bout IBS
Shaanxi Normal University (SNNU), founded in Xi’an in 1944, is a comprehensive normal university with Double First-Class disciplines directly under the Ministry of Education in Northwest China. In response to the university’s pursuit of comprehensiveness, research-orientation, and educational innovation, the International Business School (IBS) was established in April 2002. In January 2018, IBS was officially granted membership of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), a world-leading accreditation body for business schools. Adhering to the motto “Life lies in diligence” and the mission “to create knowledge in economics and management, nurture the business elites with strong sense of social responsibility,” the school is rooted in Western China, serves the whole country, and benchmarks against globally accredited business schools. It has developed into a highly influential school of economics and management. Professor Lei Hongzhen is the current Dean, and Si Peifeng serves as the Party Committee Secretary.
IBS currently has 94 faculty and staff members, including 74 full-time faculty members, 21 professors, 46 associate professors, 12 doctoral advisors, 48 academic postgraduate advisors, and 54 professional master’s degree advisors. The school has one Changjiang Chair Professor, one faculty member supported by the Program for New Century Excellent Talents of the Ministry of Education, one “Shaanxi Youth Science and Technology Talent,” one “Xi’an Youth Science and Technology Talent,” and one faculty member recognized as an Elsevier Highly Cited Scholar for three consecutive years. There are currently 610 full-time undergraduates, 328 full-time postgraduates, 307 part-time postgraduates, 44 doctoral students, and 3 international students.
IBS comprises six departments: Economics, Finance, International Financial Management, Business Intelligence and Data Science, Organizational Management, and Finance and Accounting. It hosts one Shaanxi Provincial Soft Science Research Base—the Soft Science Research Base for Regional Innovation and Reform and Development, and four university-level research platforms: the China Economic Development Research Center, the Western China Financial Research Center, the Cross-Process Perception and Control Laboratory, and the Poverty Alleviation Policy and Evaluation Research Center (a CTTI source think tank). The school also has one provincial experimental teaching demonstration center—the Digital Business Experimental Teaching Center, and one provincial virtual simulation experimental teaching center—the Economics and Management Virtual Simulation Experimental Teaching Center.
The school has two postdoctoral research stations in Theoretical Economics and Business Administration. It offers doctoral degree programs in Theoretical Economics and Business Administration, and master’s degree programs in Theoretical Economics, Applied Economics, and Business Administration. It also offers professional master’s degree programs in Business Administration (MBA) and Accounting (MPAcc). Leveraging the university’s strong foundation in humanities and basic sciences, the school emphasizes the contemporary development of Marxist political economy and focuses on the key disciplinary areas of Chinese Development Economics and Behavioral Economics and Management, striving to build distinctive strengths.
The school offers six undergraduate programs: Economics, Finance (including the university-level Non-Normal Top Innovative Talent Experimental Class in Quantitative Finance), Big Data Management and Application, Human Resource Management, and Financial Management. Among them, Economics is a national first-class undergraduate program, while Financial Management and Finance are provincial first-class undergraduate programs. Drawing on the experience of leading business schools both at home and abroad, the school has established a comprehensive curriculum system aimed at cultivating high-quality talents with a solid foundation in economics and management, strong research capabilities, and the ability to apply knowledge in economics, management, information technology, and foreign languages in government, enterprises, financial institutions, or universities. The school offers 2 national first-class courses, 3 provincial high-quality resource-sharing courses, 17 university-level high-quality courses, 5 bilingual demonstration courses, 7 English-taught demonstration courses, 6 university-level teaching teams, and 29 university-level information-based courses. It also offers a large-scale public compulsory course (online/offline) on the “Theory and Practice of Innovation and Entrepreneurship” for the entire university. The school has 1 provincial off-campus practice base and 30 university-level internship and practice bases, providing students with a strong platform for comprehensive skill development.
The school follows a broad-category enrollment and training model for undergraduate students, with two major enrollment categories: Economics and Business Administration. Students begin to select their specific majors in the middle of the second semester of their first year. The first year focuses on core general education courses and foundational courses in the disciplines. The remaining three years are dedicated to specialized professional courses. The curriculum reflects the philosophy of personalization and diversity, offering students greater flexibility in course selection. In line with this approach, the school emphasizes the integration of theory and practice by increasing the proportion of practical courses, balances required and elective courses by expanding elective offerings, and promotes teaching innovation through case-based teaching, practical instruction, and computer-simulated experimental teaching.
