Overview

Rapid introduction of new products, fierce competition, the increasing number and variety of start-up and entrepreneurial firms, and the globalization of business -- these are just a few of the trends and issues explored by students in the Business, Society and the Economy program.

Through weekly colloquia and a supporting curriculum, students gain a broad understanding of "multiple opportunities in diverse environments." Prominent faculty, business leaders and other experts meet with students to analyze a variety of organizational types ranging from high technology to international trade, and focus on the degree to which such factors as environmental uncertainty and business strategy influence these organizations' level of performance. The University of Maryland boasts both a Business School -- The Robert H. Smith School of Business -- and an economics department that are nationally ranked. Students in the program will interact on a daily basis with outstanding faculty from both areas, and will have access to state-of-the-art learning environments such as the IBM Teaching Theater and modern computer labs -- all within the context of the Baltimore-Washington corridor, the fifth largest metropolitan area in the United States.

The Business, Society and the Economy program supports experiential learning projects that could include interviewing business professionals and experts, using teamwork to trouble-shoot problems in a company or government agency, serving in competitive internships or completing a joint study program with students at a foreign university.

Student Testimonials: See what BSE students say about the program