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I recently spoke with two MBA students who participated in
exchange programs, in order to gain an understanding of the
benefits of spending a semester abroad. Last fall - Bonnie
Basener, from the Smith School, studied at the Manchester
Business School, and Thomas Soelberg, from the Copenhagen
Business School in Denmark, spent the semester here at the
Smith School. Here is what they had to say:
Why Study Abroad?
Bonnie believes that there is no better way to meet people
and learn about a different culture than spending a semester
abroad. As a tourist you are limited by how much you can learn
about a country and its culture. Exchange programs allow MBAs
to gain valuable international experience without interrupting
their studies.
Thomas and his fellow Danish exchange students were attracted
to the Smith School because of the strength of our finance,
e-commerce, and entrepreneurship offerings. He was particularly
attracted to the large number of finance electives, which
he believes have prepared him well for a corporate finance
or investment banking position in Denmark.
How Are Classes Different?
Classes at the Manchester Business School meet from 9:00am
to 12:30pm, 1:30pm to 5pm, or 9am to 5pm, with an hour break
for lunch. Students receive one credit (equivalent to 3 credits
at Smith) for the three and a half hour sessions and two credits
(equivalent to 6 credits) for the all-day classes. This allowed
Bonnie to schedule all of her classes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays,
leaving plenty of free time to explore Scotland, Wales, London,
and the rest of the United Kingdom.
Classes at the Copenhagen School of Business primarily consist
of lectures and exams and lack the group projects found at
the Smith School. Thomas found participating in group projects
extremely valuable as they provided him with new perspectives
on problem solving.
How Will Studying Abroad Affect your Career Search?
As you might expect, Bonnie found it challenging to manage
her job search from Manchester. Although she found that many
prospective employers viewed her international experience
positively, she faced the same challenges as other Smith students
- fewer and a poor economy. Prior to making a decision to
study abroad, Bonnie spoke with several exchange program alumni,
who informed her that they were able to stay in contact with
prospective employers using e-mail and SOURCE.
Thomas admits that he did not suffer from the "career
stress" that he saw in Smith students. MBAs in Denmark
typically begin graduate school directly after receiving their
undergraduate degrees and work part-time. Often their part-time
positions lead to permanent employment.
What would you tell students who were considering studying
abroad?
Bonnie says, "Go for it. It is so much fun. You meet
so many new and exciting people…just don't expect the
culture to be anything like what you experience in the United
States, even in Britain."
Thomas highly recommends studying abroad and believes Smith
School students would enjoy taking classes in strategy, international
business, and marketing, with the world-renowned faculty at
Copenhagen.
Reasons to Study Abroad
Bonnie and Thomas both recommend participating in exchange
programs, listing the following key benefits:
1. Gain international experience
2. Travel abroad
3. Experience a new culture,
4. Meet new and exciting people
5. Learn new ways to solve problems
For more information about the MBA Exchange programs offered
by the Center for Global Business, visit Center's web site
at http://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/global
or contact Victor Betancourt at vbetanco@rhsmith.umd.edu.
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