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://ivybusiness.iastate.edu/degree/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
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 301 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 414 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)*
| Select two courses from the list below: | ||
| ACCT 496 | Accounting in the Global Economy | 3 |
| ENTSP 367 | International Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| ECON 355 | International Trade and Finance | 3 |
| ECON 385 | Economic Development | 3 |
| ECON 455 | International Trade | 3 |
| ECON 457 | International Finance | 3 |
| FIN 480 | International Finance | 3 |
| FIN 491 | International Study Course in Global Capital Markets | 3 |
| MGMT 472 | Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Organizations | 3 |
| MIS 495 | Executive Presentation and Analysis | 3 |
| MKT 448 | Global Marketing | 3 |
| MKT 492 | Comparative Marketing | 3 |
| SCM 466 | Global Trade Management | 3 |
| SCM 491 | International Live Case and Study Tour | 3 |
| SCM 473 | War and Peace and Supply Chains | 3 |
- *
Additional business-focused courses incorporating an international travel component may be able to be applied towards fulfilling this requirement with approval of the Ivy International Programs Coordinator.
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 392X: 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.
- Plan of study approved by the Ivy International Programs Coordinator
- ^
In the event that students complete their semester abroad during their final semester, this class may be taken concurrently.
- §
Course(s) may be taken while studying abroad.
Global Awareness (3 credits)
| Select 3 credits from the list below: | ||
| ANTHR 220 | Globalization and Sustainability | 3 |
| ANTHR 230 | Globalization and the Human Condition | 3 |
| ANTHR 336 | Culture and Capitalism | 3 |
| C R P 291 | World Cities and Globalization | 3 |
| C R P 376 | Rural, Urban and Regional Economics | 3 |
| C R P 429 | Planning in Developing Countries | 3 |
| DSN S 304 | Global Challenges: Intro to UN Sustainable Development Goals | 3 |
| INTST 235 | Introduction to International Studies | 3 |
| INTST 250 | The World’s Regions in a Global Context | 3 |
| INTST 350 | Topics in International Studies | 2-4 |
| MKT 484 | Technology, Globalization and Culture | 3 |
| POL S 381 | International Political Economy | 3 |
| SOC 348 | Global Poverty, Resources and Sustainable Development | 3 |
| SOC 411 | Social Change in Developing Countries | 3 |
| WGS 435 | Gender, Globalization and Development | 3 |
| WLC 119 | Introduction to World Languages | 3 |
| WLC 270 | Cultures in Transition | 3 |
Regional Focus*
Africa
Language*: WLC 107 Introduction to Swahili
| AF AM 310 | Africa to 1880 | 3 |
| AF AM 311 | Africa under Colonial Rule | 3 |
| AF AM 355 | Understanding Sub-Saharan Africa | 3 |
| RELIG 358 | Islam | 3 |
Mid-East
Language*: Arabic
| ARABC 375 | Arab Culture | 3 |
| ANTHR 335 | Peoples and Cultures of the Middle East | 3 |
| HIST 435 | History of the Modern Middle East | 3 |
| POL S 350 | Politics of the Middle East | 3 |
| RELIG 358 | Islam | 3 |
| RELIG 359 | The Quran | 3 |
China
Language*: Chinese
| CHIN 372 | Introduction to Chinese Culture | 3 |
| CHIN 375 | China Today | 3-4 |
| ECON 387 | Economies of China and India | 3 |
| HIST 207 | Chinese Civilization | 3 |
| HIST 336 | History of Modern China I | 3 |
| HIST 337 | History of Modern China II | 3 |
| POL S 342 | Chinese Politics | 3 |
India
| WLC 352 | Religions of India | 3 |
| ECON 387 | Economies of China and India | 3 |
| RELIG 358 | Islam | 3 |
Japan
See the Ivy College International Programs Coordinator for options.
