International Business Program

A Five-Year Double Degree Program:
B.B.A. in Business Administration & B.A. in Foreign Languages

Office: 102 McCool Hall

Major Advisor - Business Administration: Travis Wiseman, Ph.D., 210 McCool Hall
Major Advisor - Foreign Languages: Amie Russell, 1500 Lee Hall
 

The International Business Program at Mississippi State University is designed to help bright, ambitious students prepare for an increasingly global future. The program is distinct in discharging this mission through (1) education in the principles of international business, (2) a concentrated study in foreign language and, (3) a coordinated program of practical skills acquisition.

Graduates from the International Business program typically complete their studies in five years, receiving two degrees, each designed to cover a separate aspect of living and working internationally:

• a Bachelor of Business Administration (or a Bachelor of Accountancy) with a major in a specific business discipline such as marketing, finance, management or accounting, and a concentration in international business.
   
• a Bachelor of Arts with a major in foreign languages, and a concentration in Spanish, German, French, or Asian Studies.

The hallmark of the International Business program at MSU is its emphasis on real cross-cultural immersion, both academically and in a real-world business context. All IB students must study abroad for at least six continuous weeks in one location. This experience can be either for a summer or a regular semester term.

IB students must also complete an internationally-oriented internship in which they work for a company conducting significant international business. The minimum duration of the internship is ten weeks on the job. Ideally, the internship will be reflective of the student’s specific business discipline and language proficiency area, but will ultimately be dependent on the student’s own initiative, qualifications and interest.

Students may elect to combine the practical and abroad experiences by pursuing an internship outside the country. Such an internship must be 10 weeks in length.

In addition to the business and cultural immersion aspects, the program has four main academic components:

1. a core of basic skills, including courses in writing, mathematics, sciences, and communication (30 SCH);
2. a core of humanities and social science courses selected to fit the special needs of international business students, emphasizing both the history and culture of other societies and the ways these societies relate to our own (27 SCH);
3. intensive training to develop proficiency in one foreign language and its associated cultures and literatures (35);
4. a thorough grounding in business techniques and practices, including 33 SCH of general business courses and 21-24 SCH training in one of six disciplines in business (accounting, finance, information systems, economics, management, or marketing).

As a specialized, five-year program a minimum of 154 total credit hours are required.

Admissions to the International Business Program are limited and competitive. In addition to being accepted at Mississippi State University, applicants are evaluated on their academic qualifications by the International Business Academic Program Committee. Existing foreign language fluency is not required.

Students must meet all graduation requirements for the College of Business and the College of Arts & Sciences. International Business students must have an overall and previous semester GPA of 2.67 to be eligible for internship and study abroad.

