International Dimension Requirement


Overview

The IDR is designed to help you build a sound foundation for your business career. These days, business is global — even if you never leave your desk. Use this opportunity to explore: a foreign language, a part of the world you’re curious about, or a global theme you are passionate about. The history, culture, and issues of this planet provide the context to business decisions you’ll soon be making. As a Jayhawk, you have a world of opportunities to prepare for the challenge.

The IDR is required of all students graduating from the KU School of Business. To complete the IDR, you must choose one of the following options.

Option 1: Study a foreign language

  • Take 4 semesters of a foreign language
  • Take a proficiency test and “test out”
  • If you are an international student, your AEC work completes this requirement

Option 2: Study abroad

  • Complete 6 credit hours of study during a KU study abroad program anywhere in the world!
    • You might use this experience to improve your language skills or work toward your major.
    • Want to mix and match? Complete a short term study abroad program over winter or summer break for 3 credits and combine it with an on-campus course from this list.

Option 3: Study at home

  • Learn about other countries and cultures right on-campus by completing 6 credit hours of course work chosen from the following list of courses.
  • Don’t see a course you like? Check for new or once-only courses offered every semester or find one on the schedule of courses and propose it.

These are great introductory courses to get freshmen and sophomores started with the IDR. None of these courses have pre-requisites unless otherwise noted.

Course numberCourse title
AAAS 102Arabic and Islamic Studies
AAAS 103Introduction to Africa
AAAS 105/HIST 104Introduction to African History
AAAS/HIST 160Introduction to West African History
ANTH/LING 106Introductory Linguistics
ANTH 160/162Varieties of the Human Experience
COMS 246Introduction to Intercultural Communication (take after COMS 130
EALC 105/REL 106Asian Religions
EALC/REL 130/ANTH 293Myth, Legend, and Folk Beliefs in East Asia
EALC 142Ethics in Chinese Philosophy
ECIV 104Eastern Civilizations
FREN 152France & the French
GEOG 100World Regional Geography
GEOG 102People, Place & Society
GEOG/GIST 111Mapping Our Changing World
GERM 130German Speaking Europe (offered every other fall)
HA 166Visual Arts of East Asia
HIST 104Introduction to African History
HIST 115Europe 1789-Present
HIST 117Russia: An Introduction
HIST 124/LAA 100Latin American Culture & Society
LAA 177Latin American & Caribbean Studies First Year Seminar (first-time freshmen only, fall only)
POLS 150Introduction to Comparative Politics(151 offered irregularly)
POLS 170/171Introduction to International Politics
REES 110/111Understanding Russia and Eastern Europe
REES 220/221Societies and Cultures of Eurasia (spring only)
REL 107Jews, Christians, Muslims
SLAV 140/141Introduction to Russian Culture
SLAV 148/149Introduction to Slavic Folklore
SOC 130Comparative Societies

Business courses that fulfill the IDR

 
Course numberCourse titlePre-requisites
FIN 420International FinanceFIN 413
IBUS 410Introduction to International BusinessECON 144 or 145
IBUS 415Business in Latin America (fall only)ECON 144 145
IBUS 462Comparative & Cross-Cultural ManagementMGMT 310 or 311 or permission of instructor
IBUS 480International ManagementCorequisite: MGMT 310/311, MKTG 310/311 & FIN 310/311 or permission of instructor
MKTG 440Global MarketingMKTG 310 or 311
MGMT 434International Human Resource Management (spring only)MGMT 310 or 311

