Accredited

A Global Education for a Global Economy

The International Master of Business Administration (IMBA) Program is structured to provide a strong academic foundation in international business through a comparitive approach to global business.  The IMBA is recognized as the professional graduate degree designed to enhance effectiveness and provide comprehensive knowledge and skills involved in managing international profit and nonprofit organizations.

The 36 credit-hour curriculum includes 21 hours of graduate international business courses, 9 hours of required general MBA core courses, and 6 hours of electives from the Graduate School of Business offerings.  The two-year outline of courses has a logical sequence progressing from required courses of corporate and intercultural communication, international accounting, international business, international finance, international marketing, international trade law, and seminar in international trade to courses in major emphasis areas.

Please view our GSB Curriculum page for specific course information.

Why do I need an IMBA degree?

• To prepare you for careers in international business  with advanced training in specific areas built on a broad understanding of the international business environment.

•  To gain cultural understanding with direct experience in a foreign country or region.

• To provide you with the skills in analytical problem solving, oral, written communication, and interpersonal relations.

• To increase the salary you receive in your current job and magnify your future earning potential.  Graduate education leads to higher starting salaries, with master's degree holders generally receiving a 10 to 20 percent premium over individuals with just a bachelor's degree.

• To create avenues of advancement within your current organizational structure.

• To make you more marketable to future employees of your choosing.

The International Master of Business Administration (IMBA) Program offered by the Graduate School of Business at Gardner-Webb University is structured to pro-vide a strong academic foundation in international business through a comparative approach to global business. The IMBA is recognized as the professional graduate degree designed to enhance effectiveness and provide comprehensive knowledge and skills involved in managing international profit and nonprofit organizations.

The thirty-six credit hour curriculum includes eighteen hours of graduate international business courses, twelve hours of required general Master of Business Administration (MBA) core courses and six hours of electives from the Graduate School of Business offerings. The two-year outline of courses has a logical sequence progressing from required courses of international business, international marketing, international finance, international trade law, corporate and inter-cultural communication, seminar in international trade to courses in the major emphasis area.

Purpose

The global competitive market is continuously changing as we move toward the next century. The magnitude and speed of the changes and their strategic implications for firms, irrespective of location or product/service is unprecedented. The aggregate impact of these changes and the competitive responses of individual firms on individual country and regional economies are equally powerful. To be an effective global manager, one must be equipped with the necessary tools for the challenges ahead. The IMBA program at the Graduate School of Business offers a cutting edge graduate international business education that prepares students for these challenges. The intensive, applied nature of this IMBA program provides training in international business through the use of practical techniques, foreign country experience and other important tools that can readily be utilized by the students in their existing positions.

The International Master of Business Administration Program was developed to meet the following objectives:

• Prepare individuals with an understanding of international business and cultural differences through advanced training and direct experience in a specific country or region of the world.
• Provide individuals with the opportunity of gaining cultural understanding with direct experience in a specific country or region of the world.
• Develop practical skills for meeting the challenges of changing technology and managerial innovations.

Prerequisites for Admission for All Majors

An undergraduate business degree is not required for admission to the graduate business programs, but specific course material is required. The School of Business offers 500 level prerequisite courses each semester for students with prerequisite deficiencies. These courses will not count towards the graduate GPA. Students who have already taken the prerequisites must demonstrate mastery of the material normally taught in the following prerequisite courses either by offering a transcript demonstrating that the course has been completed with a grade of “C” or better, or through a waiver by successfully passing an exam:

MBA and IMBA Requirements:

• Accounting and Ethics 2 semesters
• Marketing and Economics (Micro and Macro) 2 semesters
• Microcomputers 1 semester (or proficiency)
• Management Science and Finance 1 semester

MAcc Requirements:

In addition to the above requirements, the MAcc Program requires:

• Intermediate Accounting 2 semesters
• Auditing 1 semester
• Advanced Accounting 1 semester
• Cost Accounting 1 semester
• Income Tax 1 semester

All Students must meet the above prerequisite requirements to take courses in the
MBA, IMBA, and MAcc programs or have the approval of the appropriate program
coordinator.

Persons who have not completed these requirements may be given applicant status and after satisfactorily completing business prerequisite deficiencies at Gardner-Webb University or elsewhere may be granted admission.

The Curriculum

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS REQUIRED (15 HOURS)

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ELECTIVES (9 HOURS)

INTL622 Seminar In International Accounting	3 sem. hrs.
INTL636 Corporate and Intercultural Communications	3 sem. hrs.
INTL695 Current Topics in International Business	3 sem. hrs.
BADM625 Marketing Management	3 sem. hrs.
BADM638 E-Commerce and Network Resource Planning	3 sem. hrs.
BADM639 E-Commerce and Internet Law	3 sem. hrs.

MBA REQUIRED COURSES (12 HOURS)

IMBA Degree Requirements:

• Overall minimum grade point average of 3.0 in graduate studies.
• Satisfactory completion of 36 graduate hours: 12 core graduate hours (4 courses), 24 hours of international business graduate hours (8 courses) within six calendar years for the IMBA.
• Application for graduation by the dates published by the Registrar.
• Participation in Commencement exercises.

  Gardner-Webb University; Graduate School of Business; Campus Box 5168; Boiling Springs, North Carolina 28017 USA (704) 406-4489 or (800) 457-4622.
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