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Immersion FAQs

MBA@UNC Immersions provide students in the MBA@UNC program at Kenan-Flagler with an opportunity to engage in short-term experiential learning abroad for academic credit. Immersions are offered twice per year (in March and September) following an international Summit. Each Immersion combines relevant and timely international business issues with nuts-and-bolts discussions of how to conduct business in targeted countries or regions. Immersions will have a mixture of cultural site visits, company experiences, and service learning.

 Immersions support the development of the three major components of intercultural competence:

  • Empathy & ability to see an issue from a different perspective
  • Deeper knowledge of a region and its people
  • Cross-cultural communication skills to work effectively outside of one’s own culture
Immersion locations are chosen to target regions and countries around the world based on the program theme, current business environment, and impactful learning experiences. We look at each Immersion as an opportunity to tell a story of comparison and contrast around a particular business theme, culture, and socio-economic-political-religious environments.

Immersions are elective courses held at the end of July quarter or January quarter. 

  • A January quarter Immersion will be held after the March international Summit (usually late March). 
  • A July quarter Immersion will be held after the September international Summit (usually late September).

Each Immersion course will be led by a Kenan-Flagler faculty and staff member. While each Immersion course may differ slightly, you should be prepared to present on specific companies highlighted in the course, review a presentation while in-country to your peers, and complete a final paper upon return. To uphold the integrity of the group course, attendance for all pre-departure courses, company visits, and cultural activities are mandatory. You should expect to spend the vast majority of your time in-country with the entire Immersion class. The Immersion is an intensive experiential course.

It should also be noted that you may not register for an Immersion unless you have secured a seat in the associated Summit.

Immersion registration opens during normal registration windows, typically the quarter before the Summit and Immersion take place. You are able to register at the start of your registration round which is determined based upon how many Summits you have attended.
Immersions focus on the business context and culture of the areas studied, but do not include a language component. Students who have studied a language that is spoken in an area they will visit will undoubtedly encounter opportunities to utilize their skills during the immersion portion of the course. However, there is no language prerequisite or requirement for participation, and a student´s knowledge of local languages will not affect his or her grade
Kaitlyn Murphy, Associate Director, MBA Global Programs: kmurphy@unc.edu.
Immersions are worth 2 credit hours.