International Business Honors Program Description

Through a unique combination of business courses, regional studies, and a foundation in the humanities, the International Business Honors program is designed to help students understand all the functional areas of a firm as well as the global, strategic management issues businesses face today.

Students are challenged to use the multicultural perspectives and expertise they acquire in their courses to enrich class discussions and group projects. Small classes enable students to work with both faculty and colleagues in a close-knit and highly interactive learning environment.

Scroll through the following topics for more information.

• Program description
• Degree requirements
• Required courses
• Program director

Unique features

The IB Honors program allows students to:

• study among a select group of peers in the Honors College
• learn business skills that are in step with the emerging trends in international and global business
• engage in an exciting, innovative, global and multicultural approach to business education with:
• courses in international business and management taught by our expert international faculty
• electives in regional studies with specific focus on: Asia, Latin America, or Europe
• courses in the humanities—sociology, anthropology, religious studies, international relations, political science, philosophy, and history to enhance your business expertise
• study abroad opportunities
• an array of international community service projects
• a chance to network in a vibrant center of international commerce—Miami, an emerging global city and gateway to the world
• receive academic and career guidance from a dedicated faculty and staff,
• join the International Business Honors Society and participate in community service programs, national conferences, and other developmental activities.

Program description

The International Business (IB) Honors program operates in partnership with the Honors College at Florida International University. All IB Honors students must first be admitted to the FIU Honors College before declaring IB honors as their major. Upon graduation, students receive both a BBA degree in International Business Honors and an Honors degree from the FIU Honors College.

Students in the program can choose to select a region and a corresponding language as a focus for his or her studies. He or she then takes courses in business as well as in a regional studies area and a foreign language. Alternatively, students can focus on the international areas of a specific business function. The program director will work with each student to prepare a plan of study that strategically aligns with the student’s career goals. Students in the program are encouraged to study abroad for at least one summer to develop their knowledge of the people in that region, their history and culture, and their business, economic, and political environment.

In addition to their classroom and study abroad experiences, students are expected to complete both an honor thesis related to international business as well as a community service component. Both of these are challenging tasks that are the culmination of a student’s undergraduate studies. The thesis allows students to show mastery in their field of study while contributing to the knowledge of international business. The community service requirement is an opportunity for students to learn how to become global business and community leaders.

Degree requirements

The IB Honors degree signifies joining a cadre of high caliber managers who have exemplary business skills and a refined understanding of the cultural, historical, religious and political contexts within given regions of the global economic system.

Courses with an asterisk (*) require a grade of "B" or higher. Sixty credits of upper division course work are required for the degree. Completion of a senior thesis, as developed in the IB Honors Project Seminar and through an independent study with a faculty advisor, is required for graduation. Similarly, the student must receive a passing evaluation on the community service requirement.

Required courses

Business core: IB Honors majors are required to complete 30 credit hours in the following courses:

Major requirements: IB Honors majors are required to complete 30 credit hours in the following courses:

IB Honors electives: IB Honors majors will select three courses from among the Advanced Business/Regional courses:

Options for Advanced Business courses

Options for Regional Studies courses

Program director

Dr. William Schneper is the director of the International Business Honors Program. Dr. Schneper may be reached by e-mail at at william.schneper@fiu.edu