Recognizing the role of the United States in world affairs and the importance of international operations to American business enterprise, this major offers a combination of basic business knowledge with an interdisciplinary study of international policies and practices. The BBA International Business curriculum is designed to help prepare students for positions in global business operations, government, or international agencies in the fields of economic development and international trade.
International Business graduates who go directly into industry often start their careers in the domestic operations of an organization. Overseas assignments usually come after a few years with a company, although they may come faster if the student possesses specialized skills (e.g., language) needed by the company in its foreign operations. Alternatively, many opportunities exist domestically to advance to positions of coordinating global activities.
IB majors are encouraged to use electives to obtain depth in a field of business (e.g., marketing, finance, etc.) that will complement the international training and assist them in obtaining a first job. The International Business major is also appropriate for students who plan to pursue graduate studies in fields where knowledge of international business is beneficial, such as law, international relations and public policy.
Language Studies
IB majors are required to take six semesters in one modern language, including six upper-division hours. The language studied must be one that is spoken in the chosen region of the world for the student’s area studies sequence (see below).
Study Abroad
All international business majors must study abroad for at least one semester or summer session. It's important to maintain a competitive GPA so admission to the international school of your choice is attainable. The majority of programs require at least a 2.5 GPA and others a GPA of 3.0. Students should study in a country or region associated with their foreign language and area studies specialization. Ideally, the study abroad experience should be in an immersion program that includes courses taken with local students. The international business faculty advisor, Dr. Linda Gerber, must approve all study abroad programs in advance via the IB Planner. Any McCombs School of Business Program is acceptable if it takes place in a country in which English is not the dominant language. The CIBER Summer Study Abroad programs will not fulfill this requirement. In addition, most affiliated study abroad programs available through the University Study Abroad Office (http://www.utexas.edu/student/abroad/) are acceptable, depending on the course of study. Students must complete the equivalent of at least six semester hours during their study abroad period. Credit earned abroad may be used to fulfill other degree requirements if appropriate.
Area Studies Sequence
Nine semester hours of upper-division coursework focusing on a specific geographic region. These courses must be approved by the international business faculty advisor, Dr. Linda Gerber. Approval from Dr. Gerber must be obtained through the online IB Planner. Examples of acceptable fields are: Asian Studies; Spanish Studies; Middle Eastern Studies; and Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies, in addition to courses in other fields that directly pertain to the geographic area of focus (i.e., a government course on The Role of France in the EU). The area of study must be related to the student's chosen foreign language. Please note that language courses cannot count for both Area Studies and Foreign Language requirements.