Global Business Opportunities

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.

Foreign Languages

Since our program requires its students to spend a semester abroad, you will have an opportunity to practice your language skills in business and social setting with native speakers.

Additionally, just being in the classroom will round out your cross-cultural experience. We’re proud to say our faculty in the Department of Business is fluent in eight languages!

Plus, many international students study at Elizabethtown College and bring their perspectives and experiences to the program. In fact, about 25% of IB students hail from outside the United States.

Student Work: Emily Seratch

As part of her Chinese 212 class, Emily Seratch developed this introduction to Elizabethtown College for native Chinese speakers.

The Department of Business works closely with Elizabethtown’s Department of Modern Languages, which offers courses in:

Spanish

French

Japanese

Chinese

Study Abroad

Why study International Business at Etown College?

As an International Business student, you have the opportunity to study not just business, but explore business in a global market. More and more business is expanding into the global sphere, so we make it our commitment to preparing our students to interact and negotiate with others in a global community.

To prepare our students for such an incredible step into the competitive international business world, we have a rigorous nationally recognized program meant to challenge our students. Our state-of-the-art facilities provide our students the opportunity to build a solid foundation for applying their skills both in class and after graduation.

Curriculum Built for Your Success

At Etown, we have seven concentrations or academic tracks where you can focus your studies in order to best prepare yourself for the career of your choice after graduation:

Accounting
Economics
Finance
Management
Marketing
Entrepreneurship and Family Business
Self-Designed

Along the way, we provide our students with mentors working in the field they are interested in. These international business executives provide invaluable support and advice for students moving into this global market. Often these mentors can be the foot in the door students need to land internships while here at Etown, and after graduation to get the job of their dreams.

Connection to International Market

The Department of Business works very closely with the Department of Modern Languages to allow our students to gain an understanding of different cultures and master skills needed to interact and negotiate effectively in the global community. International Business majors are required to take a foreign language and participate in at least one study abroad opportunity.

Studying abroad allows our students to prepare for a life working and living among people from different cultures. Studying abroad allows you to study the language, culture, and history of another country, but as an International Business student you will have the opportunity to practice your business skills while abroad too.

International Business students can choose from all five different languages offered at Etown: Spanish, French, Japanese, and Chinese. The program requires that you gain proficiency in one of these languages, which will broaden both in-demand hard skills, such as language proficiency, but also soft skills such as cultural awareness and sensitivity. To both hone language skills and gain cultural awareness, you’ll spend at least a semester abroad in a language-relevant country. Upon returning, you’ll take an oral proficiency test.

If you’re looking for more international experience in addition to your semester abroad, there are plenty of short-term study abroad options targeted directly for business students that allow you to travel abroad while still earning course credits. Students can travel to Brussels, Prague, Beijing, or Bangladesh. Students can also choose to stay in the US and travel to Washington DC for a few weeks at the Washington Institute.

We’re proud to say our faculty in the Department of Business are fluent in eight languages between them, and boast a diverse major as well. In fact, about 25% of International Business students hail from outside the United States. They bring their perspectives and experiences to the program in a unique way.

To learn more about opportunities with International Business, visit campus and speak with one of our professors, take a campus tour, or visit our Study Abroad officer to learn more!

For international students looking to apply to the International Business major, the additional language requirement in some cases may be waived. For more information regarding admission to the major, and accommodations for international students, please contact program advisor Hossein Varamini.

Mentoring and Internships

Gain a Professional Mentor

One-on-one career advice from a seasoned business executive and a direct connection to leaders in the global business community is invaluable to your education and professional development. That’s one of the hallmarks of the Elizabethtown International Business program. Every IB student is matched with a mentor from our advisory board, a group of 50+ business leaders that ensure our curriculum continues to prepare students for today’s business world.

Imagine being in a room with a few dozen powerful and successful executives and entrepreneurs, and sitting with a couple of them at lunch. That’s what happens once per year, when our International Business advisory board members come to campus for International Business Day. On this day, students can meet with their mentor, network with others and have lunch with business executives.

Apply Your Skills with Internships and Co-Op Opportunities

As an International Business student at Elizabethtown College, you will take concepts you’ve learned in the classroom into a professional setting by completing at least one internship either in the U.S. or abroad. IB students could also apply for a 6-8 month co-op opportunity with a multinational company and still graduate in 4 years.

Internships and co-ops not only give students practical experience and a chance to gain valuable insight, but they also build communication skills, boost confidence and, often, lead to job opportunities.

While one internship is required in the IB program, it is not uncommon for Elizabethtown students to pursue multiple placements. Strong relationships with our advisory board members and their respective companies, as well as formal partnerships with many local companies, provide access to quality internship sites.

In addition to internships and co-op opportunities, IB students work on real projects for multinational corporations as class assignments. The IB program cooperates closely with the Pennsylvania Office of International Business and the Small Business Development Center to identify IB-related projects for the students. These Collaborative Industry Partnership (CIP) projects will give our students hands-on experience of working with several multinational companies each year. Our students work in teams of 2-3 as professional consultants to conduct research for each company and present their recommendations to the company executives at the end of the semester.

Additionally, through alumni-student networking events, our active group on LinkedIn, and advisory board members, our students are meeting and learning from our diverse group of alumni. In many cases, these connections have led to internships or jobs for our students!