An international thread runs through the entire Penn State Smeal MBA. A global perspective strengthens and deepens the required core courses, and the global immersion experience during the first year is a hands-on opportunity for you to explore international business practices. Choosing internationally oriented electives in the second year offers you the opportunity to build upon this foundation. In addition to course work, some students do their summer internship abroad, or participate in a summer study abroad program.

1. Since approximately 35 percent of each class comprises students from around the world, every class and every team is infused with a global perspective.
2. Classes incorporate a global business context and international cases to develop a global perspective.
3. During the first year, the Global Perspectives course provides an initial immersion experience intended to broaden students' worldviews.
4. During the second year of the program, elective courses are offered that have a strong international flavor. Finally, the capstone strategy course approaches business questions from a global outlook.

Interested students can choose from a long-standing set of summer study abroad programs. Recently, students have participated in a specially-designed program for Penn State MBAs at EM Lyon in France.

During our first-year spring International Business Immersion Experience, you will travel to a foreign destination to explore the global economy. You’ll meet business leaders and discuss the issues they face. You’ll learn the business practices and nuances of other cultures. You’ll examine how other nations view the United States and the world. And you’ll experience how other companies are responding to changes common to all businesses. This exposure to the diverse world of modern commerce is one of the hallmarks of the Smeal experience. In recent years, our students have traveled to China, The Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Singapore, and Turkey.

View the Global Immersion Preparation Web Site for our Current MBA Students