This page is not intended as a substitute for the catalog. Please consult with your advisor and the catalog for the year in which you were admitted.
International Business is an interdisciplinary program with students taking internationally-focused courses from all of the business disciplines and the Department of Foreign Languages and Literature. You’ll be expected to develop competency in a second language and culture of your choice.
All students majoring in International Business are required to study abroad for at least a semester or complete a semester-long international internship in a country where English is not the primary language.
Any student admitted to JMU can declare any major offered by the College of Business. However, students must make satisfactory progress in order to be formally admitted into the College of Business. Requirements to continue pursuing a B.B.A. degree, often referred to as progression standards or formal admission, can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
Students majoring in international business must carefully plan their individual course work because not all required courses are offered each semester and because each student in the major is required to complete an “international experience” (study, intern or work abroad). The international experience requirement is for a minimum of six weeks outside of the United States, unless express permission is granted by the program director for another option. The primary language spoken in the country chosen by each student for the study/work abroad requirement is not to be English and would optimally be the language chosen by the student to meet the IB language requirement. Approval of the international experience requirement must be obtained from the program director (approval forms are available online). International students should see the program director to determine appropriate requirements for this aspect of the curriculum.
International business majors must select a world region on which to concentrate that coincides with their selected language. For example, an international business major who selects French as his/her second language could choose Europe, Africa or Asia as a world region. Also, a student who selects Spanish as the second language could select either Europe or the Americas. The acceptable world regions are Africa/Middle East, Americas, Asia and Europe.
Required major coursework topics include: an introduction to international business, legal aspects and ethics of international business, strategic management and international business theory and policy and a number of foreign language topics as they relate to business.
For specific course listings, please refer to the program of study in the undergraduate catalog.
To officially pursue the B.B.A. in International Business with any of the concentrations listed below, students must declare the concentration within MyMadison. Those who declare a concentration at least two weeks before initial registration will have the opportunity to register for concentration-specific classes during that enrollment period (pending course availability and the meeting of pre-requisite requirements).
General Concentration
Focused coursework topics include: international financial management and economics and global marketing.
Marketing Concentration
Focused coursework topics include: international economics, global marketing and a selection of other marketing courses.
Finance Concentration
Focused coursework topics include: international finance and payments, financial management and analytical methods and international trade.