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Declaring the Certificate of International Studies in Business (CISB)

Who Can Declare CISB?

You can declare CISB if you meet the following requirements:

*For details on language equivalency, see the “Foreign Language” section under the Curriculum tab.

U.S. Track Students

If you are an international student in the U.S. Track, you do not need a second language in progress.

You also need:

  • A recently updated degree plan that shows your business coursework and the CISB requirements.
  • Both your Foster advisor and the CISB advisor need to approve this plan prior to declaring.

Important Notes

  • If you are not yet admitted to Foster, you cannot formally declare CISB yet, but you can work with a Foster advisor or CISB advisor to include CISB requirements in your academic planning.
  • You may be allowed to join I BUS 491 (CISB Seminar) before declaring if you have at least one year of language study. Email [email protected] to confirm eligibility and track capacity.

Timing

  • You can declare CISB any time during the year.
  • You can only start the I BUS 491 seminar sequence in Autumn or Winter quarter.
  • Early planning is strongly recommended to account for international experiences and language course sequencing.

How to Declare CISB

Step 1: Meet with Your Foster Advisor (if needed)

Review your degree plan and confirm CISB can fit with your major and graduation timeline.

You can skip this step if you’ve already met this quarter to update your degree plan.

Creating Your CISB Degree Plan

Note: Your degree plan does not need to identify every specific CISB course you will take. It only needs to demonstrate that you have enough space in your graduation timeline to complete the required components of the certificate (CISB courses, language courses, study abroad/internship, and seminar).

Step 2: Meet with the CISB Program Advisor

Current Foster students: Once you have an updated degree plan, make an appointment with the CISB Program Advisor through the Foster Advising Booking Site.

Prospective Foster students: You may email [email protected] or call 206-685-3400 if you would like to discuss CISB as you work toward Foster admission.

In this meeting, you will:

  • Review CISB requirements and your degree plan.
  • Confirm your language/regional track.
  • Discuss your language proficiency plan.
  • Begin exploring study abroad/internship options.
  • Officially declare CISB if you are a current Foster student and your advisor has signed off.

Step 3: Confirmation

After your meeting:

  • CISB will be formally added to your academic record.
  • You will receive next-step and seminar enrollment instructions.

Advising for CISB

Once admitted, you’ll work with both your Foster advisor and the CISB Program Advisor to continue adjusting your degree plan.

You will continue to meet with your Foster advisor for general degree planning, questions about graduation requirements, and business coursework.

When Do You Meet with the CISB Program Advisor?

  • To align Foster courses efficiently and maximize overlap with CISB requirements.
  • To discuss CISB requirements, including coursework, study abroad, and language proficiency.
  • To discuss petition requirements before submitting requests for exceptions to pre-approved courses.
  • To explore study abroad options with the Global Business Center.
  • To discuss the CISB community, seminar opportunities, and leadership roles.

Upcoming Information Sessions

Want to learn more about CISB? Join an information session to hear about the program’s value and how the requirements can fit into your overall academic plan.

Please note: The informational portion of the session will likely take 20–25 minutes, and the remaining time will be reserved for your questions.

These sessions do not provide individual degree planning. For personalized guidance, please make an appointment with a Foster advisor or the CISB Program Advisor.

All information sessions will be held over Zoom. Please click here during the information session time listed below.

Information sessions are paused during summer and will resume in September.

Need Help?

Current Foster or CISB students: You can book an appointment with the CISB Program Advisor or your Foster advisor through the Foster Undergraduate Programs Canvas page. You’re also welcome to email us at [email protected].

Prospective students: Please email [email protected] or call 206-685-3400 for assistance.