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International Business
International Business is an interdisciplinary major that culminates in a Bachelor of Arts degree offered jointly by the College of Arts and Letters and College of Business Administration. This program integrates course work in business administration, a foreign language, and regional and cultural studies. For the major in International Business, students must complete the business courses necessary to meet accreditation standards of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International). Students also complete an emphasis in one of nine languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, or Spanish. All International Business students are required to demonstrate proficiency in their foreign language emphasis. Finally, students complete an emphasis in one of seven regional/cultural studies: Africa-Middle East, Asia Pacific, Russia and Central Europe, Latin America, North America, or Western Europe.
The International Business Program is supported by the Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) at SDSU. This Center is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education and is administered by SDSU's Colleges of Arts and Letters and Business Administration in order to promote International Business education and research in the region. SDSU is one of 31 universities nationwide to be designated as a "national center of excellence" in International Business.
Program Overview
Preparation for the major at the lower-division level includes coursework in regional/cultural studies, business and language. In regional/cultural studies, students take required courses selected from one of the following: Africa-Middle East, Asia Pacific, Russian and Central Europe, Latin America, North America, and Western Europe. Lower-division core curriculum for business consists of courses in Accounting Fundamentals; Business Law; Economics; Elementary Statistics for Business; and Principles of Information and Decision Systems. Students also choose a course of study in one of the following languages: Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish.
The curriculum at the upper-division follows that of the lower-division. Advanced courses are required in regional/cultural studies, business, and language. Regional/cultural studies may include courses in traditions, literature, theatre, ancient and modern civilization, history of area business and trade, international relations, philosophy, religion, economics, labor, and political systems. Studies in business include finance, production and operations management, marketing, international business strategy and integration, and global marketing strategy. In language, coursework includes grammar, composition, conversation, translation, civilization, and special commercial Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish courses.
The International Business program is impacted which means all lower division requirements must be satisfied for admission to the major. See the course catalogue for a listing of the requirements.
Special Features
The Center for International Business Education & Research (CIBER), federally funded since 1989, supports the largest undergraduate International Business program in the country.
Internships are required as part of the International Business Program. Internships may be completed in the United States or abroad.
Exchanges with foreign business schools in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Portugal, Russia, Spain and Taiwan.
SDSU's International Business program leads the nation in the number of transnational multiple degree programs, offering programs in Mexico, Canada, Brazil, and Chile:
- MEXUS - dual-degree programs with Mexico.
- SanDiQué - a dual-degree program with Canada.
- SanBrazil - a dual-degree program with Brazil.
- SanParaiso - a dual-degree program with Chile .
- PanAmerica - a triple-degree program with Chile, and Mexico.
- CaMexUS - a triple-degree program with Canada and Mexico.
Protocol Course - a required one-unit course teaching protocol for success in doing business internationally.
Awards
- The International Business program was ranked 15th nationwide by U.S. News and World Report (2007) in the category of "undergraduate international business programs." This ranking places our program in the top one percent of undergraduate international business programs in the United States.
- The International Business program was the recipient of two recent U.S. Department of Education FIPSE (Fund for the Improvement of Post Secondary Education) grants for over $400,000 in one year. The IB program is one of a handful of postsecondary programs to receive two FIPSE grants in one year.
- SDSU has been designated by FIPSE to serve as the nation's leader in training U.S. students to conduct business in Brazil.
- The AACSB selected SDSU's International Business program to represent undergraduate business programs in a conference focusing on study abroad and globalization.
Career Opportunities
Depending upon the focus chosen, an International Business major may prepare students for a career in one of the following areas: airlines, banking and finance, consulting, customs brokerage, education and training, entrepreneurship, freight forwarding, government and U.S. customs, hotel management, human resources, import and export administration, insurance, international sales, marketing, international law, interpretation and translation, manufacturing, purchasing, trade associations, travel agency.
To further explore career options in these fields, visit the Career Services Web site.
General Catalog
You can view more complete information regarding the International Business program in the General Catalog. All students are responsible for reading and knowing the information pertinent to their areas of study available in the General Catalog. It contains requirements for all academic majors, course descriptions, policies, and regulations governing progress at the University. Catalogs are distributed at all Academic Orientation programs. To order a catalog, call (619) 594-7535.
Contact Information
Mailing address:
International
Business
San Diego State University
5500 Campanile Drive - AL 208
San Diego, CA 92182-6022
Email: ib@mail.sdsu.edu
Telephone: (619) 594-4505
Fax: (619) 594-7738
Office location: AL 208
Office hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 A.M. - 4:30 P.M.