International Business Major

The international business major is designed to educate you to be a global Christian. Integrating both vocation and ministry, the major will prepare you for a wealth of opportunities that combine global business training with missions.

As an international business major, you will take the same core of business courses foundational to all business majors at Messiah College. In addition, you will take a breadth of on-campus courses to give you a solid grounding in international topics. On-campus courses include foreign language, economic development, international politics, and a seminar on ministering in international business.

In addition, the major has two exciting and innovative off-campus requirements. One is a ten-week study/travel program offered in the summer between the junior and senior year. You will join students from several other Christian colleges and attend the International Business Institute (IBI) to visit Europe and Russia. In addition to visiting international corporations and hearing special lectures by visiting scholars, you will take several international business and economics courses taught by professors from the participating Christian colleges who travel with the group.

The second off-campus requirement is a cross-cultural experience in a developing country. You have several options for fulfilling this requirement. You may join one of the three-week cross-cultural trips sponsored by the College, complete an internship, or design an individualized program that takes you to a developing country. The point of these two off-campus requirements is to expose you to both a developed and a developing international environment. As global Christians we believe you need to have a balanced perspective.

Why International Business?

We are becoming a global society and all of us need to expand our horizons and think globally. It's not an option — it's necessary if we expect to be "relevant" in the near future. One of our grads said recently, "Our family business-selling landscaping equipment has just expanded into Indonesia, and we aren't even that big." Does that sound impossible? Not today. With the world becoming a global village, even small businesses are going international. If you want to learn how to apply business principles cross-culturally, international business is the major for you.

Career Opportunities

International business majors may choose careers in businesses with strong international operations. You might be home-based or be asked to take an overseas assignment for a period of time. Another option is to work for a mission organization. Mission organizations need trained business people with cross-cultural perspectives. Graduates more interested in a small business may choose to start a small business with an international market or even help people in developing countries become self-sufficient by equipping them to start their own small businesses. In addition, international business majors are well prepared for graduate school in fields like international law, international finance, and economic development.

Curriculum

For more details on the curriculum requirements and the types of courses you would be taking as an International Business Major, visit our Online Course Catalog or take a look at the printable International Business Major Brochure.

(Course catalog and major brochure include PDF files. Click here for the Adobe® PDF Reader®)

Why Messiah College?

As a Christian college, Messiah College cares about the world; therefore, the College cares about producing graduates who also care about the world. In a world where the majority of the non-Christian population live in countries closed to traditional missionaries, what can you as a Christian business graduate do to make a difference? You may opt to enter these countries with a needed area of expertise and then live out the Gospel in both deed and word. Or you may find your ministry as an honor-based business person who advocates for global concerns. Messiah College is uniquely preparing business students to impact the world for Christ through the international business major.

How to Apply

To apply for admission to Messiah College, simply call and request an application at 1-800-233-4220 or apply online! Open House dates and major-specific events are scheduled throughout the year. Students may arrange for a variety of visit options to suit their interests and schedule.