Non-business courses that fulfill the IDR

 
Course numberCourse titlePre-requisites
AAAS 300African Traditional Religion and ThoughtAAAS 103, AAAS 105 or AAAS 106, or consent of instructor
AAAS 301Haiti: Culture and Identity 
AAAS 305/HIST 300Modern Africa 
AAAS 310Topics in African & African-American StudiesAAAAS 103 or AAAS 105, or consent of instructor
AAAS 325Popular Black Music 
AAAS 349/REL 350Islam 
AAAS/HA 353Modern & Contemporary African Art 
AAAS/ANTH 372Religion, Power & Sexuality in Arabic Societies 
AAAS 520Topics in African StudiesJunior/senior in good standing
AAAS/GEOG
553
Geography of African Development 
AMS/SOC 332United States in a Global Context 
ANTH 308Fundamentals of Cultural Anthropology 
ANTH/LING 320Language in Culture & Society 
ANTH 360Varieties of Human Experience 
ANTH 484Magic, Science and Religion 
ANTH/LAA 561Indigenous Development in Latin AmericaANTH 100/108/160 or LAA or consent of instructor
CEAS 500Seminar in East Asian StudiesPre-requisites to be determined by instructor
COMS 557East Asian CommunicationCOMS 246
EALC 315Survey of Japanese Film (offered irregularly) 
EALC 318Modern Chinese Fiction and Film (offered irregularly) 
EALC 325/610Minorities in Japan 
EALC 330/530China's Cultural Legacy 
EALC 331Studies in East Asian Languages & Cultures 
EALC 361Colonial Korea 
EALC/REL 509Religion in Japan 
EALC 519/319Contemporary Chinese Fiction & Film 
EALC/FMS 543Contemporary Japanese FilmJunior status
EALC 572The Structure of Chinese 
EALC 585/POLS 668Reform in Contemporary ChinaPrevious course on China is helpful, but not mandatory
EALC 590Topics in East Asian Languages & CulturesPre-requisites will vary
ECIV 304/305Eastern Civilizations 
ECON 582Economic DevelopmentECON 104/105 or ECON 142/143
ECON 604International TradeECON 520/521 and MATH 116/126
ECON 605International Finance 
EURS 500Seminar in European Studies 
EURS 565European Studies - The Literature of Human Rights 
EURS 604/POLS 643The European UnionSophomore standing or consent of instructor
GEOG 351Africa's Human Geographies 
GEOG 370Introduction to Cultural Geography (fall only)GEOG 100/101/102/103 or consent of instructor
GEOG 396Geography of East Asia 
GEOG 583Migration, Diasporas & Development 
GIST 210/AAAS 203Culture and Health 
GIST 220Introduction to Global and International Studies 
GIST 306Global Environmental LiteraturePrior completion of KU Core Written Communication requirement
GIST/HIST 308Key Themes in Modern Global History 
GIST/HIST 314Globalization: History & TheoryNot open to students who have completed HIST 315
GIST 371Environmental Geopolitics 
HA 363Modern Korean Art & CultureAn introductory course in art history at the college level, or consent of the instructor
HIST 300Modern Africa 
HIST 327The Premodern Middle East (alternate falls) 
HIST/JWSH 341Hitler and Nazi Germany 
HIST 350The Korean War (spring only) 
HIST 394 Made in China: Chinese Business History 
HIST 397From Mai to now: China's Red Revolution 
HIST 399The Samurai 
HIST 512
HUM/ISP/LAA 552
Latin American Foodways (spring only)Upper division course on Latin America or permission of the instructor
HIST 570The Middle East after WWII (fall only) 
HIST 580Economic History of Latin America (spring only) 
HUM 312World Literature III 
HUM 505Europe Today (spring only) 
JOUR 590International JournalismEight hours of JOUR courses
LA&S 480Preparing for International Careers 
LAA 302Topics in Latin American Studies 
LAA 315Topics in Latin American and Caribbean Studies 
LAA 318Topics in Latin American & Caribbean Studies-Transatlantic & Transnational 
LAA 332Language & Society in Latin America (spring only) 
POLS 370Contemporary Issues in International Politics (spring only)This course is intended primarily for non-majors and does not meet the jr/sr level course filed distribution requirement
POLS 643The European Union 
POLS 667Islam and Politic 
POLS 668Reform in Contemporary China 
POLS 669Topics in Comparative PoliticsSophomore level or consent of instructor
POLS 672International Political EconomyJunior level or consent of instructor
POLS 674International EthicsJunior level or consent of instructor
POLS 678Chinese Foreign PolicySophomore level or consent of instructor
POLS 689Topics in International RelationsSophomore level or consent of instructor
PORT 300Brazilian Culture 
REL 350Religious Studies: Islam 
REL 360The Buddhist Tradition in AsiaPrior coursework in Asian studies or permission of instructor
REL 510Religion in KoreaREL 106/EALC 105; EALC 104; or permission of instructor
SLAV 330Russian Business Culture (spring only) 
SLAV 340/341Introduction to the Languages and Peoples of Russia and East-Central Europe (spring only) 
SLAV 379Topics in Slavic Language & Culture 
SLAV 503Post-Soviet Communication 
SLAV 540Language and Identity in East Central Europe and the Former Soviet Union 
SOC 332United States in a Global Context 
SOC 425Sociology of Global HealthA sociology course at the 100-200 level
SOC 529GlobalizationSOC 104 or GIST 220
SOC/AMS 534/AAAS 510Global Ethnic & Racial Relations 
SPAN 448Spanish Language & Culture for Business

SPAN 323 or 324 or consent of instructor