Academics

Academics

Lauder Curriculum


INTS 71X Area History

INTS 721 International Political Economy of Business Environments

INTS 732 Global Economic History: Structure and Change

INTS 991 Research Project and Paper

INTS 6X1 Language and Culture Program

Lauder Summer Project

INTS 6X2/6X3 Language and Culture Program

MA Electives

International MBA/JD Electives

For over 25 years, the Lauder Institute has been a pioneer in integrating management education with international studies and advanced language training and cross-cultural proficiencies.

Lauder students complete the core curriculum for the Wharton MBA or the Penn JD, fulfilling all the requirements for the degree.

Through the School of Arts & Sciences, students pursue an international studies course sequence in the social sciences and humanities.

As part of the MA in International Studies, Lauder students learn about the ways in which economics, politics, culture, and history come together to shape the environment in which business activities unfold. They take a sequence of two courses: International Political Economy and the History of Capitalism. Topics include the system of international economic exchange, market-oriented reforms, the role of the state in the economy, privatization, national systems of innovation, historical varieties of capitalism, strategies for economic growth, industrial development, and regional variations in the organization of markets, economic policymaking, and business systems.

In addition to this required coursework, Lauder students take two credit units of electives from among the many offerings of the School of Arts & Sciences or other schools at Penn. They are encouraged to select classes focusing on the historical, economic, social, political, and/or cultural aspects of their target region, frequently in the context of globalization. This coursework builds on the cultural, political, and historical material covered during the month-long regional history class every student takes just before the summer immersion.

Course Descriptions

INTS 71X Area History
Survey courses about East Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East help students develop an historical perspective on critical values and institutions for an improved understanding of major developments in each region of specialization.

INTS 721 International Political Economy of Business Environments
 Globalization and the information revolution fundamentally affect the way business is conducted. Similar, but less-noticed, changes occur in the world of politics, where governments increasingly compete for mobile capital and information technology is used to regulate business activities in innovative ways. The course is designed for students who are interested in studying how governmental policies interact with business. Using standard economic tools, it develops a systematic approach to understanding important political trends and questions: Why do we observe more and more regional free-trade zones? How risky is it to build up production capacity in countries with high levels of corruption? Should businesses lobby for or against campaign finance reform? Who gains and who loses from economic sanctions? How do governments and NGOs use the Internet to monitor business activities? Will European countries use monetary integration as a pretext to protect their markets? The material covered in this course is of particular relevance to students who are interested in pursuing an international career and for those who plan to work for internationally operating corporations.

INTS 732 Global Economic History: Structure and Change
This course will provide students with a brief introduction to global economic history since the early fifteenth century. The emphasis is on making students aware of the main features of the economic history of the world and how they interact with the political, social, and cultural dimensions of human activity. The subtitle, “structure and change,” highlights the double theme of continuity and change, of an evolving landscape of economic life where economic agents must negotiate with trends and shocks. The course will mix narrative, analytic, and quantitative approaches to address such questions as: Why are some countries rich, and why are others not? Why did Western Europe take off in the late seventeenth century? Why did China and India lag behind? What was the role of international trade in these developments? How was the economy shaped by wars? What is the role of technological change in history? How has nature (climate change, epidemics, movements of animals and plants) interacted with the economy over the centuries? No previous knowledge of economic history is required.

INTS 991 Research Project and Paper
Students work in cross-language teams on research-oriented projects throughout three semesters of their degree program. The projects are designed to enable students to integrate their Wharton (or Law), SAS, and language skills. They are also designed to give the Lauder Institute, through the work of its students, a voice in major economic or policy debates. Projects involve delivery of results of the research to a specific audience, customer, client, or organization.  Projects are co-supervised by two faculty members, one from Wharton (or Law) and one from SAS.  Upon completion of the team-based project, students write individual papers on topics of their choice, but also based upon their team’s research.

INTS 6X1 Language and Culture Program
Lauder students select a regional and language specialization. These languages are all for non-native speakers—candidates must demonstrate Advanced oral proficiency prior to admission.

The primary goal of the immersion program is to advance to students’ language skills through intensive study in courses taught by native speakers. Students have the opportunity to expand their knowledge of the literature, history, and contemporary culture of one or two of the societies in which their chosen language is spoken. They also participate in cultural excursions and visits to local and multinational businesses, where they meet with executives to gain insights into business culture and practices, organizational arrangements, and the corresponding sector of the economy.

Lauder Summer Project
An integral part of the Lauder version of the MGMT 654/655 course is a small research project undertaken during the summer immersion program.  This project involves researching and writing on a topic of current interest in the country or region.  Topics may be related to a specific company, an industry, the financial sector, the economy, politics, culture, society, or any other relevant issue. Students work in teams of about five to gather information and conduct interviews in their program language. The teams then write short articles in both their program language and in English.  The goal is for the articles to be published by Knowledge@Wharton as part of its Lauder Global Business Insight Report Series.

INTS 6X2/6X3 Language and Culture Program
Students participate in specialized language and culture courses during the four semesters at Penn. Three class hours each week are devoted to improving mastery of the language itself. Additional intensive seminars and workshops provide an opportunity for applied usage in business and social contexts. These courses are taught by specially trained second-language teachers and applied-language-acquisition experts, supported by faculty from various academic departments and visiting scholars and practitioners. Topical areas covered during the two years typically include political parties and their leaders; legal and social issues of contemporary importance; literature, history, and philosophy as ways to understand the values and the mind-set of the culture; arts, film, media, and sports as contemporary expressions of a culture and its values; and business or interpersonal situations as vehicles for gaining insights and skills needed for effective management of interactions.

MA Electives
Each student must select two electives from graduate-level offerings of the School of Arts & Sciences. These courses may focus on the region of the student's specialization or on the broader international context. The courses may be drawn from any of the social sciences or from the humanities. Students usually take these courses during the third and fourth semesters but may complete them at other times to fit their schedules.

International MBA/JD Electives
In order to satisfy the degree requirements for the MBA or JD degree, students select from these lists: