Strategy and Management Consulting Graduate Certificate

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Return to: USC Marshall School of Business

The Strategy and Management Consulting graduate certificate provides students with the tools, concepts and frameworks that will aid them in leading the process of strategy development and management consulting to improve business performance. Evidence-based frameworks and hands-on projects will enhance students’ skill sets in diagnosing strategic issues in complex settings. Different types of intervention strategies and contingency frameworks will provide students with an extensive and robust toolkit that can be applied in multiple industry settings.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must satisfy the standard Marshall graduate admission requirements. A few years of work experience is preferred, but not required. GMAT or GRE scores are 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.

Prerequisite course work: Applicants must have completed the equivalent of a master’s level course in business and competitive strategy (e.g., GSBA 519a , GSBA 519b or GSBA 529 or GSBA 540 ). The requirement may be waived in individual cases by the academic director of the certificate program. Petitions for a waiver must be included in the essay section of the individual’s application.

Application Procedure

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

A complete application includes the online application form, an application fee, test scores, an essay, and official transcripts from all institutions attended since the applicant last applied to USC.

Current USC students and USC alumni are not required to submit an application fee, new test scores (if previously submitted), or transcripts to verify degrees earned prior to their attendance at USC.
All other applicants must submit all documentation identified in the online application instructions.

Degree Requirements

The graduate certificate in Strategy and Management Consulting requires 15 units. The program may be completed on a full-time (8-15 units per semester, depending on course availability) or part-time basis.

Required Course

MOR 557 Strategy and Organization Consulting Units: 3

Electives

Complete 12 units from the following:

DSO 583 Operations Consulting Units: 3
MOR 542 Strategic Issues for Global Business Units: 3
MOR 554 Leading Innovation and Change Units: 3
MOR 555 Designing High Performance Organizations Units: 3
MOR 559 Strategic Renewal and Transformation Units: 3
MOR 560 Managerial Judgment and Decision-Making Units: 3
MOR 561 Strategies in High-Tech Businesses Units: 3
MOR 562 Strategic Choice and Valuation Analysis Units: 3
MOR 564 Strategic Innovation: Creating New Markets Units: 3
MOR 565 Alliances and Cooperative Strategy Units: 3
MOR 566 Environmental Sustainability and Competitive Advantage Units: 1.5, 3
MOR 570 Leading Effective Teams Units: 3
MOR 588 Corporate Strategy and Competitive Dynamics Units: 1.5, 3

Note

For current USC graduate students, courses credited to the graduate certificate in Strategy and Management Consulting may be completed in conjunction with course work required for the program in which the student is already enrolled. The student’s home department determines applicability of these courses to the student’s primary degree program. Current Marshall MBA students may apply all 15 units of the graduate certificate program to their MBA degree.

Courses completed in conjunction with a previously completed/awarded degree may not be credited toward the certificate. Appropriate substitutions for required courses will be determined and documented by the program director.

Successful completion of the program is documented on the student’s transcript and acknowledged with a certificate (diploma) awarded by the university.

For additional information, visit marshall.usc.edu/GCRTSMC or write to GCRT.SMC@marshall.usc.edu.