Curriculum

The 30 credit-hour curriculum is designed to provide students with an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the functional areas of business and to increase students' awareness of cross-cultural, societal and business differences. The program, which lasts one year, presents organizational, social and economic structures existing within the major regions of the world. Courses are designed to reinforce the foundations of the business core curriculum and to expand and apply those concepts through extensive use of case analyses and examples. Students also have access to experiential learning opportunities through the international Study Tour (a curriculum requirement) and the exchange program partner schools, where students may study for a semester or more.

To succeed in this business climate, organizations will seek managers who can successfully navigate this labyrinth. To do so will require an international perspective and the understanding of not only the possible pitfalls, but also the great opportunities that arise from competitive global markets driven by peoples of diverse cultures.

Curriculum (pdf)

Modules

The program is organized in a modular system. The modular system allows students to focus intensely on course content. The five modules are conducted over a ten-month period, beginning in mid-summer and terminating in spring of the following year. Students may gain credit abroad after the conclusion of fall term. All foreign schools are on a different term/module system and dates of study will vary with UF.

Core Classes

The first two modules are comprised of core classes that explore fundamentals of functional areas of business from a global business perspective. These six classes cover such topics as trade and investment, strategy and communications.

Project in-lieu-of Thesis

MAIB students have a required supervised project. This project provides the degree candidate the opportunity to investigate a global company or organization and create an extensive case study of the industry, company, or a specific issue related to its global operation. The project will teach the investigative skills necessary to conduct such a study, including researching and authoring a substantive written document. Ideally, students pick a project topic that relates to their career interest, so they can blend an educational experience with job preparation. The project is introduced in the first term (summer) of the program and students submit completed portions of the project throughout the year, with the final deadline for the completed comprehensive work in the graduating term. The final work will be 25-30 pages. Examples of past topics include: Coca-Cola, Citi Financial, Telefonica, Luxottica, Quiksilver, Starbucks, Hilton, and Haier. Students are required to defend the Project to the Supervisory Committee.

Degree

Students who complete the 30-hour curriculum will be awarded the Master of Arts (with a major in International Business) degree. Students doing a spring study abroad will be awarded the degree in August, after foreign transcripts have been processed.

Concurrent Degrees

Combining MAIB with Another UF Graduate Program
Students who wish to complete another graduate or professional program at UF along with the MAIB program can eliminate 6 credits from the MAIB's total required 30 credits. This means that students must complete only 24 credits in the Warrington College of Business Administration and the other needed 6 credits are transferred in from the other graduate program. Students must first gain admission to both programs through separate application processes, and they can then meet with an MAIB adviser to discuss the curriculum layout and sharing of credits. In the past, "concurrent" MAIB students have also completed degrees in Law, Engineering, and Journalism. Any combination, however, is possible.

Combined Option for UF Undergraduates

Current University of Florida students can apply to the Combined MAIB option and, if accepted, they can begin MAIB coursework in their Senior year before beginning the MAIB program full-time Summer B. The number of credits taken in that year can vary between 2 and 12 (maximum= 12), depending on the number of undergraduate credits that still need to be completed in that year. Students must complete the MAIB application process in the summer or fall term of the senior year. Even though MAIB courses are taken while the student is still classified as an undergraduate, courses cannot be taken unless proper admission has been granted by the MAIB program. Interested students are encouraged to speak with an MAIB advisor or attend one of our open information sessions. More information is contained in the "Combined Degree Application Letter" on the Application page of this site.