The international business major in the College of Business is a highly structured program that is best suited to students in their first semester of the freshman year.  There are certain requirements that are unique to this major including a full semester study abroad and the fulfillment of a foreign language requirement.

Study Abroad

All international business majors are required to study abroad for a minimum of one full semester.  Summer study abroad cannot be used to satisfy this requirement.  One of the primary goals of the full semester study abroad is to enhance the student's proficiency in the chosen foreign language within its cultural context.  It is recommended that students study abroad during the second semester of their sophomore year or the first semester of the junior year.  Immediately upon their return from the study abroad, students are required to sit for a foreign language competency examination through the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures.  It is the student's responsibility to arrange the study abroad through the ECU International Programs Office.

World Regions

The full semester study abroad must be completed in an approved nation within the student's chosen world region.  There are five world regions from which a student can choose -- Africa/Middle East, Asia, Europe, South America, and North America.  Each student must choose the language of preference within the appropriate world region.  The study abroad must be completed within the nation whose native tongue is the student's preference.

Courses in the 27-semester hour international business concentration include:

Six courses beyond the one common body of knowledge international perspectives course requirement
(18 semester hours) - select six:

Foreign Language Requirement

Intended majors are required to have a minimum competency in a foreign language such that they could test out of taking the Level 1 course at ECU.  Intended majors also are strongly encouraged to complete the Level 4 of the appropriate language by the first semester of their sophomore year and/or prior to the semester of the student's study abroad.  The language test (ACTFL), which is administered upon the student's return from the full semester study abroad, is available in four competency areas -- writing, speaking, listening, and reading.  Using the ACTFL guidelines, students will be required to score intermediate-high on listening and reading and intermediate-mid on speaking and writing.

Free electives (9 semester hours) --courses chosen by the student. May be used to take language courses if necessary.

Choose 9 s.h. based one of the following World Regions chosen by the student (not more than two courses from any one dept):

Students choose three courses from more than twenty-five available within five world regions including Africa/Middle East, South America, Asia, Europe, and North America.

World Regions and Courses Available

For more information about the major in international business contact:

Dr. Tope Bello, Department of Management
3106 Bate Building, School of Business
East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858-4353
Telephone 252-328-4856
E-mail: bellot@ecu.edu