Students selected to be part of the IBEA program will study as one cohort and will stay one semester at each of the four participating institutions. Each school will offer customized classes and cultural courses designed for IBEA students.
The program is designed for international business majors with strong quantitative
skills who will flourish in their constantly changing environments. Besides a strong
local and regional exposure, students will gain hands-on global management experience
by working closely with one corporate partner from each school. (Note: Management is encouraged as students' functional major if they are selecting
this cohort.)
IBEA students will have the unique opportunity to meet and study alongside students
from all over the world, developing a springboard for their future professional networks.
The joint project with a corporate partner at each institution abroad also ensures
that IBEA students expand their professional network and meet potential future employers.
Semesters 1-3: Students will remain at South Carolina for their first three semesters. Here, they will begin their studies and fulfill their prerequisite classes.
Semester 4: South Carolina students will travel to meet the rest of the cohort and complete their fourth semester in Mannheim.
Semester 5: The entire cohort will travel together to South Carolina where they will take classes for one semester.
Semester 6: During the second semester of their junior year, the entire IBEA cohort will travel to and study at ESSEC’s campus in Singapore.
Semester 7: The first semester of their senior year will be spent learning in Rio de Janeiro at FGV-EBAPE.
Semester 8: During their final semester before graduating, South Carolina students will return to their home campus to complete their final classes.
IBEA students pay only their home institution for tuition. During their year abroad, tuition will be assessed on an exchange basis — that is, they pay tuition to their home institutions rather than the university they visit. Exchange tuition is assessed at the in-state rate for South Carolina students, regardless of residency status. Their housing and other living expenses will be based on the accommodations secured in-country and will vary accordingly. IBEA students will also need to budget for travel expenses between home and IBEA partners as well as expenses related to cohort activities.
As IBEA students travel between countries, each school will offer a customized business class for the IBEA cohort reflecting each school's academic fields of excellence and a customized cultural course reflecting each country's economic, social and cultural background. While studying abroad, each student will also be exposed to the regional business intelligence while working in teams on a designated corporate project at each partnering institution. In addition, IBEA students will be able to take regular undergraduate courses offered at the host school in order to fulfill their home degree course requirements. While all classes abroad are offered in English, the IBEA program is designed for students working toward a language proficiency in German, French or Portuguese. To achieve this, particularly if you started at the entry level to language as a freshman, you will likely need to pursue at least one summer of intensive language study.
All students in the IBEA cohort will major in International Business under the Global Business concentration and a second business major of their choice. Management of Human Resources is suggested as the second major due to course availability at partner universities. They will complete regional-focused coursework and specialized consulting projects at each of the four partner universities.
IBEA students must choose a foreign language to study. German, Portuguese and French are preferred, but other language tracks may be considered. Students will be required to complete advanced courses in their selected language. Prior language study is not required, but summer language training may be necessary in order to meet the program requirements. Language courses may be limited during semesters abroad.
Mannheim, Germany: University of Mannheim
The University of Mannheim consistently tops the list of German business schools and is Germany's only institution to receive the "triple crown" — the accreditations by AACSB, EFMD (EQUIS) and AMBA. The focal points of the "Mannheim Philosophy" are research and teaching at the highest international level, consistent quality management, international focus and a distinctive practical orientation. Being the biggest business faculty in Germany and located in the heart of the fourth largest economy in the world, Mannheim maintains strong relations with the corporate world. Its corporate partners offer exclusive events for its students on campus and accompany students during their academic studies.
Singapore: ESSEC Business School
One of the leading business schools in Europe and founded in 1907 in Paris, ESSEC Business School strategically chose Singapore to extend its international presence and establish its Asia-Pacific campus. The economic dynamism of the city-state and its position at a multicultural and educational crossroads allows ESSEC to respond to the increasing demand for management education in Asia. ESSEC Asia-Pacific serves as a gateway to the Asian and European markets, allowing our business students to get an enhanced educational experience and learn how to deal with different cultures in our increasingly global and complex environment. The selective programs offered in Singapore are all conducted in English and promote direct interactions with the economic world.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Escola Brasileira de Administração Pública e de Empresas
The Brazilian School of Public and Business Administration (FGV-EBAPE) has been ranked as the best School of Administration in Brazil. Its excellence is built on quality teaching and strong academic research. FGV-EBAPE provides state-of-the-art management education suited to the Brazilian context in addition to being a major research center into the managerial demands of Brazilian society and a veritable hotbed of landmark concepts, methods and techniques of a Brazilian corporate culture. Watch a video from FGV-EBAPE.