Program Requirements

Students complete 45 credits (15 courses), which are divided among the following three core areas:

• Area studies/international relations
• Foreign language
• International business and economics

CPIB allows students the flexibility to design a plan of study that meets both their professional goals and personal interests.

Area Studies/International Relations

Students have the opportunity to choose from more than 150 courses in liberal arts disciplines ranging from the social sciences to the fine arts. Upper-level literature courses in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures also fulfill the requirement.

For a list of courses that meet this requirement, go to

• Area studies/international relations, listed by department
• Area studies/international relations, listed by geographic region

Foreign Language

Although much international business takes place in English, learning another language helps students to better understand a country's business practices. As students develop proficiency in a foreign language, they also gain greater insight into other cultures.

Students typically take French, German, Italian, or Spanish, but other languages will be considered for approval. Students also take upper-level language courses focusing on literature and culture.

International Business and Economics

Students receive a strong foundation of knowledge in economics, and then move on to take specific courses in their areas of interest in international business, such as marketing or management.

Students take the following five courses (15 credits):

• Principles of Macroeconomics (306-12100)
• Principles of Microeconomics (306-12200)
• International Business Operations (881-26500)
• One course chosen from the following list:

  World of Business (888-10100) OR Introduction to Business (882-11100)   Financial Accounting (880-22500)   Financial Markets and Institutions (883-20300)   Human Resource Management (885-34000)   Principles of Management (882-22000)   Principles of Marketing (884-31200)   Legal Environment of Business I (887-20300)

• One course is chosen from the following list:

  International Economics (306-41100)   International Mangement of Human Resources (881-36000) (Prerequisite: Human Resource Management, 885-34000)   Export/Import Operations (881-48000)   International Business Internship (881-49800)   International Finance (883-37000) (Prerequisite: Business Finance, 883-31100)   International Marketing (884-38000) (Prerequisite: Principles of Marketing, 884-31200)   International Business Law (887-31000) (Prerequisite: Legal Environment of Business I, 887-20300)

Sample Plans of Study

Sample I: Assumes no background in French

Area Studies/International Relations

• Introduction to Global Studies (310-12900)
• 20th-Century European Art (376-25200)
• Studies in French History (311-35700)
• Contemporary French Culture (308-34400
• Global Race and Ethnic Relations (331-30300)

Foreign Language

• Elementary French I (308-10100)
• Elementary French II (308-10200)
• Intermediate French I (308-20100)
• Intermediate French II (308-20200)
• Spoken and Written Communication (308-30100)

International Business and Economics

• Macroeconomics (306-12100)
• Microeconomics (306-12200)
• International Business Operations (881-26500)
• Principles of Marketing (884-31200)
• International Marketing (884-38000)

Sample II: Assumes no background in Spanish

Area Studies/International Relations

• Latin American Politics (310-33100)
• Colonial Latin America (311-32100)
• Modern Latin America (311-32200)
• Latin American Civilization (318-24100)
• Advanced Spanish Grammar and Composition (318-32100)

Foreign Language

• Elementary Spanish I (318-10100)
• Elementary Spanish II (318-10200)
• Intermediate Spanish I (318-20100)
• Intermediate Spanish II (318-20200)
• Introduction to Latin American Literature (318-26400)

International Business and Economics

• Macroeconomics (306-12100)
• Microeconomics (306-12200)
• Human Resource Management (885-34000)
• International Business Operations (881-26500)
• International Management of Human Resources (881-36000)