International Commerce and Society
Overview
What does it take to navigate a world where business decisions ripple across borders, cultures, and political systems? The Area of Concentration in International Commerce and Society at New College of Florida prepares you to answer that question — and to act on it.
This program is built on a simple but powerful premise: business does not happen in a vacuum. Markets are shaped by history. Trade flows follow political currents. Consumer behavior is rooted in culture. The most effective leaders and entrepreneurs are those who can read all of these forces at once — and International Commerce and Society teaches you how.
Unlike a traditional business degree, this AOC is grounded in the liberal arts tradition. You will develop a foundation in economics, finance, and data analysis while simultaneously exploring the political structures, historical forces, and cultural dynamics that define the global economy. The result is a rare combination: practical business fluency paired with the kind of deep, critical thinking that sets New College graduates apart.
What You Will Study
Your coursework begins with a Systemic Core — a carefully designed sequence that builds your understanding of economics and the financial markets. You will have the opportunity to study microeconomics and macroeconomics, learn to interpret financial markets, develop hands-on skills in accounting and finance, acquire managerial insights into organizational behavior, and gain proficiency with real-world tools including Bloomberg terminals used by finance professionals worldwide. Courses in political science and anthropology round out this foundation, helping you understand the social and institutional contexts in which business operates.
From there, you will choose an Area Studies Track — a deep dive into the history, languages, politics, literature, and cultures of one of the world’s major regions: Asia, Latin America, or Europe. Alongside your regional coursework, you will develop genuine proficiency in a language spoken in that region — Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, French, German, or Russian — equipping you to engage authentically with the people and places you study.
A Degree You Can Point To
Your studies culminate in a capstone experience that is yours to shape. You might write a research thesis, develop a full business plan, or design a service-learning project. Whatever form it takes, you will defend your work before a faculty committee in an open baccalaureate examination — a moment that demonstrates not just what you know, but what you can do.
Throughout the program, you are strongly encouraged to pursue an internship and to spend time studying or working abroad — experiences that bring your classroom learning to life and signal to future employers that you have operated in the real world.
Where It Can Take You
Graduates of this AOC are prepared for careers in international business, finance, consulting, government, non-governmental organizations, law, entrepreneurship, and graduate studies in business, public policy, the social sciences, and international affairs. More broadly, you will leave New College as someone who understands not just how markets work, but why — and that understanding opens doors that a purely technical business education cannot.
If you want a business education that makes you think, International Commerce and Society is where to start.
Faculty
Tarron Khemraj, Professor of Economics
Sherry Yu, Associate Professor of Economics
Fred Pirone, Assistant Professor of Anthropology
Patricia Morrison, Assistant Professor of Psychology
Frank Alcock, Professor of Political Science and Environmental Studies
David Ellis, Associate Professor of Political Science
David Harvey, Professor of History
Barbara Hicks, Professor of Political Science
Jose Portugal, Professor of Spanish Language and Literature
Alicia Mercado-Harvey, Assistant Professor of Spanish and History
Sonia Labrador-Rodriguez, Associate Professor of Spanish Language and Literature
Xia Shi, Associate Professor of History
Jing Zhang, Professor of Chinese Literature and Culture
Fang-yu Li, Associate Professor of Chinese Literature and Culture
Florence Zamsky, Associate Professor of French Language and Literature
Wendy Sutherland, Professor of German and Black European and Diaspora Studies
Alina Wyman, Professor of Russian Language and Literature
Requirements for the AOC in International Commerce and Society
Florida General Education (10 courses)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| Communications (one course) | |
| English Composition | |
Any writing course that has this course as a pre-requisite | |
| Humanities (one course) | |
| Homer's Odyssey - Introduction to Humanities | |
| Mathematics (one course) | |
| Natural Sciences (one course) | |
| Social Sciences/Civic Literacy (one course & FL Civic Literacy Exam) | |
| Intro to Techne (one course) | |
| Introduction to Techne | |
| General Education Electives: Enduring Human Questions (four courses) | |
Courses Required for the AOC in International Commerce and Society
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| Systemic Core | |
| Select one of the following | |
| Principles of Macroeconomics | |
| Principles of Microeconomics | |
| Select one of the following | |
| Applied Statistics in Social Science | |
| Math Tools for the Social Sciences | |
| Introduction to Econometrics | |
| Quantitative Political Analysis I | |
| Select 3 addtional Econmics courses which may include: | |
| Introduction to Accounting and Finance | |
| International Economics | |
| International Business | |
| Select 2 additional Social Science courses which may include: | |
| Business Anthropology | |
| Introduction to World Politics | |
| International Political Economy | |
| Area Studies Tracks | |
| All students seeking an International Commerce and Society AOC must select and complete one of the following three area studies tracks: the Asia Track, the Latin American Track, or the European Track. | |
| Asia Track | |
| Four semesters of Chinese language or equivalent | |
| At least 3 courses focused on Asia (one must be in history). Examples include but are not limited to: | |
| East Asian Civilization | |
| Chinese History to 1800 | |
| Modern Chinese Literature and Film | |
| Humans and Nature in Chinese Literature and Film | |
| Europe Track | |
| Four semesters of French, German, Russian, or Spanish language, or equivalent. | |
| At least 3 courses focused on Europe (one must be in history). Examples include but are not limited to: | |
| Modern European History I | |
| Modern European History II | |
| Contemporary French History | |
| Worlds of Wonder: A History of Museums | |
| The Russian Short Story in Translation | |
| Latin American Track | |
| 4 semesters of Spanish or Portuguese language or equivalent | |
| At least 3 courses focused on Latin America (one must be in history). Examples include but are not limited to: | |
| Latin American Storytellers* | |
| Whodunit? Crime, Corruption, and Terror in Modern Fiction | |
| Modern and Contemporary Brazil | |
Note About the Language Requirement:
Native speakers, and students with prior language study, should interview with a language faculty or take a placement test, and may fulfill the language requirement by completing two courses in their chosen language at the intermediate level or higher. Other languages may be substituted, where appropriate, with the approval of two faculty members affiliated with the program.
Additional Requirements
- All students with a concentration in International Commerce and Society should complete a group ISP leading to a certification in Excel.
- Students are strongly encouraged to complete at least one internship during their time at New College, and to take part in at least one international experience (study abroad for a year, a semester, a summer, or an ISP, or a research/internship experience abroad).
- Thesis Project
Courses Required for the Joint AOC in International Commerce and Society
Students are required to complete a total of seven courses per the following schedule:
Systemic Core:
- One introductory course in Economics, chosen from list above.
- One additional course in Economics, chosen from list above.
- One additional Social Sciences course, chosen from list above.
Area Studies Tracks:
- Two semesters of a foreign language appropriate to the chosen area track.
- Two courses in regional area of specialization.