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Incoming IMBA Student Information

Academic Regulations and Course Sequence


The program you have chosen will prepare you for a global business career.  Each student in the International MBA program has the opportunity to develop competency in a second language and will complete a rigorous program of graduate business study, develop an understanding of another culture and business environment, and integrate academic course work through the experience of an extensive internship.  For U.S. nationals, the internship is usually outside the United States and for non-U.S. nationals, the internship is in the United States.

This program may only be taken on a full-time basis, with classes beginning each July. The core courses in the program must be taken in lock-step sequence over the two or three year period, depending on the track to which you have been admitted. Please click here for a quick glance IMBA program timeline.

Certain components of the International MBA program require entry to foreign countries. It is the ultimate responsibility of the student to provide necessary documentation needed to enter the foreign countries to which he/she is assigned. The IMBA office assists in informing all students of the documentation required. Failure to provide necessary papers on time may result in a year delay in the participation in the overseas portions of the program.  It is the responsibility of the student to obtain whatever documents and take whatever actions are required to remain in the countries in which the components of the IMBA program are conducted.  The University reserves the right to change the location and duration of all off-campus components of the IMBA program.

Please reference below the Course Sequence section as it pertains to your individual track for more detailed information by semester, course number/name and credit hours. 

Degree Requirements &
      Course Sequence

Language Tracks - Candidates in the French, German, Italian, Portuguese & Spanish language tracks will complete a curriculum as follows:

DMSB 710 Financial Acctg in the Global Env 2 credits
DMSB 711  Global Strategic Management 1.5 credits
DMSB 712  Decision Analysis** 3 credits
DMSB 713 Global Economics** 3 credits
  Part I - Foundations of Intl Trade  
  Part II - Foundations of  Global Macroeconomics  
DMSB 714 International Management 2 credits
DMSB 715 Global Finance** 3 credits
DMSB 716 Global Marketing** 3 credits
DMSB 717 Managerial Accounting 2 credits
DMSB 718 Operations Management 3 credits
DMSB 719 Information Systems 2 credits
DMSB 721  Global Entrepreneurship 1.5 credits
DMSB 722  Globalization & Corporate Responsibility 1.5 credits
DMSB 723 Leadership & Ethics 1.5 credits
DMSB 700 Intensive Business Language Training 9 credits
DMSB 706 A & B Internship in International Business 9 credits
Elective One   3 credits 
Elective Two   3 credits 
Elective Three   3 credits 
Elective Four   3 credits 
Elective Five   3 credits 
Elective Six   3 credits 
Elective Seven   3 credits 
  Total required program hours: 68 credits

** Course taught in two parts, each course is 50% of final grade.


3 Year Language Tracks - Candidates in the Arabic, Chinese, & Japanese tracks will complete
a curriculum as follows:

DMSB 710 Financial Acctg in the Global Env 2 credits
DMSB 711 Global Strategic Management 1.5 credits
DMSB 712 Decision Analysis** 3 credits
DMSB 713 Global Economics** 3 credits
  Part I - Foundations of Intl Trade  
  Part II - Foundations of  Global Macroeconomics  
DMSB 714 International Management 2 credits
DMSB 715 Global Finance** 3 credits
DMSB 716 Global Marketing** 3 credits
DMSB 717 Managerial Accounting 2 credits
DMSB 718 Operations Management 3 credits
DMSB 719 Information Systems 2 credits
DMSB 721 Global Entrepreneurship 1.5 credits
DMSB 722 Globalization & Corporate Responsibility 1.5 credits
DMSB 723 Leadership & Ethics 1.5 credits
DMSB 700 Intensive Business Language Training 3 credits
DMSB 727-736 GBI courses 6 credits
Summer-Spring Students study at overseas language school Z Status
DMSB 706 A & B Internship in International Business 9 credits
Elective One   3 credits
Elective Two   3 credits
Elective Three   3 credits
Elective Four   3 credits
Elective Five   3 credits
Elective Six   3 credits
Elective Seven   3 credits
  Total required program hours 68 credits

** Course taught in two parts, each course is 50% of final grade.

Global Track - Candidates in the global track will complete a curriculum as follows:

