The International Business (IB) major at Elizabethtown College offers an innovative, practical and integrated curriculum that combines business skills with proficiency in a foreign language, understanding of other cultures and effective communications from a global perspective. With an International Business degree from Etown, you will be prepared for positions at global companies in roles such as a global financial manager, a consultant for global companies, an international accountant, an international economist or an import/export compliance specialist.
Victoria Edwards '19
Elizabethtown College Student Awarded Fulbright Scholarship
Recently, Elizabethtown College senior Victoria Edwards was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship. Victoria, an International Business and Japanese double-major with a specialization in Political Science, plans to conduct research in Japan and proposed affiliation at Sophia University and Waseda University. “I am honored to have come this far, but I am even more eager to begin my work abroad and complete a project worthy of the bestowed honors,” said Edwards who also studied abroad in Japan in 2017. “This award will enable me to return to Japan and devote myself to a project that capitalizes on my passions, strengths, and aspirations” Edwards, of Bear, Delaware, will focus her research project on examining polarization among contemporary Japanese youth activists and non-participants, and the changing landscape of youth political participation. She also will study comparative developments in former generations' political behavior over time. “Being able to engage with individuals and events firsthand, rather than from behind a computer screen, imparts a deep sense of importance to my work,” Edwards said. “I look forward to listening to the stories of those I meet and understanding their role with respect to larger social trends.” Edwards plans to digitally archive her findings, providing descriptions in English and Japanese. The Fulbright Program is devoted to increasing mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Fulbright is the world’s largest and most diverse international educational exchange program.
Global experience is increasingly important in the business world today and companies are looking for employees who have a global perspective, understand our interconnection with other countries and are able to negotiate with people from other cultures. Our International Business degree has distinct components that give you the skills, knowledge and experience you need to succeed in today’s global market. Our selective program accepts top students who will thrive in an exciting and challenging classroom environment. We provide many departmental opportunities for students to get involved and prepare for the future.
In addition to core Business courses in accounting, marketing, finance, economics and management, your International Business program will include a combination of business studies, foreign culture and international interaction classes. Some of the courses you may take to complete your degree include:
-
BA 258 - Global Business Negotiations
-
FIN 327 - International Financial Management
-
BA 337 - International Legal and Ethical Environment of Business
-
EC 307 - International Economics
-
PS 245 - NCH International Relations or PS 150 – Comparative Politics
-
BA 497 - International Business Seminar
In addition to courses specific to the major, students will be required to complete modern language course requirements. For complete course information for our international business degree, please view our International Business (B.S.) course catalog.
Become Proficient in a Modern Language’. ‘Those who pursue this degree may choose one of several languages to earn an additional credential to complement their international business degree. ETown’s top rated language programs will allow you, as an international business major, to understand the business and culture of another country to provide you with a competitive advantage upon graduation.’
- Chinese
- French
- German
- Japanese
- Spanish
Study Abroad & Complete Our Innovative Curriculum
While completing our International Business degree, you can participate in a study abroad experience. Through our program, you’ll have the ability to concentrate in a business area of your choice such as Finance, Marketing, Accounting, Economics, Management, Dara Analytics or Entrepreneurship & Family Business. No matter what area that you choose to focus on, you'll gain an understanding of the history, economic and political systems of different cultures and master the skills to interact and negotiate effectively in the global community.
Benefit from Mentorship Experiences
As an International Business major, you’ll be mentored by an executive in your area of interest. Our selective program allows our students to develop close relationships with our faculty and members of the International Business Advisory Board. These interactions provide excellent networking opportunities for our students throughout their time at Etown and beyond. Our Advisory Board members have offered numerous internship and full time job opportunities to our students.
Gain Hands-On Experience with Real-World Projects
Through your studies, you will complete an approved internship and participate in real-world projects and hands-on activities for multinational companies. In our finance lab, you’ll interact with the real business world while working with real-time global commerce data. You will work with faculty advisors on research projects and have the opportunity to present your research at national and international conferences as well as publication of your work in reputable academic journals.
