Academic Program Review SUMMARY*
Department under review
International Business_________________________
Date self-study received in Dean’s office July 23, 2013
Date of external consultant’s review
April 24, 2013
Date APR received report
September 20, 2013
APR’S summary of self-study (first two boxes must be completed)
APR’s summary of how the academic program attempts to reach its goals and
objectives and the extent to which those goals and objectives have been achieved.
The International Business (IB) major was first offered at UW-La Crosse in the College of
Business Administration (CBA) in 1998. Utilizing no new resources, the IB major was built
entirely upon existing sub-major programs and faculty and staff in the university, including
business majors, foreign/modern language programs, and the Office of International Education.
Since the IB Program is not housed as a separate department, there is currently no Chair, nor is
there a Program Director. Instead, the International Business Advisory Committee (IBAC) has
been set up with faculty representation from each department in CBA and an elected chair who
reports directly to the Dean of the CBA.
Primary goals of the IB major are guided by the mission statement of the College of Business
Administration, which is, “To provide students an exceptional business education that empowers
them to serve organizations and communities as socially responsible citizens in a global
environment.” Specifically, the IB Program develops student knowledge in business as it applies
to both domestic and international applications, focusing on one of the College’s values,
developed by CBA faculty in 2001: “Global Engagement: global engagement and collaboration
to increase international awareness and opportunities.”
Since the last program review, in 2007, the IB Program has had an average of 107 students
declared as IB majors at any given time (ranging from a low of 86 students in 2006-2007 to a high
of 133 students in 2008-2009) and has had an average of 12 students graduating as IB majors each
year (ranging from a low of 5 in 2007-2008 to a high of 19 in 2012-2013.)
The major curriculum, which is in compliance with the Association to Advance Collegiate
Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation agency, develops student knowledge in business as it
applies to both domestic and international applications, focusing on one of the College’s values,
developed by CBA faculty in 2001: “Global Engagement: global engagement and collaboration
to increase international awareness and opportunities.” Through the required completion of IB
core and elective course requirements, completion of a “concentration” of 4 courses at the 300- or
400-level in a second functional business department, completion of courses to demonstrate
proficiency in a second language, and an “out-of-country experience” the IB Program develops
breadth and depth of understanding in functional areas of business processes with a specific
emphasis on global engagement.
It is worth noting that at this time, there are only two other International Business majors being
offered in the UW System, one at UW-Madison, and the other at UW-Eau Claire.
APR’s comments including:
Notable Strengths

New curriculum. A new, more streamlined program is expected to help more
declared IB majors finish the degree within four years.

Strength and interest of several new CBA faculty members. As several of the CBA
faculty members that helped build the IB major have since retired, new hires have
expressed interest in teaching, research, and service to the IB major.
Notable Weaknesses

International specialization. Although there are several new faculty members who
have expressed interest in contributing to the IB Program, not all of them currently
have fully developed specialized aspects of international application of their
functional degree backgrounds.

Administration. The IB Program is currently lacking in the administrative and
oversight processes that may be necessary for it to fully thrive.
APR comments on any/all of the six specific components of the self-study (if applicable)
Self Study: Purposes
Primary goals of the International Business major are guided by the mission statement of the
College of Business Administration, which is, “To provide students an exceptional business
education that empowers them to serve organizations and communities as socially responsible
citizens in a global environment.”
Specifically, goals of the International Business Program are:

develop student knowledge in business as it applies to both domestic and international
applications, focusing on one of the value of CBA: “Global Engagement: global
engagement and collaboration to increase international awareness and opportunities”

prepare lifelong learners who possess a future orientation to business development,
specifically to function as decision makers and business managers in more than one
culture

develop breadth and depth of understanding in functional areas of business processes
through the required concentration of 12 credits in another functional business area

provide experience with the latest information and decision-making technologies to
develop knowledge of how international business is conducted, as well as a theoretical
understanding of why such business activities are important to the economic health of
firms, communities, and the State of Wisconsin.
Self Study: Curriculum
Students completing a major in International Business need 120 credits to graduate if they have met
all the IB major requirements, which include:

Completion of 18 credits of IB course requirements including ECO340, FIN440, MKT341,
MGT360, BUS405, and GE Global Studies 202.

Completion of 6 credits chosen from among the following: MGT 408, 430, 431, 484;
ECO311, 375, 440; MKT440 or 445; IB450 (internship) or IB499 (independent study.)

Completion of a “concentration” of 4 courses (12 credits) at the 300 or 400 level in a
second functional business department, i.e., Accounting, Economics, Finance, Information
Systems, Management, or Marketing. No courses can be “double counted” between the IB
major and the concentration. This “concentration” was developed as an alternative to a
previous plan that required IB majors to complete a second functional business major.

Second language proficiency (which, if a student starts “from scratch” requires completion
of 16 credits of language courses.)

