Global Business Institute: London - Semester

 

Welcome to the Global Business Institute (GBI), your opportunity to study and practice business at one of five international campuses. GBI prepares you for the business world through coursework that advances your degree, offers out-of-the-classroom experiences that create cultural competence, and internship opportunities that provide you with transferable workplace skills.

A global center of finance, marketing, and economics, London offers an unparalleled setting for studying business. Along with Pitt faculty, your lecturers at the CEA CAPA London Center will be faculty from world-renowned institutions throughout the city.

Learn the Underground as you commute from your flat in a London neighborhood to your part-time internship for credit.  From hands-on marketing experience to exposure in financial management, GBI: London has an internship for you.  In fact, we guarantee it.

Want to learn more? Check out the Pitt Business To the World student blog and this video. 

 

 

 

 

What You'll Accomplish: 

As an engaged and active participant in this program, you will have the opportunity to:

  • fulfill major elective course(s) and general elective course requirements.
  • develop your global competency skills through coursework, internship opportunities and cultural experiences.
  • gain transferrable skills towards your professional and personal development by participating in an internship. 

 

If your first thoughts of London are the Royal Family and Downton Abbey, prepare to be blown away by what else London has to offer.  English history and culture are juxtaposed against streets filled with black cabs and lined with ethnic restaurants from Algerian to Indian to Vietnamese.  The birthplace of the English language is now home to speakers of more than 30 languages – and that doesn’t count the variety of English accents you will hear.  Skyscrapers tower over 17th-century buildings while Big Ben overlooks the River Thames. 

Study abroad at GBI: London and you find yourself constantly surprised by what you discover in one of the world’s most diverse global cities.

 

Where You'll Live: 

Part of the experience is to live like a Londoner. The overwhelming majority of students choose to live in shared apartments – the English call them flats – spread across the city. While apartments are as varied as the city itself and no two flats are alike, all of them are located in safe neighborhoods and secure buildings. Regardless of where you live, you can expect a 45- to 60-minute commute to the CEA CAPA Center.

You can expect the following:

  • Shared bedrooms (2 or 3 students/bedroom, single bed or bunk bed)
  • Bedding, but need to bring your own towels
  • Shared bathroom
  • Shared kitchen 
  • Internet access (for general browsing, but not meant for heavy downloading or streaming)
  • Coin operated laundry 
  • It is not typical for UK residences to have air conditioning or dryers

Please note that meals are not included in the program fee.
You will receive your address, roommate information, and neighborhood description about 2 weeks before your departure for London.
 
We do our best to provide the most accurate information about housing and amenities but due to the nature of the locations in which we offer programs and limited availability, these items are subject to change.  Contact your program manager with any questions.
 
If apartment living does not appeal to you, homestays are also an option.  Email your Pitt program manager for more information. 

 

What You'll Study: 

Most courses on GBI: London are 3 credits, and you can take 12-18 credits.  Courses you take can fulfill your major courses, business core courses, and general education requirements.

Looking to complete the Certificate in International Business? Take the following courses to fulfill nearly all of the CPIB requirements! Course descriptions are listed in the general course list below. Please note that you will still need to meet the language requirement to receive the certificate. 

CPIB Track 

  • BUSORG 1655 - International Dimensions of Organization Behavior 

  • BUSECON 1508 - Key Issues in International Economics for Managers  

Major Elective (choose 1) 

  • BUSFIN 1341 - International Finance 

  • BUSMKT 1461 - International Marketing 

  • BUSHRM 1670 - Global Workforce Management 

  • BUSSCM 1730: Managing Global Supply Chains 

CBA Elective 

  • BUS 1910 - International Internship For Credit  

Arts & Sciences Elective 

  • PS 1311 - West European Government and Politics

  • Note: This course can also be used to satisfy a Social Science general education requirement. 

 

Fall 2024 course offer:

Consulting Field Project (BUS0600)

Management consulting will continue to be a significant and popular career option, as it provides an opportunity for challenging work, continued self-development, access to important social and professional networks, traveling, and financial rewards.  In this course, you will explore the art of using expertise in a field to advise client organizations on high-level strategic issues and provide them with management counsel. Throughout the course, you will experience the opportunity to work on solving executive-level problems and simulate consulting project activities and situations by working on business cases, exercises, and a team assignment based on real-life consulting challenges.

