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2017-2018 Graduate Studies Bulletin (Archived Copy) 
    
 
  Mar 29, 2024
 
2017-2018 Graduate Studies Bulletin (Archived Copy) [Archived Catalog]

International Business, I.M.B.A.


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Graduates of the I.M.B.A. generally accept managerial positions whose responsibilities have a global component. The Moore School of Business has demonstrated its ability to equip graduates to perform in positions of leadership in global business. The I.M.B.A. program differs from more traditional graduate business degrees in the extent to which a global perspective is taken on all issues. The language and global issues components offer superb preparation for the internship. Significant assignments are undertaken in the internship. The numerous elective courses in international business and the high-quality elective courses available in all areas of the Moore School of Business allow I.M.B.A. participants who so choose to develop a significant area of specialized expertise. Graduates of the I.M.B.A. program are true internationalists, equipped to operate in the culturally diverse markets now open to the global firm.

The degree program prepares its graduates for global business careers. Each graduate has the opportunity to develop competency in a second language and will complete a rigorous program of graduate business study, develop an understanding of another culture and business environment, and integrate academic course work through the experience of an extensive internship. Each candidate for the degree is admitted to a language track or the global track. The language selected determines the culture to be studied and the region of the world where the internship is located. Language tracks currently offered are French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish (two-year programs), and Arabic, Chinese, and Japanese (three-year programs). Rather than learn another language, students in the global track pursue additional course work that focuses on the political, economic, and business factors affecting the investment climate of various regions of the world. The program must be taken on a full-time basis, with classes beginning each July. The courses in the program are taken in sequence over a two- or three-year period, depending on the track to which the candidate is admitted.

Learning Outcomes

  • Communication skills: Students will be able to be able to engage in effective business communication, with competencies demonstrated for both oral and written communication. 
  • Business Acumen: Students will acquire in-depth knowledge in the core foundational courses of business to understand the operations of the modern business corporation. 
  • Data-driven decision-making skills: Students will examine the role of quantitative data in managerial decision-making. They will understand the importance and roles of different types of data (financial, economic, accounting, etc.) Utilize appropriate format for presentation of data. 
  • Global business competencies: Students will be able to draw upon their understanding of the international business environment to address complex business or economic questions. 
  • Integrative understanding of business and government interactions globally: Students will possess the skills to capture and understand an insider s perspective of how business is conducted in a particular country 
  • Foreign Language Proficiency: Students will acquire effective communication skills in other languages as identified in their program of study. 
  • Global Leadership: Students will acquire the specific skills to enable them to work and lead across borders. 

Admission

Requirements for admission to the program conform to the general regulations of The Graduate School and the accreditation standards of AACSB International-the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Applicants submit the official graduate application, an official transcript of their complete academic record, and satisfactory scores on the GMAT or GRE. At least two years of meaningful work experience is expected.

International applicants whose native language is not English are also required to submit a satisfactory score on the TOEFL or the IELTS Intl. Academic Course Type 2 exam. Otherwise-qualified candidates are required to achieve a TOEFL score of at least iBT 100 or 600 paper-based or a score of at least 7.0 on the IELTS exam. The TOEFL is not required of international students who have a degree from an American college or university. Graduates of foreign universities or colleges who have completed an academic program equivalent to a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. institution are encouraged to apply for admission.

Please visit the Darla Moore School of Business  website for admissions information.

Degree Requirements (68 Hours)

Language Track (68 Hours)


The Language Track consists of, but is not limited to, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, French, German and Portuguese.

Candidates in the language tracks will complete a 68 credit hour curriculum as follows.

Elective courses in the Moore School of Business (18 Hours)


These electives are chosen from the list of approved elective offerings of the Moore School of Business.

Note:


Candidates in the Arabic, Chinese, and Japanese tracks must also complete a prescribed overseas curriculum to meet the degree requirements. These three language tracks are full time programs that normally require 36 months to complete. Students spend approximately one-and-a-half years abroad developing language competency and cultural understanding and completing their internship.

European Track


Note: As of 2008, the European track is no longer admitting students.

Students with significant work experience may not need the on-the-job training that an international internship offers. To meet the needs of these students, the Moore School of Business has developed a joint program with the Wirtschaftsuniversitat Wien (WU-Wien, Vienna Economics and Business University), Austria’s leading business school. This all-English, 15-month program builds on the best of European and American management education.

Students gain international experience by taking classes at the WU-Wien for six months. Outstanding faculty from both institutions teach the internationalized business core. A distinguished speakers series and field trips reinforce material learned in class with actual European business practices. After finishing the core classes, students take two semesters of elective classes at the University of South Carolina along with students in the language and global tracks who have just returned from their internships.

Admission Requirements

The objective of the admissions procedure is to identify students who have a high probability of successfully completing the program. With this objective in mind, the following factors are considered in making the admission decision: undergraduate course of study and GPA, GMAT score, work experience, written statement from applicant, and letters of recommendation. All factors are considered in combination. No single deficiency will necessarily disqualify a student from admission. International applicants whose native language is not English are also required to submit a satisfactory score on the TOEFL or the IELTS Intl. Academic Course Type 2 exam. Otherwise-qualified candidates are expected to score at least 600 (250 computer-based score) on the TOEFL or at least 7.0 on the IELTS exam. The TOEFL is not required of international students who have a degree from an American college or university. The program in Vienna is designed for students with significant work experience. The goal is to admit students with an average work experience of six years. Students are not required to have taken undergraduate instruction in business administration.

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