The school implements a strategy of strengthening the institution through research. Research teams are built around research centers, academic seminars are held regularly, and renowned entrepreneurs, scholars, and government officials from home and abroad are invited to interact with faculty and students. Faculty research capacity has been steadily enhanced. Since its establishment, the school’s faculty has undertaken 1 major project of the Ministry of Education in Philosophy and Social Sciences, 1 key project of the National Social Science Fund, 74 projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation and the National Social Science Fund, and 663 provincial and ministerial-level projects. Faculty have published 1,452 papers in mainstream academic journals and 254 monographs and textbooks. They have received 86 teaching and research awards at the provincial level and above, including 2 first prizes and 1 third prize in provincial micro-lecture competitions, 1 first prize and 1 second prize in provincial classroom teaching innovation competitions, 1 first prize in provincial young faculty teaching competitions, 4 provincial and ministerial-level scientific and technological achievement awards, and multiple awards in university-level young faculty teaching skills competitions and teaching quality excellence awards.
The school has established MBA and MPAcc Education Centers to oversee the training and management of professional master’s students. A number of renowned domestic economists and management experts have been appointed as adjunct professors to guide students in their studies and research. The professional degree centers are equipped with modern teaching and practice facilities, including dedicated multimedia classrooms, scenario practice rooms, small seminar rooms, the Behavioral Economics and Management Laboratory, the E-Commerce Laboratory, and practice training bases, providing strong support for student learning.
Since its founding, the school has been committed to internationalization. It has established academic exchange and student exchange programs with East Carolina University, the University of Georgia, the University of Missouri, the University of Idaho, the University of North Florida in the U.S.; Edith Cowan University and the University of New England in Australia; the University of Waikato and Massey University in New Zealand; Nagoya University in Japan; Cardiff University and the University of Greenwich in the U.K.; and ICN Business School in France. The school has invited international faculty and renowned professors to offer more than 10 courses for graduate and undergraduate students. It holds summer courses each year, inviting distinguished foreign professors to introduce cutting-edge academic topics. In recent years, faculty and students have participated in over 20 international academic conferences, made more than 30 overseas visits and exchanges, and the school has hosted more than 50 international and domestic academic conferences.
The mission of IBS is to create knowledge in economics and management, nurture the business elites with strong sense of social responsibility. And we uphold a two-way process of teaching and research, strive for mutual promotion of faculty and learners. We value outstanding character with self-confidence and self-independence. And we believe fortune favors the diligent and innovator gains the power. We are committed to nurturing talents with a sense of social responsibility, generosity, creativity, passion and international vision. With the support of all faculty and students, we will endeavor to develop the school into a sought-after knowledge palace and an esteemed wisdom highland.
ECONOMICS
Educational Objectives
The major aims to cultivate students with a solid foundation of Marx’s economic theory and modern economics theory and be proficient in the use of knowledge and methods in economics, management, finance, statistics and applied economics to analyze and solve practical issues. Students are supposed to: be familiar with national economic policies, laws and regulations and the domestic and foreign general business planning and practices; with broad knowledge and application ability; have the ability to do qualitative research and quantitative analysis on economic issues; with innovative thinking and innovation consciousness. This specialty is designed to nurture senior specialized professionals for government departments, financial institutions, enterprises, and institutions of higher learning.
Core Courses
Political Economics, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, a Study of Marx’s Das Capital, Econometrics, Game Theory and Information Economics, Mathematical Economics, Development Economics, Regional Economics, Industrial Economics, Labor Economics, Population & Resource & Environmental Economics, Finance, International Finance, International Economics, History of Economic Theories, Economic History, Theory of the Firm.
FINANCE
Educational Objectives
The specialty of finance aims to promote the students’ moral, intellectual, physical and aesthetic development. It trains high-quality applied talents who could adapt to the needs of the construction of socialist market economy, and with innovative spirit and a sense of responsibility. Besides, students are expected to have good competencies in economics and management and could master the basic theory and skills of Finance and investment. They are supposed to have the ability to work in banks, securities, insurance companies and other financial institutions.
Core Courses
Basic Microeconomics, Basic Macroeconomics, Finance, Insurance, Management, Accounting, Statistics，Central Banking, Financial Intermediaries, Corporate Finance, Investment banking, International Finance, Financial Market, Securities Investment, Commercial Bank Management, Bank of Credit Management, Game Theory and Information Economics, Econometrics, Financial Engineering, Behavior Finance, Internet Finance, Personal Finance, Stochastic Process, Mathematical Modeling etc.