GBI Florence: point of distinction and focus is Manufacturing and trade for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

GBI London:  point of distinction and focus is Business Finance

GBI Sydney:  point of distinction and focus is Environmental Sustainability

 

Business International Internship (BUS1910)

This is a part-time internship (20 hours per week). In addition, you will attend weekly discussion-led sessions that include educational support and mentoring in a classroom environment, develop personal and professional skills, and learn to contextualize your internship experience socially and culturally. You will receive 3 credits for this course.
Please note internships are available for students who have successfully completed three semesters of coursework at Pitt or a transfer university as a degree-seeking student. 

Key Issues in International Economics for Managers (BUSECN1508)

Fulfills a requirement for the CPIB/ Global Management major. 
The objective of this course is to examine theoretical analysis of international trade and commercial policy. Students will look at the pure theory of international trade as exemplified by comparative advantage and gains from trade in the classical and neoclassical models and explore alternative explanations of trade and development. The theory of customs unions and modern day explanations of preferential trading arrangements will be explored and some of the principal unresolved theoretical and practical problems of free trade will be examined.

International Finance (BUSFIN1341)

This course fulfills a finance major elective for Pitt Business students. 
This course will examine the structure and principal operations of the international financial economy. It will examine operations and their impact in terms of trade, the trading of financial assets and capital movements. It will also assess risk management techniques used by governments, corporations and other entities operating internationally and the global regulatory challenges posed by these developments. The course covers topics such as the historical development of money and capital markets, the role of major central banks, the maintenance of price stability, the control of interest rates, the management of monetary policy and the management of global systemic risk.

Global Workforce Management and Change (BUSHRM1670)

Fulfills an HR major elective and a global management major required course for Pitt Business students.
This course provides an integrative framework for understanding the business and legal challenges that are associated with effective workforce management around the world. As more and more companies try to leverage the benefits of a global labor market, it is critical to understand the challenges that managers must deal with as they try to coordinate work practices across country settings and prepare individuals for international assignments. Toward that end, we will examine how labor markets in the Americas, Europe and Asia compare in terms of labor costs, labor supply, workplace culture, and employment law. High-profile news events from developed and emerging economies will be used to illustrate the complex cultural and regulatory environment that multinational firms face in such areas as talent management, performance management, offshore outsourcing, downsizing and industrial relations. The last segment of the course will focus on the individual and organizational factors that promote successful expatriate assignments and globally-oriented careers.

International Marketing (BUSMKT1461)

Fulfills a marketing major elective for Pitt Business students.
This course reflects the increasing amount of international marketing carried out by a wide and diverse range of organizations. Starting with why organizations may wish to expand their activities across national boundaries, students develop knowledge to identify which markets to enter, the methods of market entry available, and the management and control implications. The student will be encouraged to perceive the role of a global marketing manager, and to make decisions that could affect the outcome of a global marketing plan. This includes the international marketing environment and the international marketing mix, namely product, pricing, distribution and promotion, as well as emerging issues in international trade such as trading blocs, trade barriers, and the standardization versus customization dilemma.

Marketing Communications in Britain (BUSMKT1430)

This course fulfills a marketing major elective for Pitt Business students.
This course will examine and evaluate the knowledge and skills required to create and implement integrated advertising and public relations activities. This course analyses the main forms of advertising and public relations techniques used by organizations to communicate with the various stakeholders of a business. It seeks to develop the theoretical constructs of the discipline and to develop analytical skills and managerial competencies that are needed to plan and control an integrated program of communications within an organization. Topics include consumer motivation and appeal, media structures and effectiveness, target audiences, print and broadcast production, budgeting and promotion mix planning. Students are required to design, cost and implement their own advertising campaign and to project the likely success rates of their efforts.

International Dimensions of Organizational Behavior (BUSORG1655)

This course fulfills a core requirement for the Certificate in International Business and the global management major. This course also fulfills the human resources major elective.
Provides an introduction to organizational behavior in a global context. Emphasis is on applying core organizational behavior concepts such as leadership, motivation, and group processes, as well as more contemporary topics such as cultural diversity and expatriation, to workers in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Develops an understanding of culture and cross-cultural differences and an awareness of the key skills needed to interact effectively in cross-cultural settings.

Managing Global Supply Chains (BUSSCM1730)

Fulfills a marketing major elective, a supply chain major required course, a Certificate in Supply Chain Management required course, a core requirement for the global management major, a Certificate in International Business elective, and an elective for the Certificate Program in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Ethics in the Media (COMMRC1156)

This course addresses the principal ethical issues facing print and broadcast journalism that arise almost daily in media coverage of matters of public controversy, such as crime, war, and privacy. Problems of regulation and codes of practice are also examined alongside London's global importance as a media hub and the distinctive media culture of the UK.

