The IIB's International Perspectives Program is perfect for business students who have an interest in foreign language and culture. By graduating with a double major in business and a foreign language these students will stand out to recruiters. Not only is language proficiency seen as a plus by employers, but the broader cultural perspectives offered by the study of a foreign language can also bring real value to the workplace.

The program provides special programming and support to incoming freshmen who double major in business and one of eight foreign languages. The languages currently partnering in the International Perspectives Program (IPP) are Chinese, French, French-Arabic, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

Students admitted into The University of Iowa for the 2009 fall semester are eligible to apply. Priority is given to students who qualify for direct admission into the Tippie College of Business. Application deadline is August 7, 2009.

The IPP was developed under a new IIB grant received from the U.S. Department of Education.

The IPP has developed programming that consists of series of benchmarks designed to help students with their academic, professional, and personal development.

IPP students who successfully complete all of the following benchmarks before they graduate will be designated an International Perspectives Scholar upon graduation in recognition of their achievements.

BENCHMARK	EXPECTATIONS/ESTIMATED TIME TABLES
1. Complete majors in both business and a foreign language*	Students should anticipate needing more than the traditional 4 years to graduate. An extra semester and some summer school sessions are typically needed, but a variety of factors will make each student's circumstances unique.
2. Take part in the International Perspectives Program seminars (during first year)	Seminars will take place during the fall and spring semesters of the student's first year. Seminars will provide mentoring and advising support for freshmen and will cover academic planning, study abroad research, professional development, cross-cultural communications, and peer outreach.
3. Maintain a minimum 3.00 GPA	Expected to maintain a 3.00 GPA for every semester.**
4. Participate in a semester study abroad program (in country where IPP language is widely used)	Most students study abroad sometime between the spring semester of their sophomore year and the fall of their senior year. IPP students will focus their study abroad experience on language acquisition. To more fully develop language proficiency, students may wish to consider a year-long program or an additional summer abroad experience, but only one semester (at least 14 weeks long) is required.
5. Meet established language proficiency requirements	Before you graduate, you will have your language level evaluated through the ACTFL Testing Office. Each language department will set its own minimum proficiency requirements. You must meet the testing requirements set by your declared IPP language department in order to be named an International Perspectives Scholar.
6. Finalize a mentorship or service learning project	Students will work with the IPP director to determine their individual project.

* Language Track Options for the IPP include Chinese, French, French-Arabic, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

** If you fall below this requirement, you will have one semester to return your GPA to the required level. Not meeting this requirement in two consecutive or non-consecutive semesters will mean you have not met this benchmark and cannot be designated as an International Perspectives Scholar.

The IPP provides its students important access to resources, support networks, and services that will help you manage your academic and program requirements. Many of the IPP's highlights and opportunities will help you make the most of your education both inside and outside the classroom.

IPP Scholarships	2009 applicants will receive a $1,000 to $2,000 scholarship if they successfully complete the first-year IPP Seminar and meet the program's GPA requirements.*
Mentoring	By being in the IPP, students will be working directly with the IPP program director whose role is to be both a mentor and advocate for IPP students.
Other Scholarship	IPP students who elect to take part in one of the Tippie International Academic Internship Programs will receive a $1,000 scholarship. Students will also be provided direction toward various other study abroad scholarships available to them.
IPP Ambassadors Network	Being part of the IPP will introduce students to a positive peer network of highly motivated students with similar academic interests and goals.
Independent Language Evaluations	The Institute for International Business will provide for all IPP students to take an ACTFL Certified Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) before graduation. The OPI will provide students a tangible way to measure and evaluate the success of their IPP language proficiency achievements.
Designation of International Perspectives Scholar	An important aspect to the IPP is to recognize its students who are successful in meeting the requirements of the program. By including this designation on their resume, students are illustrating to employers their interest in global business and their acumen in a foreign language.

* 2009 applicants who elect less commonly studied languages such as the Chinese, French-Arabic, Portuguese, and Russian are eligible for the higher scholarship amount.

2009 Application Deadline: August 7, 2009

Students directly admitted into the Tippie College of Business for the fall of 2009 are eligible to apply for the IPP. Also, students entering the university with an interest in pre-business and foreign language studies are encouraged to apply if they have an ACT score of 25 or higher and a high school GPA of 3.4 or higher.

Since a limited number of seats are available, priority is given to students who qualify for direct admission into the Tippie College of Business.

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When considering applicants for the IPP, a variety of factors will be considered:

• High school GPA;
• ACT/SAT test scores;
• Demonstrated interest in language and business studies;
• Application Interest Statement; and
• A preliminary interview

NOTE: Priority will be given to students eligible for direct admission into the Tippie College of Business. Also, in 2009 some consideration may be given to students electing to pursue less commonly studied languages and tracks such as Chinese, French-Arabic, Portuguese, and Russian.

A student accepted into the IPP will be pursuing a rigorous double major in a business discipline and a foreign language, and will need to understand the benchmark requirements for this program as set out under IPP Programming.