Where the Classroom Meets the World
Every student in GW's Master of Science in International Business (MSIB) studies abroad. It's built into the degree because international experience is what international business careers demand. The best way to learn how business works across borders is to work across one.
What makes the MSIB study abroad requirement different is what students do when they get there. These are not observation tours; programs are built around substantive work, most often consulting engagements with companies in the destination country. Students address business challenges alongside company leaders and present actionable findings to help inform business decisions. They return to Washington, D.C., with international experience they can speak to in interviews.
Real-World Projects, Tangible Results
The centerpiece of most MSIB study abroad programs is a consulting project. Working in teams, students partner with a company abroad to tackle a live business challenge: developing a U.S. market entry strategy, assessing a competitive landscape, aligning corporate responsibility commitments with measurable goals or building a plan for international expansion.
Recent projects show a range of topics. One team conducted market research and competitive analysis for Mestro, a Swedish software company specializing in cloud-based energy management, to support its expansion into the U.S. market. Another aligned a firm's corporate social responsibility strategy with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In London, students examined how private-sector involvement in the U.K.'s National Health Service was tested and reshaped during the pandemic, then presented formal research to close out the program.
The work also often continues after the flight home, with some students carrying study abroad relationships into their MSIB consulting capstone project.
'I had the opportunity to consult for a Swedish company seeking to develop a market entry strategy for the United States. The project culminated in presenting our recommendations to the client in Stockholm, where I also had the opportunity to visit and engage with companies in the sustainability startup space. This experience further ignited my passion for global business.'
Ricardo Cardoza (MSIB '24); International Marketing Associate, Trade Data Monitor
MSIB Study Abroad Destinations
Most students complete the requirement through a faculty-led Short-Term Abroad Program (STAP), an intensive format that combines coursework in Washington, D.C., with roughly 7-10 days on the ground abroad. The short-term structure means students gain meaningful international exposure without disrupting work, internships or the pace of a 12-month degree.
Destinations rotate, and each program is tailored to what its host country does best. Some of the programs below are led by faculty at our partner universities. Recent cohorts have traveled to:
- Sweden, a world leader in sustainability and high-tech innovation, where students consult for Swedish companies on U.S. market entry and visit organizations from the Ericsson Imagine Studio in Stockholm to electric boat manufacturer Marell Boats in Östhammar
- Denmark, where students at Copenhagen Business School study sustainable capitalism in the Nordics
- Singapore, with a focus on emerging markets and direct engagement with entrepreneurs
- The United Kingdom, where the Business & the State in London program brings students face to face with academics, policy analysts and business leaders
Access You Can't Get From a Textbook
MSIB study abroad programs open doors that would be difficult to walk through alone. Students have met with the Chief Economist of Business Sweden, the Swedish government's trade and investment promotion organization and visited the Swedish Parliament, where one cohort met the country's minister for defense. In London, students networked with GW School of Business alumni at the Royal Automobile Club, which is a powerful reminder that the GW network extends far beyond Foggy Bottom.
From Study Abroad to Career
When speaking with MSIB alumni about where their careers started, many point to their trip abroad. For some, the consulting project supplied the research and analytical skills that landed a first internship. For others, the experience clarified the direction itself, revealing a passion for trade, sustainability or global markets that shaped every professional decision since. Years later, graduates still trace a direct line from that week abroad to the work they do today.
'That week ended up being the spark. It opened my eyes to what a career in international business could actually look like. If it weren't for that one week in London, I'm not sure I would have taken the leap to move abroad, and I definitely wouldn't be where I am now. The STAP experience didn't just teach me about international business; it convinced me to go live it.'
Sarah Bodewes (MSIB '24), Advertising Operations Manager, Trofeo (Málaga, Spain)
'With the benefit of hindsight, my study abroad experience at Copenhagen Business School was the through line between my academic interests and my career path. I could not have discovered my passion for sustainable international trade without the ability to research and work on real-world issues during the study abroad experience.'
Kyle Dimovitz (MSIB '25), International Trade Analyst, TradeMoves LLC
And employers notice. Alumni consistently report that their MSIB study abroad experience comes up in interviews, whether as a concrete project to walk through, a story that explains their interest in international business or evidence they can navigate different languages and work cultures. Cultural intelligence built abroad also compounds over a career, becoming most valuable as graduates move into leadership roles that demand international fluency.
The Value of Study Abroad in a Master's in International Business
The payoff of the MSIB study abroad experience goes beyond the resume. Alumni describe the trip as the point where classroom concepts became real: cross-cultural communication stopped being a framework and became a daily practice and classmates became a professional network. Because the format is short and structured, that value comes without putting a job, internship or 12-month degree timeline on hold.
'The study abroad requirement is one of the program's greatest strengths. The short-term format makes it much more manageable than a full semester abroad while still providing meaningful international exposure. Looking back, I would say it was one of the most valuable and memorable parts of the program, and I highly recommend embracing the experience.'
Thiago Oliveira (MSIB '25), Market Research Analyst, HarrisX
An MS in International Business Built Around Experience
Study abroad is one piece of the MS in International Business degree designed for experiential learning at every stage, from a client-facing consulting capstone to daily immersion in Washington, D.C.'s international business community. Explore the full MSIB program to see how it all fits together.