Contemporary British Film (ENGFLM1190)

The 1990s and 2000s saw the British film industry undergo a number of dramatic changes. From an all-time low at the end of 1980s, during the early 1990s British cinema entered a period of confidence and success that was mirrored by a major structural and financial reorganization. The course will chart the development of British film during the period 1994-2010 through the critical study of key films, and will examine the way that these films both emerge from and transform the earlier British cinema tradition. Readings will focus on the critical reception of the films and the manner in which they have been absorbed into the canon. There will also be particular focus on the political and social context of the films.

Post-war Pop Culture in Britain (ENGLIT1760)

This course will look at some key theories of popular culture, and include case studies of selected examples from the British Isles since 1945. Popular culture versus subcultures will be examined. The main aim will be to enable students to think independently about this topic. The course will include study visits to galleries, museums and other sites as an important learning experience. This course aims to draw in the students' previous educational and life experiences of culture and history, including oral cultures, popular and ethnic cultures and social and religious movements. It will compare British and American experiences of popular culture, the differences, similarities and cross-influences.

Detective Fiction (ENGLIT0625)

This course addresses the development of the modern detective novel, British and American, from the late 19th century into the 21st.  Detective and crime fiction is one of the most popular forms of narrative, appealing to writers and readers with widely diverse interests and ideologies.  It can offer intense action, intellectual challenge, access to criminal underworlds, political and social critique, and exploration of the psyche.  The focus in this version of the course will be on cities (London and Los Angeles) as sites of criminal imagination, and on detectives as explorers of the city’s hidden connections.  Whether or not they bring about “justice” will be an open question.  Our approach will be broadly historical, from the British amateur sleuths of Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie, through the American “hard-boiled” private eye, to the contemporary “police procedural” in television and film as well as fiction. 

London Across History, Literature, and Film (ENGLIT1199)

The course is designed to introduce students both to canonical literary texts from Johnson to Conan Doyle and to contemporary representations of multi-cultural London.  In the first half of the course we visit the places where famous literary projects were first conceived.  In the second half of the course the class will be visited by an author or director working in contemporary London.
This course takes its students on a historical tour of the capital with great writers and film-makers as our guides.  We start with a boat trip from Westminster to Tower Bridge: a view of the city from the river on which it was built.  Our first stop back on land is Samuel Johnson and the world of eighteenth century literary London.  We look at some of the variety of Johnson’s writing and also visit the house in which he wrote his dictionary and the pub (The Cheshire Cheese) where he entertained his friends.  We then move onto the Romantic poets and read poems about London by Blake, Wordsworth and Keats before visiting the Elgin Marbles at the British Museum.  We then pass into the nineteenth century world of detective fiction and some of the stories of Sherlock Holmes.  The second half of the course focuses on contemporary London and questions of class, race and culture. We read Hanif Kureishi’s The Buddha of Suburbia and Zadie Smith’s NW and watch a series of films which show the changing face of London over the last fifty years. 

Introduction to Shakespeare (ENGLIT0580)

For a portrayal of the variety and depth of human emotions, Shakespeare has never been equaled. In this course, a selection of plays will be studied in depth, with equal focus on the genres of comedy, history and tragedy. Through visits to Shakespearean plays in performance, to the Globe theatre workshop, and through guest speakers, the plays will be examined not only textually but also as living plays that tell us as much about modern identity as the development of the early modern identity. Students will examine the notion of Shakespeare as 'timeless' to understand how vitally he moves from the concerns of his day to ours. This course requires an addition $70 fee to cover the cost of theatre tickets while in London.  You will pay this via credit card upon arrival.

Writing the City - London (ENGWRT1200)

This course will introduce creative writing in relation to the city and the particular challenges of writing about place. Students will examine how various subjects such as the river, urban spaces, solitude, ethnicity, particular boroughs, and characters (both fictional and real) function in London narratives; develop an understanding of the role of memory and experience in literary psycho-geographical accounts of the metropolis; utilize their observations of London to practice creative writing; and investigate the potential of place within the narrative of various genres.

Feminist London (GSWS1140)

This course will enable students to engage directly with London as a specific landscape in which feminism is embedded, examining the historical and ongoing legacy of feminism in the city: how feminists have shaped and continue to influence the fabric of London, not only its physical infrastructure, but also its identity, reputation, and character. Topics include women’s writing, sexuality, consumerism, class dynamics, campaigns for political rights and representation, fashion and style, imperialism and its legacies, feminism and popular culture, Black & Asian feminisms, and the impact of social media upon feminist activism and discourse. This course taps into the zeitgeist surrounding women’s activism and utilizes the London cityscape enabling students to apply classroom learning to their field studies and their own experiences.

