Dec 26, 2024  
USC Catalogue 2022-2023 
    
USC Catalogue 2022-2023 [ARCHIVED CATALOGUE]

Food Industry Leadership (MS)


The food industry is rapidly changing, and future executives will need new tools and innovative solutions for how to be both proactive and reactive to new food trends, new consumer demands and new paradigms for how food is developed, sourced, acquired and consumed. 

The Master of Science in Food Industry Leadership provides tools, concepts, frameworks and practical hands-on projects in areas such as new/current technologies, strategic planning and managing change as a senior leader. This unique curriculum integrates the functional areas of business with cutting-edge theory and practical application to help students understand how all of the pieces of an entire organization fit together and work dynamically to support the success of local and global businesses.

The Food Industry Leadership program builds a cohort-based learning environment and includes both on-campus and online components.

Admission Requirements

In addition to the general USC admission requirements, applicants should have 10-15 years of work experience in the food industry and specific expertise in retail, consumer manufactured goods, wholesale, broker and/or other food distribution verticals. Alternatively, candidates may have management/leadership experience and have recently switched careers to join the industry.  Candidates must demonstrate meaningful and progressive administrative or management responsibilities from employment, committees, or volunteer activities. 

GMAT or GRE test scores are not required. International applicants who did not spend four years completing a bachelor’s degree at an American, British, Canadian or Australian college or university must submit TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores. For USC’s admissions policy related to English language competency, see https://gradadm.usc.edu/lightboxes/international-students-english-proficiency/. Successful applicants will submit TOEFL scores no lower than 100 or IELTS scores no lower than 7.0.

Application Procedure

Applications are submitted online through the USC Graduate Admissions Website (http://gradadm.usc.edu/). International applicants are advised to see the instructions for international students published in the USC Graduate Admissions Website (http://gradadm.usc.edu/apply/international-students/).

A complete application includes the online application form, an essay, an application fee, two letters of recommendation, and official copies of transcripts from all institutions attended since high school.

For additional information, visit marshall.usc.edu/fil, email fil@marshall.usc.edu, or call 213-740-8948.