More CU-Boulder business students study abroad through campus-sponsored programs than students in any other major or field of study, according to the Study Abroad Office.
During the 1999-2000 academic year, 98 business majors - or approximately 20 percent of all CU students who studied abroad - participated in a CU-sponsored study abroad program.
"Business students are aware that exposure to other cultures is important to their careers because of the global economy," said Nancy Stubbs, interim director of the Study Abroad Programs Office at the University of Colorado at Boulder. "Having a background that includes international experience gives them an advantage."
The majority of business majors who studied abroad on CU-sponsored and other programs went to England. Many participate in the London Finance Program, which addresses the political and economic conditions that affect business in Europe, the European Union and the major international financial markets and institutions.
"The program is popular because it includes lectures by practitioners in the field, such as people who work at the London Stock Exchange," said Stubbs. "The experience solidifies for students if they really want to be in the field of international finance."
Students who participate in the program often find practical applications for their experiences after they graduate. "I was exposed to an in-depth account of the economies and financial systems of the United Kingdom and Europe while I was in London," said Richard Selim, an investment banking analyst for Lehman Brothers and an alumnus of the College of Business and London Finance Program.
"At work, my knowledge gained through the seminar is an asset that allows me to take on a wider-range of projects and helps me speak intelligently on topics related to Europe and the United Kingdom."
The Semester at Sea program, which provides a classroom experience while students sail around the world, also is a favorite of business majors. Twenty-three percent of business students who studied abroad participated in the program, which features a variety of curricula and makes stops at ports in countries such as Egypt, India, Japan, Kenya and the Bahamas. The University of Pittsburgh is the academic sponsor of the program.
Spain and Australia followed England and Semester at Sea as destinations that attract business students who study abroad.
For more information, call Susan Kelley at (303) 492-2823.