Introduction to Modern Art (HAA0030)

This course examines modern works of art from the late nineteenth century through to the present. The course begins by analyzing the ways in which the seeds of Modern Art were sown at the end of the nineteenth century, before moving on to work made during the twentieth century - particularly art produced in response to the First and Second World Wars; and culminates with reference to contemporary practice.

Creative Industries in a Digital World (HAA0870)

This course will focus on the ways in which the Creative industries are structured, and how arts administrators successfully share creativity with the public and leverage the commercial opportunities of creative production. Key topics to be explored will include the arts as a business; managing financial imperatives and the artistic process; promoting and presenting cultural products. Case studies will be drawn from a variety of fields such as film, digital media, gaming, theatre, museums, and publishing, and students will have the opportunity to engage directly with practitioners successfully working in various fields of arts and culture and those managing the interface between creativity and business in London.

Modern Britain (HIST1181)

This course surveys how Britain has responded to political, social, and cultural forces during the twentieth century. Topics include: changing perceptions about the role of the state; the decline of empire; the effect of two world wars; economic strategies; the development of multiculturalism; and the role of women with an emphasis on how the lives of ordinary British people have changed during the last century.

Global Perspectives on Human Rights in Action (PS1675)
West European Government and Politics (PS1311)

Where and what is Europe? Who are the Europeans? What is Europe's future? "Europe" has been a cultural idea that European elites have struggled to impose on the chaotic diversity of their continent. How has the concept "European" been defined historically, and in relation to whom? This interdisciplinary course addresses these fundamental questions of politics, geography and identity by tracing the history of "Europe" as a political concept and the cultural, political and economic factors that have shaped modern European countries. Such issues have been brought into close focus by the implications of European integration, destabilising assumptions about the territorial extent of Europe and the scales at which government, sovereignty and citizenship should operate. This course outlines the contemporary structures of the European Union and also investigates the various processes that have made Europe such a distinctive, dynamic and highly varied region. It also examines the historical roots of current tensions between - and within - the nation-states of Europe, such as ethnic nationalism, the legacy of imperialism and the politics of remembrance, and demonstrates how they continue to shape European politics today.

Child Development in a British Context (PSY1050)

This course investigates the aims and principles of developmental psychology as a scientific discipline, and describes the methods used to obtain knowledge about children and their development. Issues such as children's early attachments, the development of the self, the emergence of consciousness, and the role of play are examined, with an emphasis on the role of education and child care practices and policies in the UK in shaping children's development.

Islam and Britain (SOC1504)

This course examines how multiethnic diversity shapes and defines our understanding of modern Britain, through a specific focus on Muslim communities in London and the nature of their interactions with wider society. Students analyze the ways in which imperialism and its legacy, as well as Britain's global relationships, have influenced political policies and social attitudes toward multiculturalism and Muslim groups in particular.

Analyzing and Exploring the Global City -London (URBNST0410)

This interdisciplinary course focuses on the modern development of one of the world's most significant global cities in comparative context. It examines London's changing identity as a world city, with a particular emphasis on comparing the city's imperial, postcolonial, and transatlantic connections and the ways in which past and present, local and global intertwine in the capital.

Experiential Learning Description: 

On this program, you have the option to participate in a part-time internship. Internship placements are based on your previous professional experiences, academic and professional goals, and availability of positions. Be aware that certain placements may be challenging as business operations are still being impacted by the global pandemic. You should have an open mind regarding internship placement opportunities, and you should expect to be enrolled in 12 academic credits, including the required internship course. For more information about CEA CAPA's internship placement process, click here.

Please note that internships are available for students in their second semester of sophomore year or higher.

 

Visa Advisory

As part of your study abroad program in the UK, you will be required to apply for a student visa if you are pursuing an internship placement.  Please be aware that UK visa processing times may be delayed due to ongoing impacts of the global pandemic.  Obtaining a visa is solely your responsibility and is a very detailed process.  You should be prepared to do the following:

  • Begin your visa application process as soon as you receive the detailed instructions and guidance from CEA CAPA
  • Follow the instructions carefully, checking for mistakes
  • Respond promptly to any requests for follow-up or additional information related to you visa application
  • Check to ensure that your returned passport has the appropriate visa stamp prior to departing the U.S.

