Bachelor of Business (International Business) (Applied)

Most of your classes will be held in RMIT's Swanston Academic Building which features innovative learning spaces interspersed with retail and social spaces resulting in a stimulating environment for students.

Throughout your studies you will collaborate with peers and engage meaningfully with industry through small group projects, simulation exercises and a long-term placement in industry. You are also able to engage in learning or working overseas as part of your studies. 

RMIT offers you a variety of experiences so that you can learn and develop concepts in the classroom, as well as engage with the world of work and apply your learning to both real and realistic problems.

You will have the chance to demonstrate what you have learned in class or out in industry by:

• presenting ideas and solutions to industry representatives
• using custom-built simulators
• applying your knowledge to address real issues presented in case studies
• completing workplace projects according to specifications and timeframes
• completing a major project applying ‘design thinking’ to an industry challenge after your industry placement. 

Through RMIT University’s online learning portal, myRMIT, you will be able to view online resources and learning activities created by lecturers, access course materials via Blackboard, collaborate with lecturers and fellow students, and access your student email account. 

Educational software, the Learning Hub, resources and printers are accessible on campus via the RMIT wireless network using your own laptop, tablet or smart phone or via computer facilities on-campus. You will be able to access the same software from home using myDesktop.

Find out more about student computing at RMIT.

Ongoing assessment throughout the semester includes examinations, essays, reports, oral presentations, group projects, research projects and practical assignments. 

In third year you will undertake a compulsory eight to 12-month supervised work placement in industry through the Cooperative Education Program. By being immersed in full-time work in your field of study you can apply the knowledge you’ve gained at university to a real workplace, deepen or broaden your knowledge of your discipline, industry and the organisation, and be introduced to real world performance and workplace expectations.

You are responsible for finding your own placement, however job search assistance is available. If you are unable to secure a placement you can transfer to a related three-year business degree.

In addition you will undertake specialist international business work-integrated learning courses:

• Managing International Business Responsibly. In this core course you will be guided by an academic who specialises in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and who has worked as a management consultant in CSR and sustainability. You will appraise different approaches to this field, learning how to engage with a range of stakeholders in order to improve outcomes for business and society.
• Political Economy of International Business. In this capstone course you will study the historical and institutional context of the world economy, and contemporary trends in trade, finance, production and economic scalability of global businesses and the political, economic and cultural environments in which they operate.

These courses are designed to develop your work-ready capabilities and your ability to analyse and manage information and contexts, resolve problems and communicate effectively in your future career.

Underlining RMIT’s reputation as a university of technology, design and enterprise, other work-connected and industry-relevant experiences available to you include:

• working in a student team as part of the Fastrack Innovation Program. In this elective course you will work with mentors to develop and present a solution to a real problem using fast-prototyping techniques

• BUSM4599 Business Skills for Start Ups, a course designed for students interested in starting up their own business.

In addition to the expertise provided by the College of Business Industry Advisory Board professional representatives actively participate in the Program Advisory Committee to maintain current international business practice and industry standards. 

RMIT is committed to providing you with an education that strongly links formal learning with professional or vocational practice.

You are actively encouraged to experience the wider world inside both traditional and virtual classrooms. Exposure to different types of cross-border collaboration during your studies will provide insights into how organisations develop ideas, and present you with different behaviours, learning styles and practices that you will encounter after graduation.

Options include: 

• participating in a student exchange
  
• participating in a study tour that combines an overseas travel and cultural experience with coursework completed in intensive mode which is credited towards your degree
• collaborating on projects across campuses and locations with students from business and other disciplines
• undertaking an overseas internship as part of the Global Entrepreneurship and Internship Program (GEIP).

Find out more about international opportunities in the College of Business.

The program consists of 28 taught courses including core business and international business courses, work-integrated learning courses, flexible courses, a one-year compulsory industry placement and a business design project. The business design project in final year consolidates this practical experience, theory and your problem-solving skills.

Flexible courses may be chosen from a business minor that is different from your major area of study, or a minor from another discipline, or from general student electives.

Year 1

You will do 7 of the compulsory common business core courses plus 1 international business major course.

Year 2

You will study the final compulsory common business core course, and focus on your major by completing 7 international business courses. The courses in years 2 and 4 of the degree cover the following topics.

• Financial markets. You will be introduced to the financial markets environment in which business organisations operate globally, and you will collaborate in small teams to critically analyse problems in real-life treasury dealing situations using live data in the RMIT Trading Facility.
• Economics and trade. You will be introduced to the economic theory of free trade and the effect international trade (or intervening in the trade process) has on economic welfare, economic growth and income distribution.
• Global trade operations. You’ll gain insights in to the operational and strategic aspects of global trade operations related to the exchange of goods and services across international borders, as well as the politics of global trade and the regulatory environment.
• Cross cultural management. Equips you with the awareness, knowledge and skills needed to work in a multicultural workplace and successfully lead in organisations by considering behaviours, intercultural sensitivity, cross-cultural communication and diversity.
• Socially responsible management. Provides you with knowledge and skills to think innovatively about how to take social and environmental issues into account in ways that both contribute to core business strategy, and also improve outcomes for society through engagement with stakeholders in the value chains of international business.
• Political economy. Consolidates and deepens your understanding of the political, economic and cultural environments in which international business operates, and the role of global business as actors in the international political economy, including relationships with the key international institutions and actors.
• Design thinking. You will explore creativity, innovation and design and their importance within organisations and business in the context of increasing levels of risk and uncertainty globally, thereby gaining a uniquely RMIT perspective on contemporary challenges and opportunities in international business. 

Year 3

The third year involves a compulsory industry placement as part of the Cooperative Education program.

Year 4

After completing your industry placement, you will return for your final year of study. You will complete flexible courses, Business Design Project courses, and courses in your international business major including the specialist core course, Sustainable Futures.

In Sustainable Futures you will explore interactions between the local and global dimensions of the big sustainability challenges we face. You will be introduced to key concepts, sustainability principles and techniques that you can apply within households, communities and workplaces. 

In the Business Design Project courses you will bring together the theoretical learning from the first two years and your supervised industry placement. You will need to produce a brief that outlines a current or potential business issue. You must then reflect on theory, test creative solutions, communicate the issue; and demonstrate your ability to analyse and problem-solve in a coherent manner.

Your flexible courses can comprise a business (or other discipline) minor; or four electives.

Business minors include:

• accounting
• behavioural business
• business analysis
• economics and finance
• entrepreneurship
• finance
• financial planning
• financial planning and taxation
• human resource management
• human resource practice
• information systems
• IS security and risk management
• law
• logistics and supply chain management
• management
• marketing
• flexible business minor

Other minors (PDF 201KB 14p) can be chosen from many disciplines offered across RMIT. Examples of these minors or elective streams include foreign languages, international studies, sustainability and environment, geospatial studies, statistics and data management, politics, social justice, gender studies, and conflict mediation. 

When planning your studies, you are advised to check which elective and minor courses are offered each year.

Membership

Professional bodies may offer students and/or graduates membership, opportunities for entry into professional qualification programs and other career enhancing benefits. 

For further information about membership and opportunities for students and graduates, please visit our accreditation and membership page.