International Business

Co-Major Curriculum

Co-Major Requirements:

Note: ALL courses for the major must be taken as A-F grading.

I. Language Study Requirement

At least two college years (four semesters) of a foreign language (or equivalent) and must be A-F grading.

II. International Business Foundations: 4 Courses

MGMT 3040: 2 Credits; The International Environment of Business (must be taken at the Carlson School; ideally before your semester abroad; prereq: MGMT 1001 or 3001)

MGMT 4500: 2 Credits; Senior Seminar in International Business (must be taken at the Carlson School and is to be completed after your semester abroad)

- AND - 

Choose TWO of the following:

International major coursework may be taken abroad and must be approved by primary major faculty. For example, International Marketing and International Finance coursework may be taken abroad to fulfill Foundations requirements.

III. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT BREADTH: 2 Courses

Choose two courses from this category that are either on this list or approved to take abroad. Courses should be global and not focused on a specific region or topic.

IV. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT DEPTH: 2 Courses

Choose two courses in this area from the list below or approved from your study abroad program. They should be focused on a specific topic and/or region.

Students may choose to use a 3XXX level business second language course taken at the University of Minnesota or abroad as one of their depth classes. Classes chosen should align with your primary major or the country of your study abroad. These courses satisfying the IB Depth requirements may not be double dipped with the Business Foundations.

V. INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT

Students need to study abroad for a semester for the IB major. F-1 visa holders will have this requirement fulfilled.

To Petition Courses:

• Meet with your adviser to discuss possible courses and the petition process if these courses have not already been reviewed
• For Breadth: Courses should be global and not focused on a specific region or topic.
• For Depth: Courses should be focused on a specific topic and/or region.

Please note that all classes are not offered every semester. Please check the class schedule on One Stop for details.

View Program Requirements and Course Descriptions

This major must be completed along with another major in the Carlson School. 

Minor Curriculum

International Business Minor: 12 - 16 credits

I. International Business Foundations: 3 Courses

MGMT 3040: 2 Credits; The International Environment of Business (must be taken at the Carlson School; prereq: MGMT 1001 or 3001)

- AND -

Choose TWO of the following:

International major coursework may be taken abroad and must be approved by primary major faculty. For example, International Marketing and International Finance coursework may be taken abroad to fulfill Foundations requirements. 

II. International Environment Breadth: 2 Courses

Choose two courses from this category that are either on this list or approved to take abroad. Courses should be global and not focused on a specific region or topic.

Students may choose to use a depth course from the International Business co-major for one requirement in this section. A student may choose one depth and one breadth, or two breadth. Business language courses are an option for the IB minor as a depth offering.

III. International Experience Requirement

An international experience that meets the Carlson School requirements of all students will fulfill the minor requirement.

IV. Language Study Requirement

Additional language beyond high school is highly recommended, but not required for the minor.

Please note that all classes are not offered every semester. Please check the class schedule on One Stop for details.

View Program Requirements and Course Descriptions

Career

A career in international business involves thinking globally about the business environment. A global mindset involves a multifaceted approach to understanding cultural differences, governing bodies, and financial variances that are experienced in the international market place. International business primarily deals with managing multinational business and turning local and national companies into international success stories.

Sample Careers for International Business Majors:

• Customs Broker
• Export Sales Representative
• Global Sourcing Specialist
• International Account Representative
• International Buyer
• Product Manager
• International Trader/Broker

Companies that Hire International Business Majors:

There are many different types of companies that hire international business majors. Typical companies include most multinational companies, U.S. companies with an international presence, or companies that do business outside of the United States.

Sample Plans

International Business