Failure to follow the visa instructions correctly may result in additional costs beyond the visa application fee, visa denial, or may impact your ability to do an internship on your program.

More than 75 percent of GBI: London students complete an internship, and with good reason.  An international internship is your opportunity to create a stand-out resume, and you will be challenged to apply your coursework to the professional world, acquire cultural competence, and create professional connections that can last a lifetime.  Not only will your LinkedIn profile get a boost, but your marketability to future employers will, too.

Internships in GBI: London are 20 hours per week, excluding commuting time.  In addition to workplace experience, you will also meet with peers and faculty for internship seminars to help you get the most out of the experience.  Internships are always unpaid, always for three credits, and always pass/fail.

You can sign up for an internship regardless of your major as a part of the application process.  Keep in mind that you will not know what your internship placement is until 14 days before departure.  However, please note that if you decide to drop the internship past 70 days prior to departure, you will incur a $500 cancellation fee from CEA CAPA. While this may seem like a long time to wait, keep in mind that our partners are searching for an internship just for you.  Your past experiences, coursework, and desired placement areas are all taken into account.  This kind of personalized service takes time but is well worth the wait.  

 

 

The University of Pittsburgh partners with CEA CAPA Education Abroad for this program.  CEA CAPA works with institutions of higher education to build programs that meet their goals for learning abroad, and offers study abroad and internship programs in destinations around the globe.  CEA CAPA focuses on academic offerings, support frameworks, and oversight structures for students and visiting faculty.

The CEA CAPA London Center is housed in 2 connected Victorian townhouses in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and their staff will be there to assist with any questions or challenges throughout the program.

 

 

Your Pitt Study Abroad Contacts: 

Steph Spirk

Hola, hallo, hi!  I'm Steph Spirk, and I am a Global Experiences Program Manager for Pitt Business.  I am a yinzer, very proud to call Pittsburgh my home, yet my love for cultural exchange has always led me to new places, even ones I never thought I'd go to before.  I was a Pitt student myself, becoming an expert on study abroad by participating in three programs: Global Service Learning in Bolivia, the International Internship Program in Madrid, and an exchange program at Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona.  I speak fluent Spanish and German at an advanced level.  In my free time you'll find me practicing yoga in the square, hiking through the many parks, painting, and capturing the beauty of Pittsburgh and beyond through the lens of my camera.
Looking forward to chatting with yinz!

Schedule an appointment

Schedule an appointment with me using Handshake!

  • Log in to Handshake
  • Select Appointments > Schedule an Appointment
  • Select Pitt Business Global Experiences Advising as the Category
  • Select Global Experiences Advising - Pitt Business as the Appointment Type
  • Select a day, find my name and find time that works best for you!

Don't see a time that works for you? Just send me an email!

Spring 2024 Items Billed by Pitt

  In-State Out-of-State
Tuition $10,077 $19,260
Program Fee $9,622 $9,622
Study Abroad Fee $400 $400
Total Billed by Pitt $20,099 $29,282

Estimated Additional Out-of-Pocket Costs

Airfare $1,300 - $1,500
Personal Expenses and Meals $3,000 - 5,000
Local Cell Phone $100
Visa (interns and non-US citizens) $500

 

 

What's Included: 

As a part of your GBI: London fee, the following are included in the program:

  • Tuition for 12-18 credits
  • Housing
  • Orientation in London
  • Cultural Events and Activities
  • International Health Insurance
  • Public transportation pass for Zones 1-2

 

When You'll Go: 

The program arrival date for fall 2024 is September 5 and the departure date is December 14.

 

What Else You Need to Know: 

Required Advising

As part of your Global Business Institute application, you are required to meet with Pitt Business Global Experiences staff to discuss program requirements.  You can fulfill this requirement by scheduling a meeting with the Program Manager or by stopping in to the Pitt Business Global Experiences suite for a drop-in appointment with a Global Ambassador.

 

Scholarship Information

For scholarship opportunities, be sure to check out the PittFund$Me site. PittFund$Me allows you to search for scholarships tailored to your specific global program.  Pitt Business students may also apply for additional scholarships through the CBA Global Experiences Scholarships. Please note that the application deadline for the CBA Global Experiences Scholarship is the same as the program application deadline.

 

Next Steps

Upon being accepted to the program, all students are required to attend the mandatory Program Agreement Meeting.  This afternoon long event will cover important topics relevant to study abroad like health, safety, security, and more.  In addition, it will give you the chance to meet other students studying abroad on your program.  Your program manager will follow up with more information after the decision date.