The University of South Carolina's Darla Moore School of Business is partnering with multiple world-class business schools in the MENA region to offer an exceptional and unique program of study to develop expertise in Islamic culture and business practices. This concentration provides students with the tools necessary to compete and succeed in the MENA business environment. In addition to gaining in-depth knowledge of business and culture, opportunities are designed to study Modern Standard Arabic and colloquial Arabic. At the completion of their four years, students are expected to be proficient in the language. Students may also elect to pursue an Islamic World Studies minor offered by the USC Walker Institute of International and Area Studies.
Year 1: Students spend their freshman year at South Carolina and begin their Arabic language instruction. Students are encouraged to incorporate courses related to the MENA region into their Carolina Core requirements or the Islamic World Studies Minor. During the summer, they may elect to participate in an Arabic language in-country immersion program, at a Moore School global partner.
Year 2: Students will study at South Carolina. They will continue Arabic language instruction and Carolina Core or pursue the Islamic World Studies Minor requirements. During the summer, students are required to participate in an Arabic language immersion program at a Moore School global partner.
Year 3: Students will study abroad for two semesters at a Moore School global partner(s).
Year 4: Students will finish up their final year at South Carolina before graduating.
During the two study abroad semesters, tuition will be assessed on an exchange basis — that is, students will pay tuition to USC rather than the university they visit. Exchange tuition is assessed at the in-state rate for South Carolina students, regardless of residency status. Housing and other personal living expenses will be based on the accommodations secured in-country and will vary accordingly.
Students in the IBMENA concentration are required to double major in business, specifically international business and either accounting, economics, finance, management, marketing, operations and supply chain, real estate, or risk management and insurance. The curriculum is designed to be integrated between Moore School and our global partners. In today’s globalized world, it is more important than ever to be able to communicate across borders, and with intensive summer immersion class(s), students will graduate with high proficiency in Arabic.
Students in the IBMENA program will be required to study Arabic, and will work to achieve business fluency by graduation. Prior knowledge or study of Arabic is not a prerequisite for admission into the program. Non-native speakers will take part in at least one intensive summer language study abroad.
Students will spend a summer and two semesters at a Moore School global partner(s). Current partners supporting the MENA concentration include:
- Ajman University - Ajman, UAE
- American University in Cairo - Cairo, Egypt
- ESCA School of Management - Casablanca, Morocco
- Hebrew University of Jerusalem - Jerusalem, Israel
- Koç University - Istanbul, Turkey
- University of Nicosia* - Nicosia, Cyprus
- University of Sharjah - Sharjah, UAE
Each of these partners are ranked as one of the very top business schools within their respective country. Moore School is continuing to expand our partnerships within the MENA region so additional options may be available in the future.
*Global Partner Program – additional fees may apply.