign language study beginning at the 200-level or above. It is recommended that students concentrate on the best proficiency possible in one foreign language, but it is possible to take 9 hours in one language and 3 hours in another. Those students who have previously studied a foreign language must take the placement test given by the Department of Foreign Languages. Students who place at the 300-level should consult with the chair of the Department of Foreign Languages to determine the best sequence of courses for them. These students will have the opportunity to take several of their required courses in specially designed courses such as Commercial Language, Introduction to Translation, Civilization and Culture, Spanish Interpretation, Everyday and Idiomatic French, and so on. International business majors especially interested in achieving an advanced level of oral proficiency in a foreign language are encouraged to spend a summer, a semester, or a year studying abroad. Students whose native language is not English are strongly urged to pursue twelve hours of study above the 100-level in a foreign language offered at Bradley, particularly if they already have a basic knowledge of that language. However, foreign students whose native language is not English but is one widely used in international trade may choose (with the approval of the international business coordinator) to increase their knowledge of the language and culture of the United States by completing the following curriculum in lieu of the foreign language requirement.
    • Three hours of English language or linguistics in addition to the University 300-level writing requirement, to be selected from the following: ENG 300, ENG 301, ENG 304, or ENG 306.
    • Three hours of American literature: ENG 233, 235, or 336.
    • Six hours of American studies (only 3 hours of which may be taken per department) to be selected from: AAS 200, HIS 300, HIS 311, PLS 105, and WMS 200.

Recommended Course Sequence

The following course sequence is recommended for international business majors. This sequence includes international business and Foster College of Business Administration requirements as well as the University general education requirements.

International Business majors should consult with their advisor when preparing their academic schedule.

  • Freshman Year - Required Courses

    • ENG 101 Composition 3
    • BUS 100 Contemporary Business 3
    • MTH 115 Brief Calculus with Applications I 4
    • ATG 157 Accounting Principles | Financial 3
    • COM 103 The Oral Communication Process 3
    • FL 201, 202* Intermediate Foreign Language 6
    • CIV 100 Western Civilization 3
    • Fundamental Concepts in Science 3
    • PSY 104 Principles of Psychology: Social Forces & Individual Behavior 3
    • BMA 172 / Competency Exam 1
    • 32 hours

    * FL is used here to represent FLF, FLG, FLJ, FLR, or FLS

  • Sophomore Year - Required Courses

    • ATG 158 Accounting Principles | Managerial 3
    • SOC 100 Sociological Perspective 3
    • IS 103, 104 Introduction to International Studies 6
    • ECO 221, 222 Principles of Micro & Macroeconomics 6
    • QM 262, 263 Quantitative Analysis I & II 6
    • BUS 210 Team Dynamics 1
    • FL 303 Foreign Language Composition 3
    • FL 304 Foreign Language Conversation 3
    • Human Values 3
    • 34 hours

  • Junior Year - Required Courses

    • Fine Arts 3
    • Non-Western Civilization* 3
    • ENG 300, 301, 304, 305, or 306 Advanced Writing 3
    • BMA 342 Legal Environment of Business 3
    • BMA 352 Managing in Organizations 3
    • BMA 372 Management Information Systems 3
    • FIN 322 Business Finance 3
    • MTG 315 Principles of Marketing 3
    • IB 306 Introduction to International Business 3
    • IB 323 International Financial Management 3
    • IB 390 International Monetary Economics or IB 391 International Trade 3
    • BUS 220 Career Planning Strategies 1
    • 33 hours

    * Recommended: IS 182, 240, 285, 340, or 420; or HIS 103, 104, 105, or 107.

  • Senior Year - Required Courses

    • Fundamental Concepts in Science or Science and Technology in the Contemporary World 3
    • IB 406 International Business Senior Project 1
    • IB 407 Management of International Markets 2
    • IB 408 International Business Leadership 1
    • BMA 353 Operations Management 3
    • BMA 452 Strategic Management and Business Policy 4
    • Area Studies or IS 275 Problems of the Developing World 3
    • Electives
    • Courses to be selected from Business, Foreign Language, or International Studies 15
    • 32 hours

    Total 130

Study Abroad and Co-op Programs

International business majors are strongly encouraged to participate in at least one study abroad experience. The University offers an ongoing study abroad program which is described elsewhere in this catalog. For opportunities relating to participation in other overseas study programs, students should inquire with the program coordinator or the Universityfs director of study abroad.

The business Cooperative Education/Internship Program is also described elsewhere in this catalog. Opportunities may become available for international business majors to obtain their practical experience in a position related to international business.