Regents approve international business major

June 08, 2012

UW-Whitewater business students can now add a strong level of international sophistication to their college experience.

Starting this fall, a new international business major will combine worldwide business knowledge, travel experience and language skills to prepare graduates for jobs in today's global economy.

"From an employer's standpoint, students with international experience are crucial assets to companies, and in some cases, international background is required when students are interviewing for a job," said Praveen Parboteeah, professor of management.

The new international business major will train students to become fluent in a second language by requiring 16 credits in a foreign language, and require them to study abroad. Students will learn about best practices in a global business environment by taking courses in finance, economics, management, accounting and law.

With the job market competitive and businesses going global, students with cultural skills on their resumes will stand out among the competition, Parboteeah said.

"If you look and see how much Wisconsin is dependent on global works, I think it's necessary. It's critical," he said. "Even if you don't go in that direction, you are impacted by global forces in the job market."

UW-Whitewater already has many resources in place to help support the major and supplement learning. The College of Business and Economics houses the Global Business Resource Center, an outreach center that provides services to students, faculty, businesses and other stakeholders in the area of global business. UW-Whitewater's diverse teaching staff is populated with professors from numerous countries including the BRIC nations of India and China.

The major, approved by the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents on June 7, will be available to students this fall.