Renita Miller, the Ed G. Smith College of Business’ program manager for international business, speaks with UMSL students Lexe Sullivan and Nicole White Campbell about international business at the college’s Major & Minor Fair last year. UMSL’s undergraduate international business program was recently ranked No. 18 nationally by U.S. News & World Report. (Photo by Derik Holtmann)
For decades, the Ed G. Smith College of Business at the University of Missouri–St. Louis has worked to help its students develop a global mindset. That effort was once again recognized by the U.S. News & World Report, which recognized UMSL’s undergraduate international business program in its 2027 “Best Colleges” rankings unveiled Tuesday.
UMSL’s undergraduate international business program climbed seven spots from the 2026 rankings to tie with the University of California, Berkeley at No. 18 nationally. UMSL’s program has now ranked among the top 25 for 23 of the past 24 years. UMSL ranks 8th among public universities.
Undergraduate business program rankings are based on the judgment of deans and senior faculty at other Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business member institutions who participate in a peer assessment survey.
“We have seen decades of success and decades of recognition from AACSB schools, and to jump seven spots is a great testament to how strong our programs are and our visibility within the AACSB schools,” said Joseph Rottman, director of UMSL’s International Business Institute and professor of information systems and technology. “The key is that you have to have really strong programs, so we have dedicated faculty, a dedicated international business advisory council that provides their time, talent and treasure to help our students. We also have great connections to the community, great connections to our partners, and great visibility through our co-curricular activities.”
UMSL helps its students forge global connections and compete on a global stage through a variety of study abroad opportunities. Rottman said nearly 40 students took part in business-focused, faculty-led study abroad programs in Bremen or Aschaffenburg in Germany or a winter intercession program that brought students to Brussels and Amsterdam. This October, students will participate in study abroads in Finland and Ecuador. The College of Business has also recently added new partnerships with universities in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan, as well as faculty exchange programs.
On campus, the college hosts the International Business Case Competition and International Business Career Conference each year. These experiences help students understand trends shaping companies across the world and prepare them to thrive in an international business environment.
Renita Miller, the college’s program manager for international business, said the International Business Career Conference in particular allows students to see the full scope of what they can do with their international business degree through interactions with executives who have had the career the students aspire to have.
UMSL also moved up 18 spots to rank No. 176 nationally in overall undergraduate business programs in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings.
UMSL remained a Tier 1 research university in the publication’s overall rankings and was ranked No. 148 on the list of top public universities. The university’s undergraduate programs in engineering and nursing were both ranked among the top 200 nationally.
Since its founding as the first public university in the St. Louis region more than 60 years ago, UMSL has been expanding access to higher education and taking steps to make it easier for all students to earn their degrees. For the past six years, U.S. News & World Report has recognized that work with its list of “Top Performers for Social Mobility,” which highlights how well universities have graduated Pell Grant-eligible students. UMSL has made the list every year since it debuted in the 2020 rankings and is once again ranked No. 1 for social mobility among public universities in Missouri.
