Travel-Abroad Courses

For many years, McIntire professors have offered courses that include a component of on-Grounds classes and preparation for a several-week tour abroad during the winter or summer. Current offerings include the following:

January Term 2008

COMM 380: “The Challenges of Managing Sustainable Development” This study tour to Nicaragua in January will provide firsthand experience in one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. Students will have lectures from government officials, directors of NGOs, and business and labor leaders. They will be paired with students from a local university to examine conditions in Bluefields, Nicaragua. Student teams will propose development projects based on the UN Millennium Development Goals and present their proposals to the class. For more information contact Professor Brad Brown.

May Term 2008

COMM 459: "Marketing Strategy in Global Markets" in Shanghai & Beijing This two-week study-abroad class blends relevant classroom discussions, executive presentations, company visits, and marketing research projects to explore consumer behavior and cross-cultural marketing strategies in China. Comm 459 counts one Commerce class (three credits) toward a marketing concentration, an international business concentration, or a student’s McIntire elective requirement. For more information contact Professor James Maxham.  Click here for more information on COMM 459.

COMM 465:  “Business, Politics & Culture in the European
Union”  in Bath, Brussels, & Paris This course is an intensive examination of a complex and rapidly changing economic phenomenon. The class travels from its academic base at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom to meet with officials in Brussels, the capital of the European Union. Along the way, aspects of European culture and history are examined, including those of Bath, Stonehenge, Glastonbury, Wells, and Bruges. The trip concludes in Paris. Time is provided for exploration and discovery. For more information contact Professor Bill Wilkerson. Click here for more information on COMM 465.

COMM 474: “International Finance” in London Students will gain an understanding of international finance and economics by living and studying in London for two weeks. The pedagogy will be based on in-class lectures and discussions as well as visits to global financial institutions. By the end of the course, students will understand the benefits and risks of international investing and the tools (both financial derivatives and investment strategies) that can be used to mitigate those risks. Time is provided for independent exploration and discovery of the United Kingdom and Europe before, during, and after the two-week class. For more information contact Professor Patrick Dennis. Click here for a preliminary syllabus for the May 2008 class.