General Education Requirements

English Composition
EN 1103	English Composition I	3
or EN 1104	Expanded English Composition I
EN 1113	English Composition II	3
or EN 1173	Accelerated Composition II
Mathematics
MA 1313	College Algebra	3
MA 1613	Calculus for Business and Life Sciences I	3
ST 2113	Introduction to Statistics	3
or BQA 2113	Business Statistical Methods I
Science
Life Science and Lab (BIO prefix)		3
Physical Science and Lab (CH, GG, OR PH prefix)		4
Humanities
EN 2273	World Literature Before 1600	3
or EN 2283	World Literature After 1600
HI 1173	World History Since 1500	3
or HI 1223	Modern Western World
Fine Arts
Choose one the following:		3
ARC 1013	Architectural Appreciation
ARC 2313	History of Architecture I
ART 1013	Art History I
ART 1023	Art History II
ART 1113	Art Appreciation
ART 3143	Italian Renaissance Art History
MU 1113	History and Appreciation of Music
CO 1503	Introduction to the Theatre
PE 1323	History and Appreciation of Dance
Social/Behavioral Sciences
GR 1123	Introduction to World Geography	3
AN 1143	Introduction to Cultural Anthropology	3
College of Arts and Sciences Core
PHI 3013	Business Ethics	3
PS 1313	Introduction to International Relations	3
or PS 1513	Comparative Government
HI 3000+	Upper-level History Elective (see advisor)
SO 3000+	Upper-level Social Science Elective (see advisor)
Choose one of the following:		3
FLF 1113	French I
FLG 1113	German I
FLS 1113	Spanish I
FLC 1113	Chinese I
FLJ 1113	Japanese I
Choose one of the following:		3
FLF 1123	French II
FLG 1123	German II
FLS 1123	Spanish II
FLC 1123	Chinese II
FLJ 1123	Japanese II
Choose one of the following:		3
FLF 2133	French III
FLG 2133	German III
FLS 2133	Spanish III
FLC 2133	Chinese III
FLJ 2133	Japanese III
Choose one of the following:		3
FLF 2143	French IV
FLG 2143	German IV
FLS 2143	Spanish IV
FLC 2143	Chinese IV
FLJ 2143	Japanese IV
Choose one of the following:		4
FLF 3114	Advanced French Composition
FLG 3114	Advanced German Composition
FLS 3113 & FLS 3111	Advanced Spanish Composition and Advanced Spanish Laboratory
FLC 3153	Chinese V
FLJ 3153	Japanese V
Choose one of the following:		4
FLF 3124	Advanced French Conversation
FLG 3124	Advanced German Conversation
FLS 3233 & FLS 3121	Advanced Spanish Conversation and Advanced Spanish Conversation Practicum
FLC 3163	Chinese VI
FLJ 3163	Japanese VI
Choose one of the following:		3
FLF 3143	French Civilization
FLG 3143	German Civilization
FLS 3143	Hispanic Civilization
FLC 3303	Survey of Chinese Culture
FLJ 3303	Survey of Japanese Culture
Choose one of the following:		3
FLF 3313	Business French I
FLG 3313	Business German I
FLS 3313	Economics of the Spanish-Speaking World
Any 3000+ level FL, FLC, or FLJ Asian Studies course
Business-related Language course		3
See FL advisor for available courses
Literature course in target language		3
See FL advisor for available courses
Foreign Language Elective
See FL advisor for options
College of Business Core
ACC 2013	Principles of Financial Accounting	3
ACC 2023	Principles of Managerial Accounting	3
EC 2113	Principles of Macroeconomics	3
EC 2123	Principles of Microeconomics	3
BL 2413	The Legal Environment of Business	3
BIS 3233	Management Information Systems	3
FIN 3123	Financial Management	3
MKT 3013	Principles of Marketing	3
MGT 3114		4
Oral Communication Requirement
CO 1003	Fundamentals of Public Speaking	3
or CO 1013	Introduction to Communication
Computer Literacy Requirement
BIS 1012	Introduction to Business Information Systems	2
Writing Requirement
MGT 3213	Organizational Communications	3
International Business Core
IB 1001	Introduction to International Business	1
IB 3900	Internship Work	1-6
IB 4903	Internship Academic Report	3
International Business Elective (see advisor)		3
MGT 4863	International Strategic Management	3
Free Electives		7
Major Courses		21-24
Students must select 21 hours of upper level course work within a specific business discipline to complete the major. Accounting majors must complete 24 hours of upper level (3000+) course work for the Bachelor of Accountancy degree. Courses counting toward the required hours are provided below.
Total Hours		154

Accounting

ACC 3003	Accounting Information Systems I	3
ACC 3013	Cost Accounting	3
ACC 3023	Intermediate Accounting I	3
ACC 3033	Intermediate Accounting II	3
ACC 3053	Accounting Information Systems II	3
ACC 4013	Income Tax I	3
ACC 4033	Auditing	3
Accounting Elective (see advisor)		3
3000-4000 level course

 Business Information Systems

BIS 1733	Visual Basic Programming	3
BIS 1753	Introduction to Business COBOL	3
BIS 3523	Advanced Languages I	3
BIS 3753	Business Database Systems	3
BIS 4753	Structured Systems Analysis and Design	3
BIS Electives	3000-4000 level courses	6

Economics

EC 3113	Intermediate Macroeconomics	3
EC 3123	Intermediate Microeconomics	3
EC 4323	International Economics	3
EC 4643	Economic Forecasting and Analysis	3
Economics Electives	3000-4000 level courses	9

 Finance

FIN 3723	Financial Markets and Institutions	3
FIN 4223	Intermediate Financial Management	3
FIN 4243	Senior Seminar in Financial Management	3
FIN 4423	Investments	3
FIN 4923	International Financial Management	3
Finance Electives	4000-level courses	6

 Management

MGT 3323	Entrepreneurship	3
MGT 3513	Introduction to Human Resource Management	3
MGT 3813	Organizational Behavior	3
MGT 4153	Management Seminar	3
MGT 4613	Cross-Cultural Management	3
Management Electives	3000-4000 level courses	6

 Marketing

MKT 3933	International Marketing	3
MKT 4413	Consumer Behavior	3
MKT 4533	Marketing Research	3
MKT 4813	Marketing Management	3
Marketing Electives	3000-4000-level courses 1	9

Footnotes

¹

 See IB advisor for elective options, including a concentration in Supply Chain Management.

 Business Administration

MKT 3933	International Marketing	3
FIN 4923	International Financial Management	3
EC 4323	International Economics	3
MGT 4613	Cross-Cultural Management	3
BL 4273	International Business Law	3
International Business Electives	See advisor	6

Courses