Russia
Language*: Russian
| HIST 421 | History of Russia I | 3 |
| HIST 422 | History of Russia II | 3 |
| POL S 349 | Politics of Russia and Eastern Europe | 3 |
| RUS 375 | Russia Today | 3 |
Southern Europe
| POL S 346 | European Politics | 3 |
| RELIG 332 | Catholicism | 3 |
Spain
Language*: Spanish
| SPAN 321 | Spanish Civilization | 3 |
| SPAN 323 | Spain Today | 3 |
Italy
Language*:ITAL 107 Intensive Beginning Italian
| CL ST 403 | Roman Civilization. | 3 |
France
Language*: French
| FRNCH 320 | France Today | 3 |
| FRNCH 476 | French Culture and Society in English | 3-4 |
| HIST 419 | History of Modern France | 3 |
Northern Europe
| POL S 346 | European Politics | 3 |
German
Language*: German
| GER 320 | Germany Today | 3 |
| GER 330 | German Literature and Culture | 3 |
| GER 476 | Topics in German Cultural Studies | 3-4 |
| HIST 424 | History of Modern Germany | 3 |
UK
| HIST 327 | History of the British Empire | 3 |
| POL S 348 | British Government and Politics | 3 |
Latin America
Language*: Spanish or Portuguese
| HIST 340 | History of Latin America I | 3 |
| HIST 341 | History of Latin America II | 3 |
| HIST 441 | History of Modern Mexico and Central America | 3 |
| POL S 343 | Latin American Government and Politics | 3 |
| PORT 375 | Brazil Today | 3 |
| RELIG 332 | Catholicism | 3 |
| SPAN 322 | Latin American Civilization | 3 |
| SPAN 324 | Latin America Today | 3 |
- *
Relevant university-level foreign language courses can be used to satisfy a Regional Focus requirement. Please note that sign language courses are not considered an approved foreign language.
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/minors within the Ivy College of Business. This limit is on business majors/degrees/minors only, and does not apply to multiple majors/degrees/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 300 or above taken at Iowa State University with a grade of C or higher. The minor must include at least 9 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 301 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 414 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)*
| Select two courses from the list below: | ||
| ACCT 496 | Accounting in the Global Economy | 3 |
| ENTSP 367 | International Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| ECON 355 | International Trade and Finance | 3 |
| ECON 385 | Economic Development | 3 |
| ECON 455 | International Trade | 3 |
| ECON 457 | International Finance | 3 |
| FIN 480 | International Finance | 3 |
| FIN 491 | International Study Course in Global Capital Markets | 3 |
| MGMT 472 | Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Organizations | 3 |
| MIS 495 | Executive Presentation and Analysis | 3 |
| MKT 448 | Global Marketing | 3 |
| MKT 492 | Comparative Marketing | 3 |
| SCM 466 | Global Trade Management | 3 |
| SCM 491 | International Live Case and Study Tour | 3 |
| SCM 473 | War and Peace and Supply Chains | 3 |
- *
Additional business-focused courses incorporating an international travel component may be able to be applied towards fulfilling this requirement with approval of the Ivy International Programs Coordinator.
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 here https://catalog.iastate.edu/collegeofbusiness/internationalbusiness/#curriculumtext/ with relevance to the chosen study-abroad program AND
- One course from the approved Global Awareness courses found here: https://catalog.iastate.edu/collegeofbusiness/internationalbusiness/#curriculumtext/
- 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.
- Plan of study approved by the Ivy International Programs Coordinator
- ^
Relevant university-level foreign language courses can be used to satisfy a Regional Focus requirement. Please note that sign language courses are not considered an approved foreign language.
Students are limited to three business majors/degrees/minors within the Ivy College of Business. This limit is on business majors/degrees/minors only, and does not apply to multiple majors/degrees/minors taken outside the Ivy College of Business.
For more information on the undergraduate minor in International Business, please visit: https://ivybusiness.iastate.edu/degree/zminors-and-certificates/