The secondary major in International Business will be discontinued Fall 2025 pending Board of Regents State of Iowa approval.
International business is a multidisciplinary field dedicated to understanding how to successfully formulate and execute commercial activity that spans national borders. Contemporary issues related to environmental concerns, political instability, and human rights have made international business decisions more complicated for organizations, leading to a global re-evaluation of how business should be conducted internationally. Whether you desire a career working internationally or simply want to understand how the broader business environment affects fundamental organizational decisions for domestic firms, our International Business program provides a broad global perspective to inform your world view and help you develop business acumen through an exploration of how business intersects with politics, economic considerations, and culture.
Undergraduate Secondary Major in International Business
For undergraduate curriculum in business, secondary major in International Business.
Administered by the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship.
The major is designed to provide a strong common foundation in international business with two required international overview courses. In addition, students are encouraged to take additional coursework with relevance to their business and career interests, with business-specific courses spanning numerous functional areas and general cultural classes covering numerous regions of the world. Students also have the opportunity to shape their international exposure via multiple study abroad options or via additional coursework at Iowa State.
For information on the secondary major in International Business, make an appointment through Navigate to see the Ivy College of Business International Programs Coordinator, located in 2139 Gerdin Business Building or email ivyintl@iastate.edu.
For more information on the undergraduate secondary major in International Business, please visit: https://www.ivybusiness.iastate.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/international-business/.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon graduation, undergraduate students with a secondary major in international business will:
- Understand the global business environment and how it connects to their primary major.
- Be effective communicators in intercultural and international settings.
- Understand how culture, history, politics, and economics connect to business practices and operations both domestically and internationally.
- Develop intercultural skills required for success in business.
The secondary major in International Business will be discontinued Fall 2025 pending Board of Regents State of Iowa approval.
Secondary Major in International Business
In addition to the basic business degree requirements (https://catalog.iastate.edu/collegeofbusiness/#curriculuminbusinesstext), the requirements for the secondary major in International Business are met by successful completion of the following:
International Overview (6 credits)
BUSAD 3010 Introduction to International Business. This course focuses on the principles and practice of international business across functional areas, with an emphasis on comparing the legal, political, economic, and cultural dimensions of domestic and international business.
MGMT 4140 International Management
. The nature and economic role of the multinational firm and entrepreneurial ventures, including the impact of legal, political, and cultural variables upon firm performance and managerial activity; case studies illustrate interdependent nature of functional areas of business projected across national boundaries.
Business Focus (6 credits)*
Global Engagement, Awareness, and Regional Perspective Requirement
Students can fulfill this portion of the IBUS major by completing one of the three options outlined below:
- Option 1:
- One semester abroad, earning at least 12 credits AND
- BUSAD 3920X: Contextualizing Your International Experience (3 cr.), taken the semester after returning from abroad^ AND
- One course from the approved Global Awareness courses below §
- Option 2:
- One faculty-led study abroad program (may use a course from the Business Focus to meet this) AND
- One Regional Focus course from the list below with relevance to the chosen study-abroad program AND
- One course from the approved Global Awareness courses below §
- Option 3:
- Plan of study approved by the Ivy International Programs Coordinator
- Please note, in some instances international travel may not be required to fulfill the IBUS major--see the Ivy International Programs Coordinator for more information.
Global Awareness (3 credits)
| |
| ANTHR 2200 | Globalization and Sustainability | 3 |
| ANTHR 2300 | Globalization and the Human Condition | 3 |
| ANTHR 3360 | Culture and Capitalism | 3 |
| CRP 2910 | World Cities and Globalization | 3 |
| CRP 3760 | Rural, Urban and Regional Economics | 3 |
| CRP 4290 | Planning in Developing Countries | 3 |
| DSNS 3040 | Global Challenges: Intro to UN Sustainable Development Goals | 3 |
| INTST 2350 | Introduction to International Studies | 3 |
| INTST 2500 | The World's Regions in a Global Context | 3 |
| INTST 3500 | Topics in International Studies | 2-4 |
| MKT 4840 | Technology, Globalization and Culture | 3 |
| POLS 3810 | International Political Economy | 3 |
| SOC 3480 | Global Poverty, Resources and Sustainable Development | 3 |
| SOC 4110 | Social Change in Developing Countries | 3 |
| WGS 4350 | Gender, Globalization and Development | 3 |
| WLC 1190 | Introduction to World Languages | 3 |
| WLC 2700 | Cultures in Transition | 3 |
Regional Focus*
Africa
Language*: WLC 1070 Introduction to Swahili
Mid-East
Language*: Arabic
China
Language*: Chinese
India
Japan
See the Ivy College International Programs Coordinator for options.
