Bachelor of Business - International

The units that you will study in the Bachelor of Business – International will depend upon the combination of major(s) that you have chosen at QUT and the international study year option that you will undertake.

If you choose the Flexible Exchange Studies/Certificate Program/Language and Cultural Immersion as your overseas option, you can enrol and follow the units listed in the course structures below relevant to your QUT major study area.

If you select the Second Degree as your overseas option, you will require a personalised study plan from the QUT Business School Student Centre in your first year of study.  You can follow the 1st and 2nd semesters of study as indicated only.  Depending on your overseas destination, some of your study units are pre-determined so your study plan will be individually designed for you.  If you do not seek study plan advice after commencement in the program you may risk ineligibility for this overseas option.

All students will be requested to indicate a preference for international study year within the first year of your degree.

Your degree at a glance

Year 1

This year is designed to give you an introduction to the core knowledge sets in business and to start you on your program of study in your chosen discipline area. In your first year you will study a mix of core units and the introductory units in your major of choice. If you are uncertain about which major you would like to study then you can choose primarily first year core units to get a taste of a variety of business disciplines.

Year 2

Year two is the important year in the Bachelor of Business – International. It is the year in which you will choose your preferred international study option and destination, and you begin to make subject choices that can lead to this option. In this year you complete your exchange application and final decisions will be made on where you will go. Your final destination will depend upon your meeting certain conditions (see special conditions).

In year two you will continue to study business core units but you will also increase the level of study in your chosen major. If you are interested in undertaking a second degree as your international study option then you will be required to study some subjects which will be required to meet the conditions of the institution who will be hosting your second degree.

Year 3             

Depending upon whether you commence in February or July, you will spend all or just part of year three offshore. For most students, you will commence your overseas study half way through year three (August – October depending upon where you go to study).

In the first half of year three you will complete additional major studies at QUT, complete other units required for your international study option and undertake a special core unit Bridging Cultures – International. This unit of study is designed to help you prepare for your year offshore, and help you develop ways in which you can best assimilate and evaluate the overseas experience. Assessment will include undertaking intercultural evaluations at different points both before and after your offshore experience to allow you to see how you have changed over that time.

The second half of year three will be spent undertaking studies at your host institution. Depending on your choice of international study option, these subjects may be set (second degree) or completely elective (free exchange option).

Year 4

In year four you will complete your offshore studies. This will include the final component of the intercultural assessment at the conclusion of which you will be provided with feedback on the extent to which you have developed in terms of your intercultural awareness and thinking. You then return to QUT to complete the final component of your QUT degree.

The final semester at QUT will include the capstone unit in your chosen major which is designed to integrate your previous knowledge and skill development in that discipline and allow you to apply that to a real situation.

Special conditions

The unique nature of the Bachelor of Business – International which requires you to spend a year studying in another cultural living and learning environment means that you need to be prepared differently, and we need to ensure that you are performing academically well enough to handle the different environment. The following are special conditions relevant to this degree:

Academic performance — Consistent with the exchange policy in place at QUT, you will not be able to complete the international study year if you have not maintained a GPA of at least 4.5 on the QUT 7-point scale. This rule is in place to protect both you and the QUT reputation. Many of our partners are among the best business schools internationally where you will face a challenging learning environment. The higher GPA requirement is in place as a guide to increase our confidence that you will be able to meet the study challenges and to represent QUT well at the partner institutions.

International study preferences — QUT has agreements with the major partner schools involved in the Bachelor of Business – International to set aside study places for our students, however these places are limited. Consequently we cannot guarantee that every student will be assigned to their first study preference. You will be able to let us know of your preferred destination when you commence your degree, and will submit a final set of preferences one year prior to commencing the offshore study program. International study options will then be determined based on the number of places on offer at the partner institution, the number of applications at QUT, and, if necessary, academic performance. Where possible QUT will try to ensure that every student gets their preferred study destination, but this cannot be guaranteed. However every student who has the required GPA will be able to undertake an overseas study experience.

Designated unit — The unit AMB390 Bridging Cultures – International is the main unit of study used to both teach and assess intercultural aspects of the degree, and is the unit in which we will carry out assurance of learning on this dimension of your study program. It has been defined as a designated unit and must be passed in order for you to complete the degree program.

Study plans — The combination of multiple major areas of study at QUT with many international study option choices means that each student is likely to have a unique study plan. You will be provided with a study plan based on your expressed preference in the first semester of your degree. It will be necessary for you to complete your studies according to that plan as any variation may mean you will not be able to undertake your preferred international study option. This is particularly the case if you wish to undertake the second degree option where you will need to complete certain prerequisite subjects necessary to meet the requirements of the degree program at your host institution.

