European Union Business Environment

Ecole de Management Strasbourg, Université de Strasbourg Strasbourg, France
May 28 - July 2, 2009

APPLICATION DEADLINE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2008!

The Summer 2010 European Union Business Environment Study Abroad program will be conducted with Ecole de Management Strasbourg, Université de Strasbourg in Strasbourg (on the French-German border), France.

Eligibility

This program is open only to Mays Business School students admitted to upper level studies prior to participation in the program. Mays students desiring to participate in the program must have a minimum cumulative GPR of 2.5. Selection to the program, however, is on a competitive basis.

Mays students must meet by appointment with an Undergraduate Program Office academic advisor, or their departmental advisor, to clarify how these courses may apply toward BBA degree requirements. To schedule an appointment to meet with a UPO advisor, (Wehner 238) please call 979-862-3850.

Faculty Information

The European Union Business Environment 2010 program will be conducted by Professors Julian Gaspar, Mays Business School, and Ludwig Kreitz, Ecole de Management Strasbourg, Université de Strasbourg (an exchange partner school of Mays). In addition to Drs. Gaspar and Kreitz, the program will include guest speakers and visits to European Union institutions, local and multinational corporations, and cultural visits in Strasbourg, Frankfurt, Brussels and Paris. Strasbourg, home of the European Parliament, is a beautiful city located in Alsace province in the heart of the European Union and has excellent access to various countries in Europe.

Course Credit

Participants in this five-week, intensive Strasbourg study program will receive six hours of course credit as follows:

IBUS 446/FINC 445 or FINC 645 for PPA Students: Funding International Business (Credit 3 Hours)
Prerequisite: FINC 341 with a grade of C or better

IBUS 301 Study Abroad holding course that will convert to IBUS 456 European Union Integration & Business upon return to TAMU: (Credit 3 Hours)

Language of instruction: English

Studies and Travel

EU_Parliamenta.jpg - 85262 Bytes Apart from immersing in international financial management, students will study the changing European business and economic scene, the role of the "euro" as an international and European currency, become acquainted with several European Union institutions, and visit with some companies in the Alsace region of France and neighboring Germany. The combination of academic course work, seminars, cultural, company and institutional visits will allow students to acquire a sound understanding of the special factors that influence Europe's business culture, economic and political scene, and why Europe is America's most important business and strategic partner.

Participants in the Strasbourg study program will visit such European institutions as the European Commission in Brussels, the Council of Europe, and the European Parliament in Strasbourg. In addition, visits to organizations such as the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, CIC, Mercedes-Benz, and Kronenbourg Brasseries are planned.

Cultural visits will include a boat ride on the Ill river which encircles Strasbourg, a guided tour of the Old Medieval Town "La Petite France", savoring "Tarte Flambee" in a typical Alsatian Restaurant, and a trip to a castle. A four-day visit to Brussels and Paris is included as part of the program, which will expose students to Europe's rich culture and history. For photos of past Mays Undergraduates who attended this program CLICK Photos.htm; click on photos for enhanced images!

Estimated Program Costs

Program fee of $3,500 covers:

Lodging/room (three to an apartment)
Meal allowance (15 Euros/day)
Travel to European Union institutions and corporate visits
Group cultural visits
Four-day visit to Brussels and Paris
Tram/bus pass for the month of June

Not included in program fee (to be paid separately by each student):

All weekend travel expenses and personal expenses (laundry, etc)
Tuition and fees for six credit hours of course work (paid to Texas A&M University before departure)
Airfare to and from (round-trip) from Houston to Frankfurt (approximately $1,100)

Several informational meetings will be held, starting in February 2009, with students selected for enrollment in the program prior to the group's departure. A five-week (two hours on Sundays) "Survival French" class will be offered starting soon after Spring break to prepare the group for the trip. Participants will receive five "bonus points" in FINC 445 (to be discussed during information meetings) and you are expected to attend this "non credit" course which will be offered at no cost to the program participants.

TAMU Financial Aid

For information on scholarship and financial aid, visit the CIBS' Financial Aid web site. You are encouraged to apply for Study Abroad Scholarships (online) at, http://studyabroad.tamu.edu/forms.asp or contact (979)845-0544 Study Abroad Office in Bizell West.

Deadlines:

International Education Fee Scholarship (Deadline: February 2009)
Study Abroad Fellowship (Deadline: February 2009)

To apply for Federal and State financial aid for Mays Strasbourg 2009 program, contact the Scholarship & Financial Aid Office, (979) 845-3236, as soon as possible. In addition, meet with the Study Abroad Program Office in Bizzell Hall West.

For More Information

If you have any questions about the program, please contact Dr. Julian Gaspar, Director, CIBS, Wehner 230B. If you have trouble downloading the following forms, please contact Center for International Business Studies.