DMSB 710  Financial Acctg in the Global Env 2 credits
DMSB 711  Global Strategic Management 1.5 credits
DMSB 712  Decision Analysis** 3 credits
DMSB 713 Global Economics** 3 credits
  Part I - Foundations of Intl Trade  
  Part II - Foundations of  Global Macroeconomics  
DMSB 714 International Management 2 credits
DMSB 715 Global Finance** 3 credits
DMSB 716 Global Marketing** 3 credits
DMSB 717 Managerial Accounting 2 credits
DMSB 718 Operations Management 3 credits
DMSB 719 Information Systems 2 credits
DMSB 721  Global Entrepreneurship 1.5 credits
DMSB 722  Globalization & Corporate Responsibility 1.5 credits
DMSB 723 Leadership & Ethics 1.5 credits
DMSB 709 Europe, Asia or U.S. 3 credits
DMSB 727-736 Regional Courses 6 credits
DMSB 706 A & B Internship in International Business 9 credits
Elective One   3 credits 
Elective Two   3 credits 
Elective Three   3 credits 
Elective Four   3 credits 
Elective Five   3 credits 
Elective Six   3 credits 
Elective Seven   3 credits 
  Total required program hours: 68 credits

** Course taught in two parts, each part is 50% of final grade.

Joint Degree Program

Students wishing to pursue the four-year IMBA/JD degree must apply independently and be admitted to both the Moore School of Business and the Law School. A completed Joint  Degree Application signed by both the designated Moore School official and the Law School must be on file before the student can be registered. Courses are taken in the Law School for the first two years. During the third year of the program, students follow the business curriculum as a first-year IMBA student in the Language or Global Track (format outlined above). During the final year of the program, students must complete nine credit hours of business electives in the Moore School and may use twelve credit hours of Law School electives to complete the required twenty-one credit hours of electives required for the IMBA degree.

Academic Standards 

The IMBA Program adheres to the Academic Standards of the University of South Carolina's Graduate School, The Graduate School, as well as the standards set forth in the 
IMBA Academic Standards and Policies.

Graduate couses may be passed for degree credit with a grade as low as "C". If a student receives a grade lower than a "C" on a required core course, he/she MUST retake that course or an approved equivalent. A student's cumulative grade point average must be at least "B" (3.00 on a 4.00 scale). Additionally, the student's average on all courses numbered 700 or above must be no less than 3.00 at the time of graduation. Grades earned on credits transferred from other universities  and pass/fail grades do not count in the grade point average.

In addition, any courses taken at a partner university during a semester exchange program (only one semester may be taken on exchange) must be pre-approved by the IMBA Office and passed with a grade of "B" or higher to be used toward your IMBA degree. There is a university limit of 18 credit hours that may be transferred for use toward an IMBA degree.

Academic Suspension Policy ("3.00 Rule") - Graduate students whose cumulative grade point average drops below 3.00 "B" will be placed on academic probation by the university and allowed one calendar year in which to raise the grade point average to at least 3.00. Students who do not reach a cumulative 3.00 grade point average during the grace period will not be permitted to enroll for further graduate course work in that degree program. This academic suspension policy applies to all students. All core courses must be taken in the sequence they are taught.

The complete USC Graduate School policies can be found in the online Graduate Bulletin at http://www.sc.edu/bulletin/grad/GGradschool.html

Grade Scale for Core Business Courses

Letter grades are assigned by individual instructors for each course. The letter grades are then converted into point  values on a four-point scale. The point values are multiplied by the number of credits to determine the grade points earned in an individual course. The grade points are summed and the sum of the grade points is divided by the number of credits attempted to determine a grade point average.  The following is the grade scale that applies to the core business courses:

Letter Grade Numerical Range
A 90 and above
B+ 87-89
B 80-86
C+ 77-79
C 70-76
D+ 67-69
D 60-66
F 59 and below


Honor Code

1.  It shall be the responsibility of every faculty member, student, administrator and staff member of the University community to uphold and maintain the academic standards and integrity of the University of South Carolina.

2.  Any member of the University community who has reasonable grounds to believe that an infraction of the code of Student Academic Responsibility has occurred, has an obligation to report the alleged violation. Violation of any of the following standards subjects the student to disciplinary action: bribery, cheating, lying, plagiarism.

Your enrollment in the International MBA program signifies your willingness to accept these responsibilities and uphold the Honor Code of the University of South Carolina. For further explanation of the Code of Academic Student Responsibility, please refer to the Carolina Community Student Policy Manual.

The University of South Carolina expects high standards in all areas from its students. The University, as well as the International MBA faculty, staff, alumni, and students, believe strongly in the Honor Code. This Code requires acceptance of certain responsibities and agreement by all students to abide by the spirit of the Honor Code upon entering the International MBA program at the University of South Carolina In order that you may better understand the required responsibilities, the general University community codes are outl