QUANTITATIVE FINANCE (INNOVATIVE EXPERIMENTAL CLASS)
Educational Objectives
This program aims to cultivate students with comprehensive development in moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and labor education. Students will be physically and mentally healthy, master the basic theories, knowledge, and skills in the field of finance, and possess modern awareness, a global perspective, and a solid understanding of international rules. They will develop strong cross-cultural communication skills and innovative practical abilities, preparing them to be internationally oriented, versatile professionals capable of meeting the demands of globalization.
Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Econometrics, Management, Accounting, Statistics, Central Banking, Financial Management, Corporate Finance, Investment Management, International Finance, Intermediate Financial Accounting, Commercial Bank Management, Risk Management, etc.
MARKETING
Educational Objectives
The specialty of Marketing aims to promote students’ moral, intellectual, physical and aesthetic development, physical and mental health development. The specialty will cultivate students in: the innovative spirit and practical ability; mastery of management, economics and information technology knowledge; the new marketing concept and marketing environment analyzing; marketing strategy planning and implementation; international marketing business rules; modern marketing theories and methods, etc.. Students are supposed to use the marketing professional skills in enterprises and institutions and deal with issues related to marketing, marketing management, marketing consulting and planning, market investigation and research.
Core Courses
Management, Marketing, Modern Sales Strategies, Consumer Behavior, Network Marketing, Marketing Research and Predicting, International Marketing, Service Marketing, Marketing Information System Management, Marketing Strategy Management, Operations Management, Marketing and Advertising Planning, Marketing Case Research, Business Negotiation, Consumer Economics, Distribution Management, Pricing Theory and Strategy, Product Management, Brand Management, FMCG Marketing, Customer Relationship Management, Accounting, Advertising, Marketing Budget and Control, Marketing Consulting Management, Supply Chain and Logistics Management、Retail Marketing、Marketing Engineering
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Educational Objectives
The specialty of Human Resource Management aims to promote the students’ moral, intellectual, physical and aesthetic development, and to make students get certain accomplishment in natural science, humanities and social sciences, and to provide students with a solid theoretical foundation of Management, Psychology, and Sociology. On completion of the program, students are expected to have a mastery of the theoretical system, professional skills and methods of Human Resource Management, while also be familiar with labor law and relevant policy, be competent of analyzing and solving the problems of Human Resource Management. This specialty is designed to cultivate managerial staff, professional managers, management consultants, and researchers who are committed to providing management, consultancy and research for analyzing and solving management problems in organizations of enterprises, government departments, public institutions and other organizations.
Core Courses
Management, Labor Economics, Organizational Behavior, Human Resource Management, Human Resource Planning, Personnel Assessment，Social Insurance, Management of Communication and Conflict，Job Analysis and Design，Recruitment and Selection, Training Management, Organizational Career Management, Salary Design，Incentive-payment Mechanism，Performance Management, Labor Relations Management, Human Resource Management Consulting.
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
The specialty of Financial Management aims to promote the students’ moral, intellectual, physical and aesthetic development. It is designed to prepare students for the senior specialized professionals in financial management. With solid theoretical foundation of financial management, wide scope of knowledge, innovative spirit and practical ability, the students can develop a career of financial management in business sectors, financial institutions, social agencies and enterprises. Students are expected to master accounting treatment and management, financial financing, investment, operation and other expertise, and have multi-skill knowledge structure and certain computer application competency.
Core Courses
Accounting, Intermediate Financial Accounting, Cost Accounting, Financial Reporting Analysis, Auditing, Financial Management Principles, Intermediate Financial Management, International Financial Management, Accounting Information System, Advanced Financial Accounting, Management Accounting, Tax Planning, Securities Investment, Investment Banking, Internal Control, etc.
BIG DATA MANAGEMENT AND APPLICATION
Educational Objectives
The major of big data management and application mainly cultivates students’ comprehensive development with moral, intelligence, sports, aesthetics and labor education. In a new round of scientific and technological revolution, this major will nurture students who can adapt to the needs of the digital economy development. Students will be able to demonstrate a solid theoretical foundation of big data management and master technologies and methods in big data management. Meanwhile, students have the practical ability to analyze business data intelligently and quantitatively. The students of this specialty can engage in big data development, big data analysis, data mining and big data visualization in fields such as enterprises and institutions, government departments, and financial institutions.
Core Courses
Applied Statistics, Probability & Mathematical Statistics, Cyber- Big Data Business Model, Data Warehouse and Data Mining, Introduction to Data Science，Big Data technologies，Big Data Governance，Introduction to Data Structure and Algorithms, Machine Learning Algorithm, Python foundation and web crawler, Business Intelligence, Database Principle and Application, Social Network Analysis, Internet User Behavior Portrait, Text analysis and Text Mining，E-commerce Introduction.