International Graduate Studies Preparation Program

Benefits of ACPs

• Enhance the value of your degree and update your knowledge and skills in your area of specialization in a short time.
• Gain practical work experience and apply academic theory in an internship (or practicum for TEFL students) related to your area of study.
• Attend a Professional Communication Skills Seminar to gain a deeper understanding of your courses and to further develop your English communication skills for greater success in your profession.
• Receive academic advising.
• Participate in educational field trips to observe American professionals in the work environment.
• Develop a professional network of American and international colleagues.

Descriptions of ACPs

• Business Administration: This program prepares students to enter an MBA program, learn to build effective teams, explore business and leadership models, and obtain a strong foundation in business functions and analysis. Courses include Entrepreneurship, Finance for the Non-Financial Business Person, Essentials of Management, Success Strategies for E-Business, Communication in the Business Environment, Strategic Planning. Offered Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer.
• Marketing: This program focuses on how technology and the digital economy have dramatically changed marketing today.  The core marketing activities including market research, strategic planning, branding, public relations, and business to business marketing must take advantage of these new technologies and opportunities to develop and reach new markets, and ensure a businesses success. Courses include Presentation Skills Workshop, Essentials of Marketing Beyond the Four Ps, Understanding Customers and Markets Through Research, Using the Web as a Marketing Tool, Business-to- Business Marketing, Customer Relationship Marketing, Branding, Marketing Planning for Your Product or Business. Offered Fall, Winter, and Spring.
• International Finance (under development): This program prepares students for a career in corporate financial planning and analysis in a multinational company. Students learn to develop practical financial spreadsheet models, understand balance sheet and profit loss statements, and develop tactics to improve financial management processes. Courses include International Finance: Techniques and Operations, Financial Mathematics Primer, Financial Modeling Primer: Computer Lab Class, Financial Analysis Primer, Introduction to Accounting for International Students, Risk Management in the Multinational Firm: A Survey Course for International Students, Survey of International Finance Markets. Offered Winter and Summer.
• International Business Operations & Management: In this program, students learn how to develop and present a comprehensive business plan focused on data obtained through financial requirements and consumer research; develop specific skills in the areas of international marketing, management, finance, and business negotiations; identify the strategies, policies, and norms necessary to conduct international business; and describe specific business strategies for conducting business in designated international markets. Courses include International Business: Strategy and Structure, International Marketing, International Finance, Import/Export: International Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Cultural Communications and Negotiations, International Business Planning for Your Product or Service: A Capstone Course. Offered Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer.
• International Tourism & Hotel Management: In this program, students examine the current issues impacting global hospitality management, use proven marketing and branding techniques to capture and retain the hospitality and tourism-focused client, build and adapt event management and project management skills necessary in the changing hospitality and tourism industries, learn how to develop an integrated service culture that supports employee retention, and learn about the role of sustainability and greening in the current hospitality and tourism practices. Courses include Introduction to the Hospitality Industry, Strategic Marketing and Branding for the Hospitality Industry, Customer Service Management, Fundamentals of Accounting and Budgeting, Project and Event Management, Human Resources and Leadership for the Hospitality Professional, Fundamentals of the Tourism Industry. Offered Winter and Summer.

Internships

Internships are supervised professional positions which give students the opportunity to work in a real-world setting, take on workplace projects, earn academic credit, learn new skills and concepts, and make professional contacts. Internships are unpaid positions lasting approximately 3 months; most are in mid-sized firms in the growing high-tech business environment of Orange County, as well as in the greater Los Angeles area. After being enrolled in their ACP, students will attend an intensive resume-writing and interviewing workshop, and will be guided by UC Irvine staff in locating an internship position that matches their career needs and interests. Interns perform a variety of tasks at their host companies for approximately 20-30 hours per week.

Benefits of Internships

• Obtain valuable business experience.
• Utilize opportunities for building business relationships and contacts.
• Improve communication skills.
• Implement new ideas and concepts in your home country.
• Gain practical experience in dealing with business situations.
• Develop new skills and competencies.
• Explore and develop career options.

Partial List of Internship Partners

• Allergan
• Billabong
• Black & Decker
• Crowne Plaza Hotels
• Dentsu America
• Edwards Lifesciences
• EMC Records
• Famima!!
• Four Seasons Hotel
• GAP
• Hilton Hotels
• Irvine Chamber of Commerce
• Marriott Hotels
• MTV
• Panasonic
• Quiksilver
• Ritz-Carlton Hotels
• St. John Knits
• Siemens
• Starbucks
• Target
• TBWA - Chiat Day
• UBS
• Universal Studios
• Virtium Technology
• VOLCOM
• Westin South Coast Plaza
• Young and Rubicam
• 7-Eleven Corporation