Management Studies (MMS)

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

The Master of Management Studies (MMS) is designed to provide those who have already completed the equivalent of the first year of an accredited traditional two-year MBA with an opportunity to pursue further study in an area of specialization currently available to Marshall graduate students.

Completion of the Master of Management Studies degree requires a minimum of 26 graduate units for all candidates — up to 24 units of course work and 2–5 units of Field Research (592), Independent Research (593), and/or Consulting Project in Business (597).

Classes applicable to the degree are offered during both daytime and evening hours. The degree may be completed on either a full- or part-time basis. International students should expect to complete the program within two semesters or one calendar year.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to visit the Master of Management Studies Website at marshall.usc.edu/mms for more information about this very flexible curriculum. Applicants interested in accounting or taxation should apply for admission to the Accounting (MAcc) or the Business Taxation (MBT) program offered by the Leventhal School of Accounting. Information about the areas of concentration offered to Marshall graduate students is available at marshall.usc.edu/ecg.

Admission Requirements

Applicants may apply for admission to begin the program in the summer term or the fall or spring semesters. Application deadlines vary by semester, citizenship and registration goals. Details are available under the Dates and Deadlines tab at marshall.usc.edu/mms.

The equivalent of a four-year bachelor’s degree is required for admission. Additionally, applicants must have completed the equivalent of the first year of a traditional two-year MBA accredited by the AACSB, EQUIS, ACBSP, AOCTE, IACBE or AMBA. Successful applicants should have earned a GPA of 3.3 or greater in their graduate business course work and scored in at least the 80th percentile on the GMAT or the GRE.

Application Procedure

Submit an online application to the MMS program through the Marshall School of Business Admissions Website (app.applyyourself.com/?id=USC-MBA). International applicants are advised to see the instructions for international students published in the USC Graduate Admissions Application (usc.edu/admission/graduate/international/application.html).

For additional information, visit marshall.usc.edu/mms.

Program Structure and Unit Requirements

Master of Management Studies applicants are urged to consider areas of specialization available to Marshall graduate students published at marshall.usc.edu/ecg. The applicant is asked to identify areas of interest as part of the application process, but is free to choose course work from the full range of graduate electives offered by Marshall.

An evaluation of work previously completed determines if specific content areas are missing. If it is determined that preliminary courses are needed, the number of units needed to complete the Master of Management Studies degree will increase.

None of the GSBA-prefixed classes required for completion of a Marshall MBA program may be applied toward the Master of Management Studies unless they are required to update prior work and are added to the 26-unit total.

No courses numbered lower than 500 may be included in this program. No more than two courses or eight units may be taken in graduate course work outside the Marshall School of Business.

A minimum of two units of Field Research (592), Independent Research (593) or Consulting Project in Business (597) must be included in the proposed program. The project is intended to provide a capstone experience culminating in a report in the area of specialization. The project will be conducted under the direction of an individual faculty member from the department offering the student’s area of specialization.