Not sure if study abroad is right for you? Have questions about your options? Check out the Study Abroad Start Here page to start your journey.
Employers consistently demand that their employees have global competency. But how do students develop such a global competency? Maryland Smith offers a variety of programs — both abroad and on-campus — to help students develop their global mindset.
“…one that combines an openness to and awareness of diversity across countries and markets with a propensity and ability to see common patterns across countries and markets.” – Financial Times
Different authorities may take different approaches to define a global mindset. The important thing to remember is that people with a global mindset can understand differences among cultures and business practices and welcome the opportunity to learn about similarities.
CGB defines ‘Global Mindset’ by seven competencies or attributes that those with a global mindset exhibit. Contact CGB for more information on how to develop a global mindset.
The International Business (IB) Agility Labs are short-term virtual case challenges that allow undergraduate students to learn from global business leaders and collaborate with international peers. Students will benefit from exposure to an international company, work on teams with business students around the world, and gain hands-on case experience to build their resumes and CVs. Through these labs, students gain multiple global perspectives in a fast-paced, intensive, and hands-on competition while working on a real global business issue.
The Global Marketing Virtual Internship program is an opportunity to gain professional experience with a Maryland company. Students are matched with a small to midsize enterprise internationalizing their business and seeking Maryland Smith talent to help them do so.
The internship program is paid through a stipend and students work on assigned teams. More information on the company is provided during the application and matching process. Students work on projects focused on eCommerce and digital marketing strategy during this 2+ month, part-time summer internship. Potential projects include:
This internship is not for academic credit. Students interested in receiving credit for summer internships may be eligible to register for one of several courses offered through the Smith School.
"Leveraging Your Global Mindset" is an online module geared to help students translate their global experience into their career and is sponsored by the Office of Career Services and the Center for Global Business. By watching this module, students reflect on their global experience, analyze specific skills that they developed or enhanced through their global experience, and develop techniques to translate their global experience in an interview and on their resume.
The Global Young Professionals Institute (YPI) is a Maryland Smith students’ first introduction to a global mindset and the launching point for their self-guided discovery of the competencies that make up a global mindset. Global YPI is a two-part event of Smith Start, a year-long orientation program for first-year students, and the sophomore experience.
Part 1 of Global YPI: Global Competencies for the 21st Century Workplace
As an annual event as part of the Distinguished Speakers in International Business Series during International Education Week, students learn the meaning of global mindset and the seven competencies. Students also hear from Maryland Smith alumni about how to be globally competent in business and what they can do now to be successful in the future. Please see the news story which includes a link to the most recent recording.
Part 2 of Global YPI: Virtual Embassy Day
Virtual Embassy Day is the second event of Global YPI and an opportunity to virtually travel outside the U.S. to learn about culture, business, and society at an embassy.
Global YPI is hosted in collaboration with the Undergraduate Programs Office and co-sponsored by EY.
Pursue a career in international business and participate in the International Business Trek in Maryland!
Interested students can register for any or all visits. Registering for one visit does not require a student to register for the entire program.
Recent Events
Virtual Visit to FlyWheel Digital
Friday, April 30, 2021
The Center for Global Business hosted the International Business (IB) Trek in Maryland, an opportunity for Maryland Smith students to virtually visit Maryland-headquartered companies that have global operations.
Students participated in the visit to FlyWheel Digital and learn from Maryland Smith Alumni in their London and Baltimore offices about:
Virtual Visit to the Maryland Port Administration
Donovan Murray
General Manager, Intermodal/Trade Development
Learn more about the port and its work | Event Highlights
The International Business Trek in Baltimore is supported in part by CIBE, a Title VI grant administered by the U.S. Department of Education.
The Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP), managed by NASBITE International, is a nationally recognized certification sought by employers around the country. It confirms applied knowledge in international trade and export management and shows potential employers that the holder brings the level of global expertise and professionalism that is required in today’s competitive environment.
The center offers an intensive CGBP course that reinforces students’ knowledge in four domains of international business: global marketing, trade finance, supply chain management, and global business management. Through a mix of instruction, interactive learning activities, business cases, and site visits, students learn how to conduct international business in a practical way. The course content prepares students to take the exam required to obtain the CGBP credential.
Term: Winter 2022
Course: BMGT477G
Instructor Geoffrey Milsom
Meeting days/times: TWRF 10 a.m. to 1:10 p.m.
Restrictions: None
Application deadline: September 9
The Positive Impact Internship is a way to learn from companies in Brazil that strive to make a positive impact on the world. Students are placed on multicultural teams to work on a real business problem focused on social impact. The Center for Global Business is providing a full scholarship to UMD students who identify as underrepresented students.
Program Highlights
The Center for Global Business is providing a full scholarship to four UMD students who identify as underrepresented students.
Questions? Contact the Center for Global Business at smithglobal@umd.edu.
CGB invites Maryland Smith undergraduate and graduate students to participate in the HUMLOG Challenge with the Global Business School Network. This year’s competition conference is entirely virtual, free of cost to UMD students, and includes the opportunity for students to compete in a team case competition focused on humanitarian logistics challenges with a $5,000 first-place prize.
