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BA in International Studies with Emphasis in International Business

Degree Program Description

The dual degree program leads to the BSBA in Business Administration with emphasis in one of the three International Business areas and the BA in International Studies with emphasis in International Business. This dual degree typically takes 4 1/2 to 5 years to complete. Students in the program will study advanced second language and participate in a study abroad experience to fulfill degree requirements. International Studies majors acquire analytical skills and knowledge that will enable them to understand and contribute to shaping the quickly evolving global community. The program prepares students for graduate study and careers in academia, teaching, law, business, public policy, humanitarian aid, non-profit organizations, government, and diplomacy.

Major Program Requirements

To complete this course of study, students must be accepted in both the Bachelor of Arts in International Studies program in the College of Arts and Science and the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration program in the Trulaske College of Business. Students are required to complete a minimum of 133-148 credit hours which is determined by the specific BSBA international business emphasis area chosen when they are accepted into the upper level in the Trulaske College of Business. Only one D-range grade is allowed in the major. Students must have a 2.0 GPA (cumulative, major, final 30 hours, and final 60 hours) to graduate.

A student majoring in this dual degree program must complete a 4-week minimum study abroad and courses in the following categories: International Core, Language, International Studies Area Support, Business Core, Business Emphasis, and Business Capstone.  

In addition to University, general education, and College of Arts and Science requirements, students must also meet the following major program requirements. All major requirements in the College of Arts and Science must be completed with grades of C- or higher unless otherwise indicated.

Study Abroad Requirement

  • Students should study abroad for a minimum of 4 weeks.
  • Credit earned during a study abroad experience may be used to fulfill major requirements.
  • Students should complete their study abroad experience prior to their last year.
  • Preparation for a study abroad experience should begin a year in advance.
  • International students may count their time in the U.S. towards their study abroad requirement.
  • Information on study abroad is available at the MU Study Abroad website.

International Studies Core Requirements
A student majoring in the BA in International Studies must complete the following specified core coursework to fulfill Arts and Science Foundation Requirements:

  • ANTHRO 2030 Cultural Anthropology (3 Credits)
  • GEOG 1100 Regions and Nations of the World I (3 Credits)
     or GEOG 1200 Regions and Nations of the World II
  • POL_SC 1400 International Relations (3 Credits)
    or POL_SC 2700 Comparative Political Systems
  • One course chosen from the list of International Studies core humanities (3 Credits)
  • Two courses chosen from list of approved International Studies humanities courses (6 Credits)

Second Language Requirements

  • For the major, students must complete 6 hours minimum in a single second language, beyond the elementary level.
  • International students whose native language is other than English may petition the International Studies Program to substitute the language requirement with courses that deepen their English language ability or upper-level International Studies courses.
  • Non-international students who can demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English comparable to a student who has completed 6 hours beyond the Elementary sequence at MU may petition the International Studies Program to substitute upper-level International Studies courses for the language requirement. If the student is proficient in a language offered at MU: the student may be evaluated by that language program. The evaluation must test the student’s ability in all the modalities appropriate for that language (reading, writing, listening, and/or speaking). If the student is proficient in a language not offered at MU, the student is responsible for finding a qualified examiner in that language, who must then be approved by the International Studies director. The evaluation must test the student’s ability in all the modalities appropriate for that language (reading, writing, listening, and/or speaking) at the mid-intermediate level or higher as defined by ACTFL proficiency guidelines.
  • For a list of languages offered, see the School of Languages, Literature, and Cultures

Area Support Requirements

  • Complete 3 credit hours 2000-level or above, and 6 credits 3000-level or above.
  • Courses used to fulfill this section must be from a College of Arts and Science department and have an international focus. An exception can be made for one course offered through Trulaske College of Business, either on campus or through one of the college's study abroad programs, as long as the course has a strong international studies focus. Coursework typically includes classes in Culture, Geography, Government, or History related to language studied.
  • Courses used to count toward the BSBA cannot fulfill this section.

Business Core, Business Emphasis, and Business Capstone Requirements

These requirements for this degree are determined by the specific BSBA international business emphasis area chosen when students are accepted into the upper level in the Trulaske College of Business. Click on the links below for more detailed information about each emphasis area.

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Semester Plan

Below is a sample plan of study, semester by semester. A student's actual plan may vary based on course choices where options are available or the individual semester plan based on emphasis areas. Please visit the following for specific semester plans: Finance, Management, or Marketing.

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
MATH 11003MATH 14003
BUS_AD 15003ENGLSH 10003
State Requirement3ECONOM 10143
Second Language4Second Language4
Humanities 3Behavioral Science3
 16 16
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ACCTCY 20363ACCTCY 20373
BUS_AD 25002ACCTCY 22583
MATH 13003STAT 25003
ECONOM 10153Second Language3
Second Language 4ANTHRO 20303
 Biological Science 3
 15 18
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
BUS_AD 35003FINANC 30003
MANGMT 33003MANGMT 30003
Writing Intensive Business 3MANGMT 35403
STAT 35003ECONOM 3229 or 32513
MRKTNG 30003Civilization or other international Humanities/Writing Intensive Non-Business 3
Second Language3 
 18 15
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
BUS_AD 45003Business Area3
Literature or other international Humanities3Business Area3
POL_SC 1400 or 27003Business Area3
Physical Science3Business Area3
Humanity-Global Core3A&S Area Support3
 GEOG 1100 or 12003
 15 18
Fifth Year
FallCredits 
MANGMT 49703 
Business Area3 
Business Area3 
A&S Area Support3 
A&S Area Support3 
 15  
Total Credits: 146

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Degree Audit

The degree audit is an automated report reflecting a student’s academic progress toward the completion of a degree. 

MU students can request a degree audit by logging in to myDegreePlanner. Students may also access myDegreePlanner via myZou, in the Student Center, click on the Academic Progress Tile, then select Request Degree Audit. The audit automatically pulls in the student’s MU course work, transfer courses and courses in progress. This is available to current students, admitted students, and those who last attended less than three terms ago.

Past MU students can request a degree audit by contacting the Academic Advising Unit of the division in which they were last enrolled at MU. For contact information, go to https://advising.missouri.edu/contact/.

Prospective students, can access a preliminary MU degree audit via https://www.transferology.com. Information on the college credits already earned will have to be manually entered before it can be evaluated against current degree requirements.

For additional details on degree audits, go to https://registrar.missouri.edu/degrees-audits/degree-audits/.

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Major and Career Exploration

The University of Missouri has many resources to assist you in exploring majors and career possibilities. For guidance, visit the Majors and Careers website or view specific resources below.

  • If you are considering a change of major or are exploring multiple majors, schedule an appointment with an advisor in the Discovery Center by calling (573)884-9700 or through MU Connect Discovery Center service in you success network.

  • If you have decided on a major, visit an academic advisor in the School or College that you are interested in to discuss the process of declaring the major

  • If you would like to learn more about your career interests, abilities, values and talents, visit the MU Career Center. No Appointment is necessary to explore career options with one of our staff members.

For additional major and career exploration resources, visit Major & Career Exploration in the catalog.

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