Department of Business Studies

The focus of our Business Studies Program is best summarized in our Vision Statement:

"The Business Studies Department aspires to achieve excellence in our program. We are committed to creating the best American-based business program in Europe, exploiting the resources and opportunities available to us in Rome, Italy and Europe. We strive to engender an appreciation for diversity on all levels: cultural, ethnic and linguistic diversity as well as diversity in management styles. We shall prepare our students with the tools and skills necessary to successfully launch careers in today’s dynamic international economy, pursue graduate business education, live and work in multicultural environments, and conduct themselves ethically and responsibly."

The AUR Business Studies Department provides an American-style business education in a vibrant, international setting. Offering a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and an Associate of Applied Arts Degree in International Business, our program is designed to introduce students to all the functional and quantitative areas of business studies. Our organic core curriculum is grounded in accounting, finance, marketing, and operations, while also providing the necessary tools for interpreting data such as algebra, computer science, economics, and statistics. Students may pursue a Minor or concentrate their studies in Economics, Marketing, or The Business of Art. We also offer a Minor in International Business to students from other disciplines.

With over a dozen courses devoted to international concerns, our program ensures extensive exposure to the social and cultural challenges of operating within today’s dynamic, global economy. Business Majors are encouraged to earn credit while doing an internship with one of the many international organizations or corporations headquartered here in Rome. The AURA program affords AUR resident students the chance to study abroad, not just in Europe, but all over the world. Students from other institutions who choose to spend their Study Abroad semesters here in Rome are endowed with the unique prospect of studying international business in a truly diverse, multicultural environment. The Business Studies Department also cultivates educational experiences in the form of field trips. From London to Sicily and points in between, each semester we organize a variety of options for travel-related education.

Business Studies courses are also enriched by special events, lectures, and workshops, like last year’s Business Roundtable “Corporate Market Scandals: Impact on Global Investors”. Students gain experience and awareness of contemporary ethical and legal business issues while participating in these discussions with corporate executives. In addition, the student-run AUR Business Club sponsors a variety of activities both in the community and on campus, including the successful Business Networking Fair, which promoted networking between students, Italian businesses, and entrepreneurs from Rome’s international community.

The Department of Business Studies offers myriad opportunities for cross-cultural learning through coursework, travel and events, all of which is complemented by the over 30 countries represented in our student body and further enhanced by our accomplished, international faculty. An AUR Business Studies degree will arm students with the knowledge and skills needed to launch careers in the international or American business arena, as well as the necessary foundation to pursue MBA graduate study.