At least 3 weeks of “out-of-country experience” which can be study-abroad or an
international internship. This was reduced from the minimum of 6 weeks required in the
original conceptualization of the major, due to increasing costs of international travel and
students’ perception of the already large list of major requirements.
Self Study: Assessment of Student Learning & Degree of Program Success
The College of Business Administration established an Assurance of Learning Task Force in fall of
2009, which led to the development of overarching CBA student learning outcomes and a
framework for the assessment throughout the College. (In fact, CBA received a 2013 Council for
Higher Education Accreditation Award “for its use of outcomes assessment to improve student
learning in its undergraduate program, utilizing a faculty-driven team that directs a strong
assessment culture”.)
In addition, specific learning outcomes for the IB major are:

Global Comparative Analysis: Graduates will demonstrate an understanding of the
interconnected elements comprising a “global perspective,” (for example, geographic,
social, cultural, historic, business and economic concerns.)

Global Functional Analysis: Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the
performance of the major functional areas of business internationally.

Modern Language: Students will show a basic command of one modern language other than
their own (measured by completion of, at a minimum, 202-level passing grades.) Some
students meet this requirement through placement tests, while most enroll in coursework
offered by the Modern Languages Department.

Intercultural Learning: Students will have demonstrated intercultural skills in a culture other
than their own (measured by a successful out-of-country experience of at least three weeks’
duration.)
In the fall of 2012, the UW-La Crosse “International Business Advisory Committee” (IBAC)
developed the first before-and-after learning assessment, in the form of a 25-question objective test,
to measure competence in the IB major. The “before” component of the assessment will be
administered by IB major advisors when they first meet with their advisees and the “after”
assessment will be administered right before the IB majors graduate. Since this assessment is so
new, there are no results to report as of the date of this report.
According to the 2010-2011 data from the Office of UW-La Crosse Career Services, IB majors
from UW-La Crosse report 100% job placement, though not all graduates are working in
“international business.” Comments from alumni surveys indicate that “past IB efforts have added
value to those students’ careers.”
Self Study: Previous Academic Program Review and New Program Initiatives
The 2007 IB Program review indicated two major areas of concern: (1) high attrition rate of
students initially majoring in IB, and (2) administration of the major.
High attrition rate. By 2007, when 80-85 students were enrolled in the program, 17 to 20
graduates were expected per year, but the largest number of graduates had been only 12.
Investigation revealed that after completing a major/minor in a foreign language and a functional
business major, some students felt that with the IB coursework they had taken, along with their
study abroad experiences, they had already received the benefits of the IB major, and did not want
to delay graduation to complete the remaining coursework. It was believed that this was the cause
of the noted attrition. Since 2007 the problem worsened, leading to greater than 50% attrition rates
in the IB major.
Accordingly, the IB Advisory Committee (IBAC) changed the IB major requirements in Fall 2012,
so IB majors now no longer need to complete a second functional business major. Instead they
need to complete a “concentration” of four courses (12 credits) at the 300- or 400-level in a second
functional business department. Also, the duration requirement for study abroad experience was
changed from six weeks to three weeks, to allow students to complete the experience over the
winter session, if they wished. Since these changes were made in Fall 2012, it is too early to tell
whether they are having the intended effect on enrollment in the major, or completion rate.
Administration of the major. One ramification of the “no new resources” order for the
development of the IB major is that it is not a free-standing department. The IBAC was set up with
representation from each department and an elected chair who reports directly to the Dean of the
CBA. A primary assumption was that any person serving on this committee would have a direct
relationship with the major through their own teaching assignments and/or research interests. In
practice, this has not always worked out as well as one would hope. In addition, the advising
process has been done on the basis of the students’ second major. This has created some problems
inasmuch as students have been advised to drop the IB major despite the fact that the IB major is
the degree program they came to UW-L to pursue. The outcome of this has been that the IB major
has become, at times, both an administrative and advising afterthought. In response, the previous
IB five-year academic program review team called for a “Program Director” with a quarter-time
release to be developed.
Self Study: Personnel
In 1998, eight tenured/tenure-track CBA faculty members taught and advised within the IB major.
By comparison, in 2012-13, there were twelve tenured/tenure-track faculty members who taught
and advised in the program, six of whom are new hires since 2010. Seven of the twelve have
extensive overseas life experience. There are no part-time or adjunct faculty members teaching IB
courses or advising IB majors. Given the current number of students in the program, there are
enough staff members to teach IB courses. However, if enrollment increases significantly, there
would not be adequate staff to offer all the major requirements on an annual basis, since not all IB
major required courses are taught each semester. If the curriculum changes described earlier have
the desired impact on degree completion, the process of course rotation may need to be
reevaluated.
In addition, because the IB Program is staffed through the other departments, there is a constant
need for faculty development in international business. Most faculty members teaching and
advising in the program are relatively new. As it is rare that a CBA faculty member has been hired
specifically for the IB Program, an effort has to be made to develop new CBA faculty into the more
specialized area of international business. Some opportunities for development include, at the state
level, the Center for International Business and Economic Research at UW-Madison; and at the
national level, the National Association of Small Business International Trade Educators,
