What is the Europe Business Study Abroad?

The 2010 Europe Business Study Abroad program promises to be an amazing experience for students interested in international business.  We will visit companies, governmental organizations, and historical sites in several countries.  The Program is designed to expose students to a wide variety of peoples, places, and policies that influence business and international trade.  Although this program clearly has a business focus, the people and places we will visit will fascinate students from across campus who have an interest in international affairs.

Visits to a variety of businesses, historical sites, and EU and UN offices will provide students with a well-rounded perspective on the influences that shape international business.  Historical site visits will be especially helpful in expanding students’ appreciation of the forces that have shaped European culture and thought.  We will visit the beaches of Normandy, the Ardennes forest where the Battle of Bulge was fought, and the Dachau concentration camp. 

We will also enjoy some of the spectacular natural beauty of Europe in the mountain valleys of France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Italy.  In these areas we will get to meet people who still enjoy very distinctive cultures.  Students will come away with a deeper understanding of European attitudes about food, culture, and the environment.  This study abroad will help students become better world citizens with greater understanding and respect for our European neighbors.

Europe Business

We will visit a variety of companies throughout Western Europe.  Possible company visits include:

• GMAC & Bank of England – London
• Flower Auction – Amsterdam
• Carrefour – Paris
• John Deere – Frankfurt
• BMW Motorcycles – Berlin
• BMW World HQ & KPMG – Munich
• Mercedes-Benz – Stuttgart
• Barilla – Parma
• Ducati – Bologna
• Nestlé – Vivey, Switzerland
• Syngenta – Monthey, Switzerland

Europe Culture

Our visits to cultural and historic sites add an important dimension to our study of business in Europe.  In each city students will have ample time to visit the places that make these cities famous.  These cities include:  London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Paris, Geneva, Salzburg, Venice, Florence, and Rome.  The Louvre in Paris and the Academia in Florence are favorite places for students to see some of the world’s greatest works of art.   We will be staying in a small village in the Swiss Alps which is accessible only by train. 

The Program will also have several significant site visits, including:

• WWII Museum – Bastogne
• Normandy Beaches – France
• Salt Mine – Salzburg
• Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest – Salzburg
• Neuschwanstein Castle – Bavaria
• Dachau Concentration Camp – Munich
• Boat Tour on the Seine – Paris

Academic Program Details

Students will receive six credit hours: 

• BusM 430: Introduction to International Business (3 credits)and
• BusM 490R (3.0) (Special Topics in International Business).

This program will fulfill the course and foreign experience requirements for the Global Management Certificate offered by the Marriott School.

Program Director

Professor Mark H. Hansen of the Department of Organizational Leadership and Strategy will direct the Europe Business Study Abroad program in 2010.  He led the 2009 Europe Business Study Abroad.  Dr. Hansen holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in accounting, as well as an MBA from the Marriott School.  He worked in finance at Ford Motor Company after his MBA.  After Ford, he went to Texas A&M University where he earned a PhD in strategic management.  Dr. Hansen teaches strategy in the undergraduate, MBA, and EMBA programs in the Marriott School.   Research presentations and foreign business excursions with students have taken him to Europe and Latin America repeatedly.  He has been involved in consulting and corporate executive training with small and large organizations.

Preparation for Study Abroad

• Register and attend a one-credit weekly preparation class during the second block of Winter Semester 2010.  Some class work for the other courses will also be done during this time (during second block, rather than Spring Term).
• Part-time BYU students and non-BYU student will need to pay an additional $220  tuition fee for enrolling in the required pre-departure class.

Where do Students Live?

Students will stay in hotels or hostels.  All housing and travel will be arranged by BYU international Study Programs.

What Funding Sources are Available?

• Regular BYU tuition scholarships, Pell grants, and Federal Insured Student Loans may be applied to Business Study Abroad Programs.
• Students who submit the financial aid section of the International Study Programs (ISP) application and who have a current FAFSA form on file at the Financial Aid Office, will be considered for a study abroad scholarship awarded through the Kennedy Center.
• Private grants and scholarships outside of BYU may assist: kennedy.byu.edu/isp.

Application Process

• Complete the online application at kennedy.byu.edu/isp/online/app.
• Application deadline: 11 December 2009
• Applicants will be contacted for an interview by the directors.
• Students from all majors on campus may apply; however, preference is given to business majors and minors.
• ISP and the GMC reserve the right to cancel this program, revise its offerings, or make any adjustments to the preliminary cost estimates due to conditions beyond its control.

How Much Does This Study Abroad Cost?

Students need to pay a $25 ISP application fee.  After acceptance into the program, students will be expected to pay an estimated program fee of $5,500 - $5,900.  This fee includes tuition, accommodations, travel within Europe, required international health insurance, and group tours.   Breakfast is included at most of the hotels where we stay.

Students are required to pay their airfare to and from Europe.  Historically, this airfare has ranged from $850 to $1,200. Students are responsible for remaining meals and any personal expenses such as souvenirs, public transportation, museums, theatres, and other attractions.

Choose your adventure.