Thunderbird School to offer undergrad degree in global management

Allen J. Morrison, director general of Thunderbird School of Global Management, announced Feb. 6 that the school will begin offering an undergraduate degree in fall 2015.

The expanded offering emerges from Thunderbird’s new alliance with Arizona State University and combines the strengths of both institutions.

“Bringing Thunderbird’s global management instruction to the undergraduate level will contribute to ASU’s ability to produce global-ready graduates well-versed in the business world,” said ASU Provost Robert E. Page, Jr.

The bachelor of global management will be delivered at ASU's West campus in northwest Phoenix, less than three miles from the Thunderbird campus. It is expected to attract prospective students who are interested in a business degree with a global focus, as well as a focus on language.

“The bachelor of global management degree program will draw on Thunderbird School of Global Management’s expertise in global management practices, intercultural communication and language development,” said Morrison. “The curriculum will provide the undergraduate student population access to Thunderbird's outstanding global management faculty and strong relationships with global organizations to develop the skills needed to operate effectively in today’s globally connected world.”

Through a strong language and inter-cultural focus in Arabic, Chinese, English or Spanish, students will develop the advanced communication skills demanded by international employers, governments and non-governmental entities.

Morrison said the bachelor of global management degree at Thunderbird will be very different from the experience at ASU’s highly regarded W. P. Carey School of Business. The curriculum’s focus and depth, as well as its peer-to-peer structure, will make the program unique, he added.

“In order to delve deeper into the themes of intercultural communication and business culture of a specific region and language, a unique class structure will pair both native and second language learners in the same classroom,” said Morrison. “And that’s just the beginning. A required semester-long applied learning experience, such as an international internship, will allow students to put the skills they have learned into practice in real-world settings.”

The senior capstone course requires students to propose and complete a project of their choice that draws upon the skills they have developed throughout the program. At the same time, they will develop an online portfolio articulating their skills, qualities and work experience for potential employers as part of their professional development plan.

The program hopes to attract students from around the world, as well as from the well-developed pipeline of students in international baccalaureate programs, Chinese language training programs supported by the Confucius Institute and Spanish-speaking households throughout the state of Arizona.