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International Business Major

Combine comprehensive business knowledge with cross-cultural skills and experience as you prepare to help organizations thrive in a diverse global context.

Zimpleman College of Business | On-Campus

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What You'll Learn

Today, companies strike up relationships and begin long-term contracts in an increasingly globalized marketplace. And professionals are expected to understand and rapidly adapt to its various nuances, whether for attracting new customers, creating promotional campaigns, or managing supply chains.

International Business majors learn to excel in this highly dynamic environment, gaining cross-functional skills to guide decisions in a complex world. You’ll start with coursework in finance, accounting, economics, strategy, marketing, and organizational behavior before expanding your knowledge of global marketing, international finance, and effective communication methods.

Beyond the basics, the International Business major prepares you to appreciate and navigate diverse cultural settings. You’ll study comparative politics, develop facility in a foreign language, and participate in an immersive international experience, where you’ll apply course concepts while interning for an international organization or through research or service learning.

Many students elect to complete a double major, focusing their career direction in a functional area like finance or marketing. Drake also offers numerous minors for acquiring additional expertise in a specific global region’s history and cultural practices.

About the International Business Major

  • Acquire a curiosity about the world that leads to a lifetime of learning.
  • Gain the knowledge and experiences necessary for managing the complexities of global business.
  • Develop a transnational mindset that engenders responsible global citizenship.
  • Become proficient in a second language.
  • Learn from faculty educated at some of the world’s best business schools and who speak half a dozen languages.
  • Double major to graduate with both global and functional expertise—International Business and Marketing is a popular combination.

Program Facts

  • On campus
  • Attend full-time or part-time
  • 120 total credits; 75 credits for the major and business core
  • 100% of International Business majors study abroad

Program Options

Whether taken alone or paired with a double major, international business equips you for wise leadership in an interconnected world.

B.S.B.A. in International Business

A common business core strengthens your foundation in widely applied competencies before you build a multifaceted skill set for operating in an international climate.

Double Major

A double major gives you incredible career potential as you channel your global enterprise expertise toward a particular operational area, like marketing, accounting, or finance.

Meet the Faculty

Access top-tier expertise and experience. Drake’s faculty have an extensive background in international business, helping Fortune 100 companies, nonprofits, and governments navigate the dynamics of enterprise in a diverse, global marketplace.

Jeff A. Kappen, PhD

Jeff A. Kappen, PhD

Associate Professor, International Business; Department Chair, Management, Marketing, International Business, and Public Administration

Matthew Mitchell, PhD

Matthew Mitchell, PhD

Associate Professor, International Business and Strategy

Molly Shepard, Ph.D.

Molly Shepard, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Practice, Leadership, Human Resources, & Organizational Behavior

All Faculty Members

Outside the Classroom

As an International Business major, you’ll see how the world works—from observing corporate structures and financial markets in Vietnam to Argentina to developing key cross-cultural communication skills for building connections with future coworkers, clients, and customers.

A Drake International Business major stands outdoors in front of a series of flags

Study Abroad

All majors study abroad, gaining vital exposure to diverse global environments from Dubai to Santiago and everywhere in between. During past trips, students have worked for international financial firms, built a health clinic in Uganda, and studied the evolution of Islamic consumer markets.

Two hands shake, one with a jeweled metal bracelet and the other with a blue shirt cuff

Internships

Connect classroom learning with on-the-ground experience. Students find paid opportunities with multinational corporations in Des Moines and across the U.S. or incorporate an internship into their study abroad experience.

Drake International Business students sit around a table in a common area to collaborate on a research project

Collaborative Research

In the DUIBiz Young Scholars Research Program, students dive into a research project with department faculty, sharing their findings at conferences or in peer-reviewed journals and honing key skills for graduate study.

Drake International Business students, in suits, stand in a line on stage after accepting their awards during a ceremony

Awards

The Zimpleman College of Business cultivates an ethos of social, environmental, and economic responsibility. The Dean’s Honor Roll for Social Impact recognizes students who invest in the local community through service and outreach.

Two Drake students, in graduation gowns, throw their caps in the air while standing in front of a building with uneven tiling

Scholarships

100% of full-time Drake undergraduate students receive scholarship support. In addition to university-wide sources, students may qualify for the Zimpleman Scholarship for Global Experiential Learning, intended to offset the costs of studying abroad.

Careers & Skills

Completing a bachelor’s degree in International Business equips you with what every leading organization today needs: a thorough grasp of operations, functions, and processes in a global context plus the cultural sensitivity to adapt to new settings.

As a Bulldog, you’ll bring an experience-informed, trusted perspective and expertise to specialist, supervisory, and managerial roles in multinational corporations, international trading companies, government agencies, and international institutions such as the United Nations or the World Bank.

Employers

  • Government agencies
  • International banks
  • International institutions
  • Multinational corporations
  • Non-governmental organizations

Skills

  • Business strategy
  • Cross-cultural communication
  • Market research
  • Foreign language proficiency
  • Adapting business goals to local contexts
  • Knowledge of global markets, regulations, and business practices
A Drake International Business student, in a black shirt with the Bulldog logo, stands outdoors as the wind blows their hair

Salary & Growth Outlook

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The median salary across all business and financial occupations in 2024. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Related Programs

Picturing a global career but unsure of your path ahead? Explore additional majors at Drake that examine business and other institutions in their broader social context.

Marketing, BSBA

Whether for developing a brand’s story or studying audience characteristics, Marketing majors pursue a career path that’s rooted in connection.

Finance, BSBA

Prepare to help businesses and individuals manage their money and reach their financial goals in a career-focused program that places real-world experience at the center.

Business Law, BSBA

Train to become a source of indispensable guidance as you help organizations successfully navigate the laws and regulations shaping today’s complex business environment.

Take the Next Step

Center your business education on the world as you prepare for a boundary-pushing career with a bachelor’s degree in International Business from Drake.

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A group of four International Business students walk outdoors through the Drake campus