WHAT IS AN ONLINE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DEGREE?
In an international business degree program, you will study how a business operates. Then, you will apply these key functions to the global marketplace.
In most programs, you will touch on topics from management to finance, and, you will cover a foreign language. As a result, when you graduate, you hopefully will have acquired a myriad of skills. As such, you will be prepared to do business with companies, banks and people from all over the world.
TYPES OF ONLINE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DEGREE PROGRAMS
A.S. in International Business
In this program, you will blend business, political science and finance courses. You will also study the ethical impact of international business. It may help you understand basic business practices. The hope is the program prepares you for an entry level career at global firms.
Course Examples:
- International Marketing
- International Economics
- Intercultural Communication
B.S. (B.S.B.A.) in Business Administration International Business
In this bachelor’s program, you will study a business and management core. It may help you understand these areas well. Yet, you will be prepared to understand the global economy. Some courses you take will touch on themes like cross cultural communication. Others you take will cover global negotiation. And in a few courses, you will discuss trade law and leadership for virtual teams.
Course Examples:
- Global Managerial Economics
- Financial Statement Analysis
- International Business Practices
M.B.A. International Business
If you choose an M.B.A. track, you will focus foremost on international law, economics, and marketing. You will also learn about TQM in International Business. Plus, you will cover strategic management in order to prepare you as a leader and manager in the international context.
Course Examples:
- International Business Finance
- Human Resources Administration
- Leadership and Management
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DEGREE ONLINE PROGRAMS
In a typical international business degree program, you will complete a 120 credit course load, and earn a bachelor’s degree. Your work will consist of general and core courses. Also, you will likely complete some type of capstone. Even if you pursue your degree online, you may also have an opportunity to study abroad.
Most course plans, you will find, include topics from different disciplines. One such topic you can expect to study is business. Another you can expect to cover is management. Topics in this area may explain to you how to market a product to other countries. Or, you will cover the logistics of international trade.
Another area which you are likely to study is international finance. In these classes, you may discuss investments, tariffs and interest rates. So, you may learn to assess risks and profit margins.
Along the way, you will often study wider contexts for these issues. So, you will cover areas like global economics and comparative politics. You may have to learn a foreign language, too.
Yet, in other courses, you may cover ethics, laws and conduct. For instance, you could cover how to interact with virtual teams. In fact, you may also find classes in cross cultural communication and global negotiation.
Apart from your classes, you may have the opportunity to build a wide range of skills. As such, you may improve your ability to write and make effective presentations. You will also improve your decision making. For instance, you will learn how to assess risk. You will also cover how to analyze data. And, you will come up with tactical plans.
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WHAT DO INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DEGREE COURSES LOOK LIKE?
As you can see, there are different kinds of online international business programs available. What does this mean for you? Well, your classes will depend as much on your program’s level (A.S., B.S., M.S., M.B.A., Ph.D.) as it will on your program’s focus. Below, you will see a sample curriculum with some examples of course descriptions. You can also see the program names. And, you can use them to see where your interests lie.
Some common courses include:
International Marketing: You will examine how business markets products and services worldwide. It may also discuss domestic strategies and how to adapt them. This may mean studying how economics, politics and culture impact campaigns.
International Finance: This type of class often explores the world of corporate finance and investments. It may highlight things like how to figure out exchange rates and risks. Other topics may also relate to international money markets, banking and financing.
International Business Communications: Learn how to effectively communicate across cultures by learning to address political, economic, social, cultural and military concerns of the local populations during business campaigns.
International Economics: Here, you will often look at key economic variables that affect firms. These might cover things like GDP, inflation, interest and exchange rates. Other topics may cover international trade and regional issues in the global economy.
Intercultural Communication: Learn how to change your message for a new audience. In this course, you may look at methods that could help you reach other cultures.
Strategic Management: Delve into the methods of managing on a global stage. This course may use case studies to help show how managers achieve success.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE YOU TO COMPLETE AN ONLINE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DEGREE PROGRAM?
As a full time student, you may need up to four years to earn an international business degree. Going further, you can get a graduate degree. If you pursue an M.S. or M.B.A. program, it will usually take you from one to two years. Or if you pursue a doctoral program, like the D.B.A., it may take you three to six years.
If you have transfer credits to apply to your degree, you can shorten your completion time. Many online schools, you will find, also offer accelerated programs. So, you can take a full course load with no summer breaks.
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DEGREE PROGRAM EXAMPLES
| School | # of Credits Required | Start Dates | Minimum Months to Complete |
| Ashford University | 120 | Multiple | 208 weeks |
| Colorado Technical University | 180 | May, July, August | 15 terms or less |
| Colorado Christian University | 120 | Fall, Spring, Summer | 70 weeks |
HOW MUCH DOES AN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DEGREE PROGRAM COST YOU?
Are you wondering about cost? Well, one of the things that may impact how much it costs you to earn a degree in international business, is where you study. You will find the average in state tuition is $6,959. While you will find the average out of state tuition to be $32,274.
What else will influence the cost of your tuition? Well, you will find the amount of credits you need to complete really matters. Here, again, if you have transfer credits, they may be useful. This is because you will be able to reduce your expenses if you can use them. In the table below, you can find an outline for the cost per credit at several schools.
| School | # of Credits Required | Cost Per Credit | Total Tuition Cost |
| Ashford University | 120 | $485 | $58,200 |
| Colorado Technical University | 180 | $325 | $58,500 |
| Regent University | 120 | $395 | $47,400 |
TOP SCHOOLS THAT OFFER INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DEGREES
According to DataUSA, you will find over 598 schools that offer International business, trade, and commerce degrees or programs. From those schools, you will see 9,442 International business, trade, or commerce degrees or programs awarded to students.
| School | 2017 Degrees awarded | 2019/20 Tuition (out of state unless *) |
| Florida International University | 596 | $18,963 |
| Hult International Business School | 458 | $42,500* |
| University of South Carolina Columbia | 220 | $33,928 |
| Arizona State University Tempe | 172 | $29,428 |
| Wayne State University | 162 | $28,887 |
| George Washington University | 138 | $56,935* |
| Georgetown University | 131 | $56,058* |
Estimated for full time, beginning undergrad students
CHOOSING AN ACCREDITED INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DEGREE
Do you know what it means to choose an accredited school? Well, if you choose a school that has regional accreditation, it means your school has another tier of approval. It shows you that your business school or specific program, meets quality standards.
What do you think a school needs to do to earn this status? You will usually find that a school needs to submit to a full review. This process, you should know, checks that your school’s curriculum is up to date. Also, you will find, it confirms the curriculum is ethical. The review will also confirm that your school is prepared to prep you for the industry.
You will find the school’s status is usually good for a period of time. For instance, with the AACSB, your review will last five years. What does this mean for you and your school? Well, after this time, your school needs to undergo another formal process. Again, you should know, this is to check courses and student outcomes.
You can find several agencies involved in this process. If you want to verify the status of your program or school, you can check the databases below.
WHAT KIND OF JOBS CAN YOU GET WITH AN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DEGREE?
You will be happy to know that business and financial careers may grow 7% from 2018 to 2028. You should know that’s faster than average for all occupations! Do you plan to earn a business degree? Do you think you have an interest in this path? Below, you can see a few career tracks you can consider if you do.