The HUMLOG Challenge
The Learners Track features a virtual team competition designed to engage students from across the globe who have an interest in humanitarian logistics and a desire to serve their community. The Covid-19 pandemic has tested communities across the world on preparedness and resilience. In the context of accelerated climate change and population growth, the current trend of frequent major disasters is expected to increase. Called The HUMLOG Challenge, the student competition will focus on Community Disaster Resilience. Teams will be challenged to identify a locally relevant natural disaster and develop a solutions packet that will address the community’s preparedness, response and level of resilience. The winning team will receive $5,000 USD towards their continuing education. Learn more about the competition.
Registration: If you are interested in participating in the HUMLOG Challenge, or any part of the GBSN Beyond experience, use the UMD’s unique registration code below to waive your registration fee. Each individual must register to gain access to the virtual event platform and to sign up for any of the pre-conference track activities.
Institution Registration Code: UMDgbsnBEYOND
Learners Track
October 1-29
Taking you BEYOND the credential, the Learners Track is designed for graduate and undergraduate students who are committed to reskill, innovate, upskill, collaborate and are interested in making an impact in their community. Through the month of October, learners can engage in a variety of virtual experiences that facilitate collaboration, development and learning.
Questions? Contact smithglobal@umd.edu.
Study abroad broadens horizons and enhances students' ability to succeed in business. Students who study abroad learn how to successfully navigate foreign environments, to communicate effectively with people from different backgrounds and cultures, and to adapt to a variety of situations. Maryland Smith offers semester, short-term, and summer study abroad options.
Business students interested in studying abroad should check out the Study Abroad Start Here page.
Semester study abroad is great way for students to expand their global mindset.
The study abroad process includes a number of factors including financing, course transfer, choice of destination, and more. Students must speak with their academic advisor and the Center for Global Business before committing to a study abroad program.
The Smith School has set up agreements with universities around the world that offer business courses in English each semester. Smith students pay the University of Maryland tuition to participate in these programs.
No decision has been made about the operating status of summer 2022 study abroad programs. Learn more about study abroad updates »
Engage in an experience that will broaden your global mindset by fostering cultural curiosity and adaptability. The Smith School's short-term programs provide students with the opportunity to apply a comparative international lens to their business education and professional career.
In-person study abroad programs for summer 2021 programs are canceled. Learn more about study abroad updates »
Looking for a way to enrich your summer? Can’t fit a semester abroad into your schedule? Want to gain professional and academic experience in Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Caribbean, Europe, or Latin America? Enroll in one of the summer programs below and earn up to nine credits.
If you are a Pell Grant recipient, you are able to apply for up to $5,000 in Gilman Scholarship for all programs.
Spend the summer of a lifetime interning in a new culture. Earn seven credits as you learn to navigate different cultural work environments on an eight-week internship. Open to all majors, including non-BMGT, and to current sophomores and above. Gain valuable and unique work experience to highlight on your resumes.
Pell Grant recipients are able to apply for up to $5,000 in Gilman Scholarship for all programs.
Join the Social Entrepreneur Corps (SEC) program and combat poverty in Latin America by supporting small community-based businesses. This unique eight-week, nine-credit study, and internship program will teach you basic principles of social entrepreneurship through courses, case studies, discussions, and hands-on, practical experience.
Apply for the #SmithGoesGlobal Fund Scholarship to help reduce the out-of-pocket costs of study abroad such as airfare and personal expenses. The #SmithGoesGlobal Fund Scholarship consists of three types of awards: flight scholarship, semester program scholarship, and short-term program scholarship. The application process is the same for all three awards.
Students will be considered for a scholarship based on their responses in the application form, their responses in the Education Abroad Fund Scholarship application, and their study abroad program information. Applying to this scholarship has no bearing on a student's study abroad program application.
|
Study abroad program term |
Application deadline |
Notification date |
|
Spring, spring break, and winter programs |
October 1 |
October 14 |
|
Summer, fall, full-year programs |
March 1 |
TBD |
To be eligible to apply, students must:
|
Scholarship |
Amount |
|
Flight scholarship |
Up to $1,200 |
|
Semester program scholarship |
$2,750 - $3,250 |
|
Short term program scholarship |
Up to $2,700 |
Questions? Contact smithglobal@umd.edu.
The Smith Global Consulting Fellows program is designed for students who have an interest in the world’s people and cultures and a desire to apply business and language skills to enhancing economic development worldwide and helping others succeed.
Students in Global Consulting Fellows study intercultural issues in global management and learn skills in group research and consulting through two courses: Cross-cultural Challenges in Business, and Practicum in Global Consulting. Students work in teams to conduct research and develop feasible business ideas that contribute to business, social and economic development, especially in emerging economies.
While English is a universal business language, acquiring and mastering a foreign language can often give professionals a competitive advantage when doing business abroad. Language competency can often be the gateway to understanding cultural and societal norms that a business person would otherwise not know. For these reasons, CGB partners with the University of Maryland School of Language, Literature, and Culture (SLLC) to encourage Smith School undergraduates to enroll in language programs.
SLLC offers an array of programs in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish as well as programs that bring together language and business.
If you are an undergraduate interested in learning more, please see the SLLC website or email CGB at smithglobal@umd.edu.