especially with training for the Certified Global Business Professional (“CGBP”) credential. The
CBA currently has six faculty members with this designation, but only one of them has been at
UW-L less than five years. Also at the national level are opportunities for training through the
University of South Carolina and the University of Memphis. The CBA has only sent one faculty
member to these types of training programs in recent years.
A problem that is specific to the IB Program, which might be either a personnel or resources issue
(or both,) is that the program appears to be lacking the proper administrative support for it to fully
thrive. While there is a chairperson for the advisory committee (IBAC), there is no administrator
under continuous contract who has authority to manage learning outcomes or solve systemic
problems for the IB Program. While administrative personnel who have been involved in the
program have been successful in managing it to date, it may be necessary to consider more
seriously the formal appointment of a program administrator or Program Chair, or perhaps to
consider the formation of IB as a stand-alone department within CBA.
Self Study: Support for Achieving Academic Program Goals (Resources)
The IB major was developed and continues to function as a “no new resources” program, and is
built entirely upon existing programs within the university. Since it is not housed as a separate
department, assessment of resources is similar to that for the CBA as a whole. The College is
outgrowing its current space, but is scheduled to move to Wittich Hall after renovation, and the
College hopes this move will solve its space issues. In the meantime, many classrooms, offices,
and administrative spaces have been upgraded.
External Reviewer Recommendations
APR’s Comments on External Reviewer (if applicable)
The Accreditation Agency report addressed the entire CBA and commended the College on a
variety of strengths and effective practices; extending the accreditation another five years. They
did suggest that the College continue to work to enhance the quality and quantity of intellectual
contributions from faculty. Since the IB Program has highlighted the constant need for faculty
development, and especially since most of its currently contributing faculty members are relatively
new with areas of specialization outside the area of international business, faculty contributions
should be carefully monitored to ensure continued improvement. Also all faculty members who
are involved with the IB program will need to become familiar with the new revised
definitions/criteria for academic and professional qualification that are used in decisions such as the
hiring and retaining of faculty.
Department’s response to the Reviewer Recommendations
APR’s Comments on the Department’s Response (if applicable)
The Dean responded to the Accreditation Report, rather than the department, since the report was
for the College as a whole. The College plans two major initiatives to respond to the report. The
initiative that impacts the IB major involves revising faculty qualifications in accordance with new
standards – this will include upgrading the CBA Scholarly Productivity Guidelines and revising the
activities for professional engagement.
Dean’s Letter
APR’s Comments on Dean’s Letter (if applicable)
The Dean’s letter highlighted changes that have occurred in response to high attrition rates, and on
a related issue, that the program has improved to reduce the “cost” of obtaining the major while
maintaining quality. The Dean’s letter pointed out that the IB major is a strong program and
relatively popular, with good placement rates and a focus that is a good fit with the mission of both
the CBA and the university. The Dean noted two concerns that need to be addressed. First, the
cost of international travel has made it problematic for many students to complete the out-ofcountry experience. The Dean noted that the CBA has done some modest fundraising to address
this problem, but that more needs to be done. Secondly, the Dean noted a concern regarding
administrative structure, including advising, course scheduling, and leadership. He pointed out that
the addition of the CBA International Program Director as a consultant to the IBAC helped the
administration of the program, but also pointed out that the consultant is not a faculty member and
can only devote a small portion of their full time duties to the Committee and the IB Program. He
added that a 0.25-0.50 IFTE faculty director for the program would help in the administration of
the IB Program.
APR’s Recommendations (must be completed)
Recommendations:
The APR Committee commends the International Business Program for providing a well-planned
and well-written report, and also applauds the IB Program for its contribution to the advancement
of international pursuits at UW-La Crosse.
The APR Committee makes the following recommendations:
1. Pursue the development of a faculty Program Director position for the IB Program, and
strengthen the administration of the major. The program is lacking administrative support
that is necessary for it to fully thrive. Additional resources, and/or staffing arrangements, and/or
administrative restructuring within the program may need to be considered.
2. Pursue opportunities to develop new CBA faculty into the more specialized area of
international business. This is important for growth of the IB Program, especially in light of
the new revised definitions/criteria for academic and professional qualification that are used in
decisions such as the hiring and retaining of faculty.
3. Monitor and report results of the “before-and-after” assessment tool. Since this tool was
developed in Fall 2012, no results are currently available, but data from the use of this tool
should be reported in the next program review.
4. Continue to monitor numbers of students enrolled as majors, in comparison with numbers
of yearly graduates. The reason for this is two-fold: (1) if completion rates do not improve as
anticipated, the perceived causes of this attrition (length of out-of-country experience, need for
second major) would likely need to be re-investigated; and (2) significant increase in
enrollments would require re-evaluation of staffing and/or the process of IB core and elective
course rotation.
5. Pursue more fundraising and/or other endeavors to address the high cost of the out-ofcountry experience, since the cost of international travel has made it problematic for many
students to complete the out-of-country experience.
X No serious areas to address – review in next regularly scheduled cycle
□ Some areas to address – review in next regularly scheduled cycle
□ Some areas to address – department should submit short report on progress to Fac
Senate/Provost’s Office in 3 years
* APR’s report to faculty senate will consist of this completed form in electronic form.