Nordic Study Abroad Program

The Nordic Study Abroad Program is designed for GWSB Juniors with a 3.0 or higher GPA. This is a short-term study abroad course, Marketing 159, Marketing Strategies of Leading Nordic Firms, which will be offered for the first time in Summer 2009.

This exciting study abroad course will include case studies, a marketing strategy project and travel to Copenhagen, Denmark; Malmo and Stockholm, Sweden to learn from top global companies via site visits and briefings from top marketing professionals. The course takes place from May 18-21, 2009 (GW class and embassy visits/D.C. pre travel component), and May 23 to June 5, 2009 (overseas study component) in Denmark and Sweden. In addition to being beautiful and exciting countries for a summer visit, both offer a chance to see companies with world-class brands and state of the art technology coupled with sophisticated design.

This unique study abroad program provides an opportunity for GWSB business students to fulfill the requirements for Marketing 159 (Marketing Strategy) in an intensive three-week format (one week in DC and two weeks in Scandinavia) taught by Professor Robert Dyer of the GWSB marketing faculty. Dr. Dyer has led academic tours to Scandinavia previously and has been a visiting professor at a Swedish business school. You are able to earn 3 credits toward your program requirements, complete the capstone marketing course and receive GW grades for the course. All embassy and company visits are mandatory. Since you will finish the course and be back home by June 6th, you still will be able to have a summer job or internship.

After learning about "hot" Nordic industries such as design firms, clean technology, and luxury retailing, this program will bring you to Danish and Swedish companies where you will have the opportunity to see how the skills you have learned in the classroom translate to real world settings. Some of the companies that are being considered for the overseas component include Bang & Olufsen (sound equipment), Tivoli theme park, Vestas (wind power technology), Ikea, Tetra Pak (packaging), and Absolut Vodka. There will be opportunities to explore cultural attractions in both countries. One of the companies we visit will be your client for a marketing strategy project involving yourself and team members. We will also visit and have marketing presentations at major business schools in both countries.

Credit hours:
MKTG is a 3 credit course.

Course Themes:
How do really small countries, population wise like Denmark (4 million) and Sweden (10 million) produce so many world class brands? This summer study abroad is in Nordic countries. This is a special opportunity for an early summer visit, with a chance to see two of the most beautiful, vibrant, seagoing capital cities in Europe, plus the Southern most Swedish region of Skane with castles, terrain doted with picturesque farms, and a special coastline running to the Baltic Sea. This tour will focus on what makes the Nordic countries unique and so globally competitive (core competencies in information and high technology, design, clean energy solutions, global retailing, and leading consumer brands (e.g. Volvo, Ikea, Bang-Oulefsen, Vestas Wind Power, H & M, etc.). We will visit these and other leading firms, hear about their global marketing via executive presentations, conduct a marketing study and create a plan for an actual firm involved in the clean technology/energy and energy conservation sector. We fly to Copenhagen after four intensive days of lecture, visits to Danish and Swedish embassies for country briefings, and case studies. Our return flight from Stockholm is on June 5, 2009. This short term study program allows the student to earn three credit hours for the capstone marketing course in three weeks, gain valuable cross-cultural and global experience during the visit and still be back home on June 6th with plenty of time for a summer job or internship.

Important Information

Student Costs for the Nordic Program

Links

Sweden (www.visitSweden.com)
Stockholm

Denmark (www.visitdenmark.com)
Copenhagen