Below you'll find resources you can draw on as an international business & management major. In addition to the below, you can find valuable information in our Research Guide and on the Writing Center: Courses & Writing Tutoring webpage.
Math Prep
Several courses in the INBM major draw upon mathematics, and none more so that INBM 220: Managerial Decision Making. Mathematics, like a foreign language, is something that you lose if you do not use it regularly. As a result, it is important to make sure you brush up on your mathematics knowledge in order to be successful in the INBM major. The information provided here applies specifically to INBM 220, but it is also relevant to many other courses within the INBM curriculum.
MATHEMATICS
You do not need to have a background in calculus, but you will need some knowledge in algebra and geometry. You will need to know how to do word problems and solve two equations in two unknowns. You will also need to have a basic understanding of logarithms. (But, happily, trigonometry is useless to us.)
We strongly encourage students to refresh their knowledge of algebra and geometry just before they begin INBM 220, i.e., in the winter or summer break before classes begin. You can review what you should know using the first section (pages 1-14) of the mathematical appendix of Intermediate Microeconomics: An Interactive Approach (IM:AIA), by Stephen Erfle and available here. The mathematical appendix to the textbook used in INBM 220, Economic Tools for Today’s Decision Makers, 7th edition, by Paul Keat, Philip Young and Stephen Erfle, is also available here.
If you find you are having trouble in a particular area, you can readily find online resources that can help you relearn this material. (A site we think is good, and free, is sosmath.com, but you can also review this material using Khan Academy videos and many other sources.)
EXCEL
The INBM 220 course relies heavily on Excel, and Excel is taught from the ground up in the lab sessions for this course. If you want to get started on that, the last section of the mathematical appendix of IM:AIA (pages 27-34) provides a brief introduction to Excel. You can also find quantitative support, tutors by course and Excel workshops through the Quantitative Reasoning Center.
Field Experience/Internships
To fulfill the requirements of the major, you must complete at least one field experience, one that is a meaningful, professionally oriented activity. This requirement allows you to apply and expand classroom knowledge, gain experience valued by employers and graduate schools and explore career choices.
Resources available to help a student find and prepare for an internship
- Students can utilize resources in the Advising, Internships & Career Center as early as their first year. From individualized appointments and drop-in hours to on- and off-campus programs to online resources and alumni groups, students can work with the center to explore opportunities and potential career paths, connect with alumni and identify opportunities to meet their interests.
- Students should check the Handshake database for internship postings and watch for specific emails regarding announcements, opportunities and application deadline dates.
OPTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE REQUIREMENT
You have two options: registered Internship Notation Program (INP) and registered onternship while studying abroad.
Registered Internship Notation Program (INP)
- You will participate in an internship while registered with the Internship Notation Program (INP). INP enrollment should occur before starting the internship. Retroactive approval is not possible.
- Experience must be a minimum of 8 weeks and 80 hours. It can be remote or in-person, paid or unpaid.
- Register through Gateway. The INP staff coordinates all necessary paperwork and approvals with the IB&M department.
- Upon completion of the internship and INP requirements, the experience is documented on your transcript as INTR 764 with a "PA" grade. The credit awarded for INP will fulfill the INBM internship requirement, but it will not replace one of the 32 courses required to earn a Dickinson degree. There is no tuition charged for INP enrollment.
- For additional information on the INP, see the program’s website or contact Amity Fox, director of internship programs.
Registered Internship While Studying Abroad
Options in this category vary depending on the study abroad program (Dickinson offers long-term and short-term global programs); you should ask about internship opportunities while exploring approved off-campus programs. Examples include:
- Interning while studying through the Dickinson in DC program.
- Completing the Intercultural or Internship Seminar while interning in Malaga or Toulouse.
- Completing the INP while interning in Moscow, Bremen, Norwich or other abroad locations.