The University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business announced today that its undergraduate international business program is ranked No. 1 according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 Best Colleges publication released on Monday, Sept. 18.
This announcement marks the 25th consecutive year that the program has been ranked as the top undergraduate international business program in the country.
The Moore School is also ranked No. 17 in the new category of supply chain management and logistics.
“As the Moore School celebrates its 25th year as the No. 1 undergraduate international business program, we couldn’t be prouder of this achievement, especially as it coincides with the Moore School celebrating 50 years of overall international business programming and 25 years since we received the transformative gift from Darla Moore to name the school,” said Darla Moore School of Business Dean Rohit Verma.
“We are also excited for our supply chain program to be in the top 20," he continued. "With these milestones, we hope to build on the momentum and reputation of the international business program and offer even more opportunities for students to learn how business is conducted around the world. The No. 1 ranking is possible thanks to our internationally renowned faculty, who are well-respected thought leaders in their fields and gifted teachers, and our students, who are not only talented and ambitious but also inquisitive and hardworking who go on to earn competitive positions in top international companies.”
The Moore School’s undergraduate international business program is selective, admitting no more than 200 students annually. Once admitted, students select from one of two distinct programs: the global international business program or the international business cohort program. Both programs require students to double-major in a functional area, providing graduates with additional specialized knowledge and skills in fields such as accounting, economics, finance, management, marketing, operations and supply chain, real estate or risk management and insurance. Typically, the first jobs of international business graduates are linked to these other majors, and many also complete the Moore School’s top functional major cohort programs such as the Finance Scholars or Marketing Scholars programs or the business analytics concentration.
“The strong foundations of the Moore School’s undergraduate IB program have been highly recognized by our peer schools, as well as by students, alumni and stakeholders alike, over decades of hard work,” said Andrew Spicer, faculty director of the undergraduate IB program and IB professor. “The 25 years of recognition for our program cannot be attributed to any single individual or leader but represents a strong investment by many staff, professors, deans, students and alumni throughout the years to maintain excellence in our IB programming and reputation.”
The employability of undergraduate international business graduates is evident in the high job placement rates from the 2023 graduating class, reporting a placement rate of 94 percent after graduation. These IB graduates had an average starting salary of $75,838. All Moore School students also had an average reported 90 percent job placement rate and an average salary of $70,276; all nine of the school's undergraduate majors had average starting salaries exceeding $60,000 in 2023.
“I continue to be impressed by the Moore School’s ability to recruit high achieving students who are inspired to complete the undergraduate IB program’s challenging curriculum and study abroad for at least one semester at top business schools all over the world,” said Meredith McNeice, managing director of the undergraduate IB program. “Our students’ experiences help them to mature and gain resiliency while determining what they want to do after graduation. Employers and graduate programs are taking notice and our alumni network continues to expand well beyond the borders of South Carolina.”
Study abroad is an important aspect of the international business program with undergraduate students committing to at least one semester abroad as part of the global international business program or several semesters abroad with one of the Moore School’s five international business cohort programs offered jointly with an international partner institution.
Learn more about the Moore School’s top-ranked international business program.