THE STRUCTURE AND PROCESS OF CURRICULUM INTEGRATION IN STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS: THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MODEL

Abstract

The continuing globalization of business and recent world events underscore the importance of educating students to develop a broad world view. Internationalizing the undergraduate curriculum has moved to the forefront of higher education in business. And international travel and study has become a core part in the curriculum. However, creating and coordinating a meaningful study abroad experience is perhaps the most challenging issue faced by academics and administrators involved in international business education. While the concept of incorporating a practical or “real world” component into a university degree program is not unique, particularly in business education, the structural obstacles and other difficulties associated with bringing about truly international learning experiences tend to be very different. On the one hand, the student(s) involved generally are highly motivated for such an experience. The challenge on the student side is one of channeling this excitement through the proper process in order to ensure they receive maximum transfer credit. This means, from the institutional side, it is necessary to fit the experience, whose characteristics sometimes fall outside the conventional institutional structure, into an individual’s degree program and still meet administrative criteria as they relate to content, rigor, accreditation requirements, etc.

Citation

Keillor, B.D. and Emore, J.R. (2003), "THE STRUCTURE AND PROCESS OF CURRICULUM INTEGRATION IN STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS: THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MODEL", Tomas M. Hult, G. and Lashbrooke, E.C. (Ed.) Study Abroad (Advances in International Marketing, Vol. 13), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 227-245. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-7979(02)13014-6