IB Course Descriptions

Below is a list of sample courses students use to build a program of study based on their career interests. Many IB majors also choose electives offered on study abroad programs in consultation with their advisors.

BUS 070 – GLOBALIZATION

This course is designed as an introduction to the processes, institutions, and problems associated with doing business in international environments. The perspective adopted here is that of an international business manager looking beyond the boundaries of the firm. The course material will be naturally divided into two sections. The first focus will be on the political, social, cultural, and economic consequences of globalization and the differences between national markets. The second focus will be on cross-border trade and the global monetary system. Sophomore standing. Prereq.: ECON 002

ECON 130 – INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS

The study of international trade theories and policies, factor movements, and monetary relations, including foreign exchange markets, adjustment mechanisms and policies, and the international monetary system. Prereq.: ECON 002 and ECON 010 and MATH 020 or higher.

ECON 131 – CHINA'S ECONOMY

China's economy has grown more rapidly than any other major economy in recent years. This course examines causes and consequences of this growth, including trends, challenges, policy responses and current developments. Similarities and differences between U.S. and Chinese economic institutions will be examined in detail. Prereq.: ECON 002 or ECON 010, and MATH 020 or higher.

ECON 135 – DEVELOPING ECONOMIES

Patterns and prospects for development in the less developed countries of the world. Characteristics of low-income countries, the economics of the development process built around alternative theories of economic development. Prereq.: ECON 002 and ECON 010 and MATH 020 or higher.

FIN 170 – INTERNATIONAL FINANCE
Topics in international finance of relevance to international business majors. Topics typically include the balance of payments, currency valuation and fluctuation, international capital markets, financial instruments arising in international trade, multinational business finance, international banking, and student-chosen topics. Prereq.: FIN 101.

MGMT 170 - INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT
This course examines a broad understanding of how culture impacts management in the international business environment. The major objective of the course is to engender a global mindset and a better understanding of the problems and challenges that organizations and managers face in the international context. Prereq.: Senior standing, MGMT 110, BUS 070, FIN 101, and MKTG 101

MKTG 170 - GLOBAL MARKETING
This course addresses the globalization of marketing management and strategy. Specific emphasis is placed on elements of the global environment, assessments of global opportunities, and the development of global product, pricing, promotion, and distribution strategies. Prereq.: MKTG 101.

POLS 065 - COMPARATIVE POLITICS

This introductory course encourages students to look at politics in other countries from a comparative perspective. Basic topics in the field include the origins of states, political culture, types of political regimes, political institutions, causes of revolution, the roots of democracy, and political development. The study of a few select countries and regions helps to illustrate these concepts. Prereq.: none.

POLS 075 – WORLD POLITICS

An introductory survey of the field of international relations, covering differing national perspectives on current issues, current trends in the evolution of the international system, sources of conflict, international political economy, and the roles of international law and international organizations. Prereq.: none

WLC 148 – INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

The discipline of intercultural communication deals with human interactions between and among culturally different individuals in the context of the globalizing world as well as U.S. co-cultures. The purpose of this course is to raise students' awareness of "cultural relativity" as an ethical guiding principle, which prompts them to recognize the danger of ethnocentric arrogance and come to respect other cultures. It is also important for students to understand that their usually unconscious absolute dogmatism to view their own culture as superior to others (e.g., "the greatest nation on Earth") will hinder their foreign-language acquisition because any foreign language they attempt to learn has a unique configuration of denotations and connotations, which is quite different from their own. In short, students must strive to learn how to see "reality" from within the culture of a foreign language rather than from their own. Three major components of the course are intercultural communication theories, foreign language acquisition, and mass media images.