BA (hons) In International Business in Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland

BA (hons) In International Business in Waterford Institute of Technology

What is International Business?

The term “International Business” describes doing business between countries and across borders.  It involves a wide variety of activities, for example, exporting products and services, dealing with foreign suppliers, operating a factory in a foreign country, marketing a product across Europe, even managing multicultural workforces.  Today, it really can be said that “All business is international business!”  This is especially true of Ireland, one of the most globalised countries in the world.

What is the BA (Hons) in International Business?

An important part of success in international business is an ability to interact effectively with people from other cultures and societies.  The BA (Hons) International Business is a four-year programme that prepares students to live and work in an international and multicultural environment.  The course provides a broad business education as well as building the knowledge, skills and sensitivities to effectively work in our multicultural world.

The third year of the Programme involves a mandatory International Placement.  Every student will spend one year on placement, living in foreign country.  While abroad, the student will generally study at one of School of Business' Partner Institutes, however, the student may also complete an international work placement.  The School has Partner Institutes around Europe, as well as in the USA and Canada, and even as far away as China and India.  The International Placement is one of the core learning opportunities on the Programme, and for most students it is the highlight of the Programme.  

BA (Hons) in International Business programme features

• The student group is multicultural, making the classroom a living cultural experience for students.

• Students have a “once in a life time” opportunity to live in a foreign country as part of their college education.

• Students may apply to complete a double degree as part of the Programme. 

• There is a relatively small class group, giving students a more personal college experience.

• Depending on the student’s background, there are several languages options available, although studying a language is not mandatory.

• Those students whose first language is not English may take English as a subject throughout the course.

International Placement

In Year Three, students are generally required to complete a study or work placement abroad with a WIT Partner Institute.  These are located across Europe, in the USA, Canada, India or even China.  Generally, classes while abroad will be in English, irrespective of the country involved.

Double Degree

The BA (Hons) International Business has recently co-developed a Double Degree with Munich UAS, in Germany.  A student may apply to complete the Double Degree while in second year of the BA (Hons) International Business and would then spend their International Placement in Munich, before returning to complete the final year of the BA (Hons) International Business in WIT.  The International Placement may also include work experience in Germany.  This agreement allows the successful student(s) to obtain two degrees at the same time!

An Alternative Route: The BA (Hons) in International Management

Irish students who have already lived abroad, or non-Irish students taking the BA (Hons) International Business, may choose to not complete the International Placement.  Instead, these students would apply to transfer to the final year of an alternative Programme, the BA (Hons) International Management.  The BA (Hons) International Management mirrors the BA (Hons) International Business, with the exception that it does not require an International Placement.

BA (Hons) in International Business career opportunities

Graduates from this Programme have gone on to pursue a wide variety of careers, including careers in marketing, human resources, accounting and consulting, teaching and banking and finance.  Graduates are also very suited to the demands of small and medium-sized enterprises, and to the varied nature of work required of a manager in a smaller firm.

Graduates may join larger firms at junior management level, and then go on to work in several international business functions, including:

• human resources

• export departments

• international sales or purchasing & logistics.

Follow on Study for the BA (Hons) in International Business

• Master of Business (Internationalisation)

• Master of Business (Human Resource Management)

• Master of Business (Management)