Certificate Program in International Business

The Certificate Program in International Business (CPIB) offers a special opportunity to Bachelor of Science in Business Administration students with a strong interest in the global aspects of business. The CPIB will contribute to a student’s preparation for a career in international business, which often begins with domestic job placements that can lead to international assignments as the professional’s career progresses.

Students pursuing the CPIB will be particularly attractive to employers who value students with international interests, perspective, knowledge, and experience. This program will give our students an advantage in competing for the most attractive internships and full-time positions in highly internationalized firms.

Enrollment is open only to students in the BSBA degree program. The CPIB is designed as an enrichment of the BSBA program, not as a stand-alone program. It builds on the BSBA core curriculum and may be combined with a major in accounting, finance, general management, business information systems, supply chain management, or marketing. It may not be combined with the Pitt Business global management major.

Important note: The CPIB requirements have recently been modified. CBA students who add the CPIB to their academic plan on the PeopleSoft system on or after August 30, 2010 are subject to the requirements described below. Continuing CPIB students (those who added the CPIB to their academic plan on PeopleSoft prior to August 30, 2010) will continue to fulfill the requirements specified in their academic advisement transcript on the PeopleSoft system.

CPIB Requirements

Complete one Pitt Business international course in your major from the approved list:

Complete one Pitt Business international course outside your major from the approved list:

CPIB students may also request permission to take BUSACC 1216 Advanced Financial Accounting, BUSFIN 1341 International Finance, BUSHRM 1670 Global Workforce Management & Change, or BUSMKT 1461 International Marketing provided that the course is not in their major.

Please note: A student must complete all three of the 1-credit electives on the list in order to meet this 3-credit requirement.

At a minimum, Level 4 of a foreign language must be satisfactorily completed (a two-year, four-course sequence at the University of Pittsburgh). If a foreign language is studied while abroad, the student’s language proficiency will be evaluated upon return via a University of Pittsburgh foreign-language placement exam. Students are encouraged to pursue language study beyond the minimum requirement to enhance basic proficiency and to be more prepared to take advantage of the study/internship abroad experience.

Complete one A&S international course from the approved list:

Africana Studies

  • AFRCNA 0027 – Intro to Africa
  • AFRCNA 0586 – African Civ & Culture
  • AFRCNA 1009 – Women of Africa & the African Diaspora
  • AFRCNA 1010 – Cultures of Africa
  • AFRCNA 1056 – Hist. Africa Since 1800
  • AFRCNA 0028 – Afro-Latin America
  • AFRCNA 0084 – Race, Class, Ethnicity, the Caribbean Experience
  • AFRCNA 0385 – Caribbean History
  • AFRCNA 1062 – Multinational Corporations in America and Caribbean
  • AFRCNA 1011 – Rise of the Modern Pan-African Movement
  • AFRCNA 1030 – African Politics
  • AFRCNA 1031 – African Liberation Movements
  • AFRCNA 1061 – Political Econ. of Africa

Anthropology

  • ANTH 0715 – Anthro. of Latin American
  • ANTH 1751 – People & Environment in Amazonia
  • ANTH 1759 – Chinese Society
  • ANTH 1764 – Culture & Society of India
  • ANTH 1768 – Culture & Society of Eastern Europe
  • ANTH 1778 – Culture & Society of Africa
  • ANTH 1784 – Japanese Society
  • ANTH 1786 – Cultures of the Pacific
  • ANTH 1788 – Andean Society & Culture: Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador

Chinese

  • CHIN 0080 – City Life & E. Asian Culture

Arts & Sciences

  • CAS 0020 – Latin America & the Caribbean

Economics

  • ECON 0140 – Intro to Political Economy
  • ECON 0500 – Intro to International Trade
  • ECON 0520 – Compar. Econ. Systems
  • ECON 0530 – Intro to Development Econ.
  • ECON 1610 – Latin American Economic Development
  • ECON 1630 – Econ. Development of China
  • ECON 1640 – Japanese Economic Growth
  • ECON 1670 – Former Socialist Economies & Transition
  • ECON 1680 – Econ. of European Union

German

  • GER 1522 – Germany Today

History

  • HIST – 0200 East Europe Civilization
  • HIST – 0302 Soviet Russia
  • HIST – 0401 Modern East Asian Civ
  • HIST – 0501 Modern Latin America
  • HIST – 0756 Intro to Islamic Civilization
  • HIST – 1108 Comp. European History
  • HIST – 1109 France & Spain—20th Cent.
  • HIST – 1123 Modern Britain
  • HIST – 1129 Modern France
  • HIST – 1131 Modern Germany
  • HIST – 1175 Zenophobia in Mod. Europe
  • HIST – 1423 Modern China
  • HIST – 1433 Modern Japan
  • HIST – 1522 Brazil
  • HIST – 1525 Mexico, Aztecs to Present
  • HIST – 1526 Cuba, Columbus to Castro
  • HIST – 1764 Israel, State & Society
  • HIST – 1766 Modern Israel

Italian

  • ITAL 0081 Italian Cultural Heritage 2

Japanese

  • JPNSE 0081 – East Asia in the World

Political Science

  • PS 0300 – Comparative Politics
  • PS 0500 – World Politics
  • PS 1303 – Movement Politics
  • PS 1311 – Western Europn Gov’t & Politics
  • PS 1312 – British Gov’t & Politics
  • PS 1313 – French Gov’t & Politics
  • PS 1314 – German Gov’t & Politics
  • PS 1315 – Italian Gov’t & Politics
  • PS 1317 – Politics of the Euro. Community
  • PS 1321 – Latin American Politics
  • PS 1322 – Latin Amer. Political Development
  • PS 1331 – Gov’t & Politics of SE Asia
  • PS 1332 – Gov’t & Politics in Contemporary China
  • PS 1341 – Gov’t & Politics of USSR—Russian Federation

Fulfilled by one term of approved study abroad or an international internship, the study/internship abroad requirement has two objectives:

  • To enrich international awareness, understanding, and competence; and
  • To enable students to apply what they are learning in the program to living, learning, and for some, working in a country other than the United States or the student’s home country.

While some students have little international experience and others have substantial experience, the study-/internship-abroad requirement ensures that all students as part of the CPIB make significant advances in international competence through a substantial academic experience abroad. The particular program must be approved in advance, be at least four weeks in duration (internships must be at least 8 weeks in duration), entail at least three credits of coursework (regular coursework or internship credit), and take place in a country other than the United States and the student’s home country.