Russia
Language*: Russian
Southern Europe
Spain
Language*: Spanish
Italy
Language*:ITAL 1070 Intensive Beginning Italian
France
Language*: French
Northern Europe
German
Language*: German
UK
Latin America
Language*: Spanish or Portuguese
Fifteen of the 18 credits required for the International Business secondary major must not be used for the primary major.
Students are limited to three business majors/degrees/certificates/minors within the Ivy College of Business. This limit is on business majors/degrees/certificates/minors only and does not apply to multiple majors/degrees/certificates/minors taken outside the Ivy College of Business.
Undergraduate Minor in International Business
Students with a major in the Ivy College of Business may earn a minor in International Business by completing 15 credits of approved coursework. The minor requires one course from the approved International Overview courses, two courses from the approved Business Focus courses, and by completing the Faculty-Led Global Awareness track, or the Foreign Language Global Awareness track, or through a plan of study approved by the Ivy International Programs Office. The minor must include at least six credits in courses numbered 3000 or above taken at Iowa State University with a grade of C or higher. The minor must include at least 3 credits that are not used to meet any other department, college, or university requirement. Students with declared majors have priority over students with declared minors in courses with space constraints.
International Overview (3 credits)
Choose one course from the list below:
BUSAD 3010 Introduction to International Business. This course focuses on the principles and practice of international business across functional areas, with an emphasis on comparing the legal, political, economic, and cultural dimensions of domestic and international business.
MGMT 4140 International Management. The nature and economic role of the multinational firm and entrepreneurial ventures, including the impact of legal, political, and cultural variables upon firm performance and managerial activity; case studies illustrate interdependent nature of functional areas of business projected across national boundaries.
Business Focus (6 CREDITS) *
Global Awareness
Complete one of the two options below:
- Option 1:
- One faculty-led study abroad program (may use a course from the Business Focus to meet this) AND
- One Regional Focus course‡ from the list found below with relevance to the chosen study-abroad program AND
- One course from the approved Global Awareness courses# found below.
- Option 2:
- Plan of study approved by the Ivy International Programs Coordinator
- Please note, in some instances international travel may not be required to fulfill the IBUS minor--see the Ivy International Programs Coordinator for more information.
Regional Focus‡
Africa
Language§: WLC 1070 Introduction to Swahili
Mid-East
Language§: Arabic
China
Language§: Chinese
India
Japan
See the Ivy College International Programs Coordinator for options.
Russia
Language§: Russian
Southern Europe
Spain
Language§: Spanish
Italy
Language§:ITAL 1070 Intensive Beginning Italian
France
Language§: French
Northern Europe
German
Language§: German
UK
Latin America
Language§: Spanish or Portuguese
Global Awareness (3 credits)#
| |
| ANTHR 2200 | Globalization and Sustainability | 3 |
| ANTHR 2300 | Globalization and the Human Condition | 3 |
| ANTHR 3360 | Culture and Capitalism | 3 |
| CRP 2910 | World Cities and Globalization | 3 |
| CRP 3760 | Rural, Urban and Regional Economics | 3 |
| CRP 4290 | Planning in Developing Countries | 3 |
| DSNS 3040 | Global Challenges: Intro to UN Sustainable Development Goals | 3 |
| INTST 2350 | Introduction to International Studies | 3 |
| INTST 2500 | The World's Regions in a Global Context | 3 |
| INTST 3500 | Topics in International Studies | 2-4 |
| MKT 4840 | Technology, Globalization and Culture | 3 |
| POLS 3810 | International Political Economy | 3 |
| SOC 3480 | Global Poverty, Resources and Sustainable Development | 3 |
| SOC 4110 | Social Change in Developing Countries | 3 |
| WGS 4350 | Gender, Globalization and Development | 3 |
| WLC 1190 | Introduction to World Languages | 3 |
| WLC 2700 | Cultures in Transition | 3 |
Students are limited to three business majors/degrees/certificates/minors within the Ivy College of Business. This limit is on business majors/degrees/certificates/minors only and does not apply to multiple majors/degrees/certificates/minors taken outside the Ivy College of Business.
For more information on the undergraduate minor in International Business, please visit: https://www.ivybusiness.iastate.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/minors-and-certificates/.