We have a strong connection with our School of Business alumni and businesses in the local community and provide a number of networking opportunities for our students throughout the year. These networks also help our students to gain internship placements and jobs after graduation.
IB Alumni Ambassadors
Our faculty and curriculum work together to provide you with essential global business management skills, so you’ll be prepared for any position in any location around the world after graduation. Our active alumni network is available to our students to assist with mentorship and career exploration.
Our Alumni Network
Student/Faculty Ratio
Average
Yearly Applications
Accepted First-Year Students
Post-Graduation Job Placement
Alumni Work In The USA For Global Companies
The Class of 2023 has an average SAT score of 1,338 and class rank of 7.9%!
Anastassiya Sayenko ’19
International Business Major
Anastassiya graduated in 2019 with a major in International Business, a concentration in Finance, and a minor in Psychology. An important aspect of Anastassiya’s experience at Etown was research. After working as a Research Assistant at the Social Enterprise Institute during her sophomore year, she co-published a paper titled “Impact Investing: Relying on Social Return on Investment to Address Epilepsy in Africa” with Dr. Hossein Varamini. She continued to explore her interest in research by being a part of Summer Scholarship, Creative Arts and Research Projects Program (SCARP) and assisted Dr. Varamini in writing an international business textbook. During her senior year, she worked on her Honors in the Discipline thesis titled “The Case for Behavioral Finance: Examining the Performance of Behavioral Mutual Funds.” Her research explored the application of psychology-based principles in finance and investments specifically. Anastassiya presented her work at the Cyrus Institute of Knowledge (CIK) Conference at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and at the Nineteenth Annual Student Conference in Business and Economics at Elizabethtown College. The same year, she led a team in the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Equity Research Challenge which involved developing a comprehensive sell-side report on a given stock. Elizabethtown College’s team placed first in the Philadelphia area and represented the College in New York City at the Americas Regional Competition. After graduation, Anastassiya was offered a Financial Specialist position at Koenig and Bauer, a multinational printing press manufacturer, in Dallas, TX.
At Etown, you will learn about International Business management in our new finance lab in the Hoover Center for Business. Our professors will help you to interact with real businesses while working with real-time global commerce data. Our goal is to prepare every student completing the International Business degree for any position anywhere in the world after graduation. That’s why we require our students to participate in a study abroad experience and work on real projects for multinational companies. These opportunities allow our students to engage with global business strategies in a foreign country before they graduate, giving them an advantage over their peers from other colleges and universities.
Obtaining a degree in International Business will provide you with a strong background in global business, economics, marketing and management which lead to a variety of career opportunities such as:
- Market Research Analyst
- Financial Advisor
- Global Management Analyst
- International Banker
- Marketing Manager
- Business consultant
- Human Resource Manager
- Economic Analyst
- Logistics Specialist
- Credit Analyst
- Economist
- Investor Relations Associate
Average starting salary for someone with a degree in International Business was $58,651 in 2019.
After leaving campus, graduates with a major in International Business are working with major companies or have attended some of the most prestigious graduate schools.
Graduate School Preparedness
Upon graduating, our International Business majors have moved on to positions and top companies or to graduate MBA programs such as:
Schools and Universities:
Our alumni work in various fields at firms such as:
Jason Clough ’17
International Business Major
Two days after Jason first visited campus and met the Business faculty, he decided to attend Etown to study International Business and play lacrosse. "The IB program is incredibly unique in that it covers the broad disciplines of business while also allowing each student to concentrate on their interests. Etown was not just a school, but more importantly a community of likeminded people that all seemed sincerely happy. I also completed internships with JPMorgan and Deutsche Bank before my final year at school and had three job offers (Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan) going into my senior year." Jason has been working as a Wholesale Lending Analyst at JPMorgan Chase as part of their Global Financial Analyst Development Program since graduation. Largely due to the focus on service from Etown, he has also spent time volunteering at HOPE International in Lancaster as a financial consultant to further their non-profit mission.