If you are unable to meet any of the eligibility requirements for the international study year, or your personal circumstances change which prevent you from undertaking the year overseas, you may be eligible to transfer to the Bachelor of Business (BS05) three-year program. All eligible studies completed in the Bachelor of Business – International (BS08) program may be transferred to the three-year program.

The units that you will study in the Bachelor of Business – International will depend upon the combination of major(s) you have chosen at QUT and the international study year option that you will undertake. Because of the large number of combinations it will be necessary to draw up an individual study plan for every student. This plan will be created at the beginning of your course during the orientation period.

To allow you to enrol in the first semester of your degree, the indicative first semester study plans are shown below.

For more information on the units of study you will undertake in your chosen major please go to the page associated with that major.

Your Degree at a Glance

Year 1

This year is designed to give you an introduction to the core knowledge sets in business and to start you on your program of study in your chosen discipline area. In your first year you will study a mix of core units and the introductory units in your major of choice. If you are uncertain about which major you would like to study then you can choose primarily first year core units to get a taste of a variety of business disciplines.

Year 2

Year two is the important year in the Bachelor of Business – International. It is the year in which you will choose your preferred international study option and destination, and you begin to make subject choices that can lead to this option. In this year you complete your exchange application and will final decisions will be made on where you will go. Your final destination will depend upon your meeting certain conditions (see special conditions).

In year two you will continue to study business core units but you will also increase the level of study in your chosen major. If you are interested in undertaking a second degree as your international study option then you will be required to study some subjects which will be required to meet the conditions of the institution who will be hosting your second degree.

Year 3             

Depending upon whether you commence in February or July, you will spend all of just part of year 3 off shore. For most students, you will commence your overseas study half way through year three (August – October depending upon where you go to study).

In the first half of year three you will complete additional major studies at QUT, complete other units required for your international study option and undertake a special core unit Bridging Cultures – International. This unit of study is designed to help you prepare for your year offshore, and help you develop ways in which you can best assimilate and evaluate the overseas experience. Assessment will include undertaking intercultural evaluations at different points both before and after your offshore experience to allow you to see how you have changed over that time.

The second half of year three will be spent undertaking studies at your host institution. Depending on your choice of international study option, these subjects may be set (second degree) or completely elective (free exchange option).

Year 4

In year 4 you will complete your offshore studies. This will include the final component of the intercultural assessment at the conclusion of which you will be provided with feedback on the extent to which you have developed in terms of your intercultural awareness and thinking. You then return to QUT to complete the final component of your QUT degree

The final semester at QUT will include the capstone unit in your chosen major which is designed to integrate your previous knowledge and skill development in that discipline and allow you to apply that to a real situation.

Special Conditions

The unique nature of the Bachelor of Business – International which requires you to spend a year studying in another cultural living and learning environment means that you need to be prepared differently, and we need to ensure that you are performing academically well enough to handle the different environment. The following are special conditions relevant to this degree:

Academic Performance. Consistent with the exchange policy in place at QUT, you will not be able to complete the international study year if you have not maintained a GPA of at least 4.5 on the QUT 7 point scale. This rule is in place to protect both you and the QUT reputation. Many of our partners are among the best business schools internationally where you will face a challenging learning environment. The higher GPA requirement is in place as a guide to increase our confidence that you will be able to meet the study challenges and to represent QUT well at the partner institutions.

International Study Preferences

QUT has agreements with the major partner schools involved in the Bachelor of Business – International to set aside study places for our students, however these places are limited. Consequently we cannot guarantee that every student will be assigned to their first study preference. You will be able to let us know of your preferred destination when you commence your degree, and will submit a final set of preferences one year prior to commencing the offshore study program. International study options will then be determined based on the number of places on offer at the partner institution, the number of applications at QUT, and, if necessary, academic performance. Where possible QUT will try to ensure that every student gets their preferred study destination, but this cannot be guaranteed. However every student who has the required GPA will be able to undertake an overseas study experience.

Designated Unit. The unit AMB390 Bridging Cultures – International is the main unit of study used to both teach and assess intercultural aspects of the degree, and is the unit in which we will carry out assurance of learning on this dimension of your study program. It has been defined as a designated unit and must be passed in order for you to complete the degree program.

Study Plans. The combination of multiple major areas of study at QUT with many international study option choices means that each student is likely to have a unique study plan.  You will be provided with a study plan based on your expressed preference in the first semester of your degree. It will be necessary for you to complete your studies according to that plan as any variation may mean you will not be able to undertake your preferred international study option. This is particularly the case if you wish to undertake the second degree option where you will need to complete certain pre-requisite subjects necessary to meet the requirements of the degree program at your host institution.

If you are unable to meet any of the eligibility requirements for the International Study Year, or your personal circumstances change which prevent you from undertaking the year overseas, you may be eligible to transfer to the Bachelor of Business (BS05) three year program.  All eligible Studies completed in the Bachelor of Business – International (BS08) program may be transferred to the three year program.