International Experience
IBS's MA and MBA programs are among the very few in the world to require students to have international experience by the time they graduate. Some of our students already have such experience when they enter Brandeis (if they have lived outside the US for at least three years, or worked abroad in a professional position for at least three months). Those who do not have such experience can acquire it at Brandeis through a summer internship abroad or a semester of study at one of our 20 partner universities, which are listed below.
Although study abroad is only one of the ways to meet the international experience requirement, many students see it as a uniquely valuable part of their IBS degree. Even students who already have international experience often take advantage of this option. Our partners are among the best schools of business and economics in the world (each is often the best in its country) and are located in a wide range of interesting cities and countries.
Study abroad enables students to:
- Take a wide range of courses in economics, finance, and business in addition to those offered at Brandeis
- Study and absorb new cultural and business perspectives
- Make connections and friends around the world
- Improve foreign language skills
- Participate in an internship in a global company
Faculty and staff help each student to explore options and to find the best possible fit. Due to limits in our exchange agreements, we can't guarantee every student his or her first choice in foreign schools, but in practice most student preferences are accommodated. Students typically go abroad during the fall semester of their second year.
Affiliated Foreign Schools
Clicking on the links below will take you to more information about our partner schools and the regions in which they are located.
Copenhagen Business School (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Supported by the Copenhagen business community, the school is a dynamic research center for economics and business. IBS students participate in the Advanced Program in International Management. This one-semester, English-language program offers 40 international and 20 Danish students exposure to key issues in international business and economics.
École Supérieure des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales (Paris, France)
ESSEC is one of the three top-ranked Grandes Écoles that train France's business leaders. The school is small (only 1200 students) and extremely selective; its curriculum includes challenging courses in finance, economics and management, and is taught in French and English. New residence halls have recently been constructed near the school's facilities in the outskirts of Paris.
Erasmus University (Rotterdam, Netherlands)
Holland's Rotterdam School of Management is a unit of Erasmus University. IBS students enroll in a special program taught in English within RSM's Master of Science in Business Administration. Rotterdam is the world's largest port and plays a central role in Dutch commercial, cultural and political life.
Escuela Superior de Administracion y Direccion de Empresas (Barcelona, Spain)
ESADE was founded in 1958 by Spain's leading companies and is now one of the country's top two business schools. ESADE enrolls 2,500 students, approaches its curriculum from a European perspective, and maintains vigorous exchanges worldwide. Instruction is in Spanish and English. Barcelona is a key commercial and cultural center.
EUROMED Marseille, School of Management (Marseille, France)
Euromed Marseille is located a few kilometers to the south of the center of Marseille, France’s second largest city and the Mediterranean’s largest port. Its teaching focuses on both Europe and the economies of the countries that surround the Mediterranean, placing emphasis on diversity and sustainable development. The school is affiliated to the Marseille Provence Chamber of Commerce and Industry and has a board composed of directors from leading international companies.
European Business School (Oestrich-Winkel, Germany)
European Business School is located in the heart of the Rhine-Main Region. This region is a hub of economic development and is in easy reach of Frankfurt, the financial center of continental Europe. It offers a rich curriculum that will prepare students for the strategic and conceptual tasks that they will face as leaders in the global workplace. EBS Master Programs are taught in English, and the school offers to all students of partner universities a free German language course two weeks before the official start of the semester.
Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV) (São Paolo, Brazil)
FGV is Brazil's leading research and teaching university. The graduate school enrolls 350 students in finance, management and economics. It also houses a major forecasting center and maintains close contacts with São Paolo's dynamic industries. Instruction is in Portuguese and English.
Groupe ESC Rouen (Mont Saint Aignan, France)
Created in 1871 Rouen School of Management is the second oldest business school in France. With its emphasis on training managers and leaders capable of winning international markets, the Rouen School of Management has maintained its reputation for excellence as one of France’s leading management schools. The campus is located a little over one hour from Paris by train. Courses are taught in English by an international faculty.
Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM) (Mexico City, Mexico)
ITAM is widely known for outstanding programs in economics, law, management and mathematics. IBS students take courses in economics and business administration and are encouraged to study the Mexican economy. Courses are taught in Spanish and English. ITAM's modern campus is located in the elegant, historic Colonia San Angel section of Mexico City.
International University of Japan (Niigata, Japan)
IUJ was established by the Japanese government and major companies on the model of American professional schools, and includes schools of business and international relations. Located in Niigata Prefecture, IUJ is surrounded by mountains and rice fields, and is two hours by shinkansen from Tokyo. Courses are taught in English by an international faculty.
Keio University (Tokyo, Japan)
Founded in 1858, Keio is Japan's oldest institution of higher education and a prestigious leader in commerce, economics and political science. IBS students enroll in the departments of commerce and economics, and can choose English-language courses, intensive Japanese language study, or independent research under Keio faculty. The Mita campus is in central Tokyo and serves 11,000 students.
Luigi Bocconi University (Milan, Italy)
Established in 1902, Bocconi was the first Italian university to offer a degree in economics and commerce and is now Italy's leading business school. Bocconi's master's degree in international economics and management is similar to the IBS degree. Most of Bocconi's courses are taught in Italian and some MBA courses are taught in English. Milan is Italy's financial and business center.
National Chengchi University (Taipei, Taiwan)
National Chengchi University, with a history of more than 70 years, is renowned for its humanities and social sciences. Students enroll in the College of Commerce at NCU, which is highly regarded nationally and internationally as the best business school in Taiwan. Their reputation is based on the caliber of their students and academics. The entirely English taught IMBA (International MBA) program emphasizes cultivating potential elites from around the world in an international environment.
Tel Aviv University (Tel Aviv, Israel)
The Leon Recanati Graduate School of Business Administration is Israel's leading management school. The language of instruction is Hebrew, but some courses are taught in English. The school is located in the outskirts of Tel Aviv, Israel's largest city and acknowledged business and financial center.
Universiteit Maastricht (Maastricht, Netherlands)
The Universiteit Maastricht is located in the center of Maastricht, the oldest city in the Netherlands and the site of the historic 1991 European Community summit. Brandeis students take courses in English in the International Economics Studies program within the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
University of International Business and Economics (Beijing, China)
The University of International Business and Economics was founded in 1954 and is located in the northeast district of Beijing, China. UIBE offers programs of study in international business, economics and finance. Though some courses are offered in English, the on-site Business Chinese Training Center offers courses in general and business Chinese for interested students.
Waseda University (Tokyo, Japan)
Founded in 1882, Waseda University is one of Japan's leading universities. It is a private, co-educational institution located in the northwest section of Tokyo. The university is large, with over 8,000 graduate students, of whom some 130 are enrolled in economics courses and 270 in commerce.
WHU Koblenz (Vallendar, Germany)
WHU Koblenz - Otto Beisheim Graduate School of Management offers a young, successful management program with an international emphasis. The curriculum stresses practical training and quantitative analysis; instruction is in German and English. WHU Koblenz is located in Vallendar, five kilometers from Koblenz and one hour from Cologne and Bonn.
Yonsei University (Seoul, Korea)
Korea's oldest university, Yonsei enrolls 30,000 students in 17 colleges and eight professional schools. Its business and economics faculties are especially highly regarded. IBS students take courses taught in English at the Graduate School of International Studies. The university is located 15 minutes by bus from central Seoul, Korea's cultural and economic center.
