In addition to the core curriculum of international business and international affairs classes, MIB students have the opportunity to customize their education to suit their own career paths. Regional studies courses and fields of study allow students to take courses that build on their individual interests, and a final thesis project allows students to partner with a faculty member to explore a particular topic in depth. All combined, these flexible aspects of the Fletcher curriculum allow students to build unique areas of expertise and marketable skills.
Fields of Study
All MIB students must choose two fields of study, one international affairs field and one international business field. This unique combination allows students to build core business skills in the area of their choosing along with knowledge in a particular international affairs concentration.
As an example, a student interested in national energy security might choose to combine the International Resource and Environmental Policy field with the Strategic Management and International Consultancy field. This combination would allow the student to build both management skills and an environmental policy background. On the other hand, a student with an interest in emerging markets might want to combine Development Economics along with International Banking and Finance.
Learn more about the 18 international affairs fields and 4 international business fields.
Regional Courses
Fletcher’s regional courses are designed to build linguistic fluency, cultural familiarity, and political and economic knowledge of some of the world’s major business regions. The classes provide a strong foundation for students to navigate foreign cultures and global businesses. All MIB students take a series of these courses either in English or “in the language.”
During the 2008-09 academic year, the two semester sequence covers political, economic, cultural, and historical themes during the first semester and business topics during the second semester.
Regions/languages covered are:
- China - in Mandarin and English
- The Francophone world - in French and English
- The Middle East – in Arabic and English
- The Spanish-speaking world – in Spanish and English
- The United States – in English
Thesis
All MIB students work with a faculty advisor to craft a thesis or final project that demonstrates sophistication and skill in research, writing, and analysis. This unique opportunity to create a substantial independent product allows students to build a real depth of knowledge and a niche area of expertise. Theses can be a strong bridge to the job search process, and many students choose thesis topics that are of direct relevance to their intended career fields. Recent thesis topics range across disciplines, use diverse methodologies, and cover different regional areas.