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USC Marshall School of Business
Minor Programs
Minor in Business
A minor in business is available to students in all schools and departments except the Marshall School (and Leventhal School of Accounting). The minor provides the opportunity for non-business majors to gain understanding of key concepts and tools of business. To enroll in the business minor, students must have completed a minimum of 32 units of college-level courses and attained a minimum overall GPA of 2.75. Successful completion of the business minor requires a minimum GPA of 2.0 in the following courses:
Minor course requirements | units |
BUAD 200x* | Economic Foundations for Business | 2 |
BUAD 215x | Foundations of Business Finance | 4 |
BUAD 302 | Communication Strategy in Business | 4 |
BUAD 304 | Leading Organizations | 4 |
BUAD 307 | Marketing Fundamentals | 4 |
ACCT 410x | Foundations of Accounting | 4 |
Choose one of the following: |
FBE 400x | Introduction to Real Estate Finance and Development | 4 |
FBE 403 | Introduction to the Legal Environment of Business | 4 |
Minor in Accounting
A minor in accounting is available to students in all schools and departments except the Marshall School of Business. See
here for program requirements.
Minor in Advertising
The Marshall School and the School of Journalism jointly offer a 24-unit advertising minor for students interested in building a career in or developing a better understanding of the field of advertising. Through this program of study, students explore the key role played by advertising in today’s global economy. At no time has advertising been more successful or more controversial than it is today, and this program will explore both the positives and the negatives.
Emphasis is placed on both the practical skills required to meet the demands of the marketplace and the theoretical underpinnings of those practices. Program content includes: the history of advertising; creation of written and visual advertising elements; the measurement, selection and analysis of media; the concept of “branding”; the role of advertising in creating and maintaining successful brands; the analysis of advertising campaign case studies; and the creation of integrated marketing communications campaigns. See the School of Journalism for course requirements.
Minor in Biotechnology
The Marshall School and the departments of biological sciences and chemistry in the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences jointly offer the minor in biotechnology. This minor brings essential knowledge in the basic sciences together with the corporate skills needed in a rapidly growing industry. The minor is especially well suited for the business, biology, chemistry or engineering student seeking a career in business and/or the biomedical/bio-technical sciences. Refer to
Biological Sciences for a list of required courses.
Minor in Business Law
A minor in business law is available to students in all schools and departments except the Marshall School. The minor in business law will provide students with practical legal knowledge of substantive business law topics and current legal issues. The minor provides skill sets to identify and manage issues encountered within personal and business contexts including litigation, contract law, employment and human resources, real and personal property law. This minor exposes students to such topics as: commercial transactions, constitutional law, Internet and online commerce; intellectual property and entertainment law; bankruptcy and securities law; law of business and non-profit organizations; and international law. It also prepares students for career opportunities in management, technology and politics. The minor is an excellent preparation for further legal education.
Required courses | units |
FBE 403 | Introduction to the Legal Environment of Business | 4 |
FBE 458 | Law and Finance | 4 |
Choose two of the following: |
FBE 427 | Real Estate Law | 4 |
FBE 428 | Principles of Employment Law | 4 |
FBE 429 | International Business Law | 4 |
FBE 430 | Online Commerce and Intellectual Property | 4 |
Minor in Business Technology Fusion
The minor in business technology fusion is available to students in all schools and departments except the Marshall School. This minor requires 20 units to complete. To enroll, students must be in good standing with the university and have completed 48 units of college level credit. Students must complete an application for the minor, including a one-page statement of how the minor will contribute to their goals and objectives. This form can be obtained from Marshall’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS | UNITS |
IOM 431 | Managing the Digital Revolution for Your Business | 4 |
IOM 433 | Business Information Systems Analysis and Design | 4 |
IOM 435 | Business Database Systems | 4 |
Electives |
Choose from the following to achieve a total of at least 8 units: |
IOM 401 | Business Information Systems – Spreadsheet Applications | 2 |
IOM 402 | Business Information Systems – Database Applications | 2 |
IOM 428 | Data Warehousing and Data Mining | 4 |
IOM 437 | Technology-Enabled Global Businesses, Markets and Sourcing | 4 |
IOM 443 | The Business of Interactive Digital Media | 4 |
IOM 455 | Project Management | 4 |
Minor in Consumer Behavior
This interdisciplinary minor explores consumer thinking from the perspectives of psychology, marketing, economics, anthropology, sociology and other departments interested in popular culture. Why do people form the attitudes and impressions they do? How do individual factors, culture, mass media, economics and social trends influence people’s decisions? See
Interdisciplinary Programs for course requirements.
Minor in Entrepreneurship
The minor in entrepreneurship provides an understanding of entrepreneurship and the entrepreneurial mindset. To enroll in this minor, students must be in good standing with the university and have completed 48 units of college level courses. Students will complete an application for the minor and a one page personal statement of goals and objectives.
Course Requirements (11-12 units) | Units |
BAEP 423 | Management of Small Businesses | 4 |
BAEP 451 | The Management of New Enterprises, or | 4 |
BUAD 301 | Technical Entrepreneurship | 3 |
BAEP 452 | Cases in Entrepreneurship | 4 |
Electives |
Choose from the following to achieve a total of at least 16 units: |
BAEP 495 | Practicum in Business Issues (Internship) | 1 |
BUAD 302 | Communication Strategy in Business | 4 |
BUAD 304 | Leading Organizations | 4 |
BUAD 307 | Marketing Fundamentals | 4 |
BUAD 311 | Operational Management | 4 |
FBE 400x | Introduction to Real Estate Finance and Development | 4 |
FBE 403 | Introduction to the Legal Environment of Business | 4 |
Minor in Human Resource Management
The minor in human resource management is appropriate for students pursuing careers in human resource management, as well as for students pursuing management positions where they will be interfacing with or relying on the human resource function for support. To enroll in this minor, students must have completed a minimum of 48 units of college-level courses and have a minimum overall GPA of 2.75. Completion of the human resource management minor requires a minimum GPA of 2.0 in the following business minor courses:
Minor Course Requirements | Units |
BUAD 304 | Leading Organizations | 4 |
MOR 471 | Managing and Developing People | 4 |
Electives |
Choose three courses from the following (12 units): |
FBE 428 | Principles of Employment Law | 4 |
FBE 433* | Compensation, Incentives, and Corporate Governance | 4 |
MOR 421 | Social and Ethical Issues in Business | 4 |
MOR 431 | Interpersonal Competence and Development | 4 |
MOR 461 | Design of Effective Organizations | 4 |
MOR 463 | Organization Change and Development | 4 |
MOR 469 | Negotiation and Persuasion | 4 |
MOR 472 | Power, Politics and Influence | 4 |
MOR 473 | Designing and Leading Teams | 4 |
Minor in Managing Human Relations
This interdisciplinary minor is for students in all schools with an interest in human relations as a subject of study or professional goal. In addition to course work in organizational behavior, social psychology and management, this minor includes attention to questions of ethics and leadership. See
Interdisciplinary Programs for course requirements.
Minor in Management Consulting
The minor in management consulting is available to students in all schools and departments except the Marshall School. The minor develops skills used by professional consultants to assist organizations and businesses in identifying and addressing their issues and problems.
To enroll, students must have completed a minimum of 48 units of college-level courses and have a minimum overall GPA of 2.75. Completion of this minor requires a minimum GPA of 2.0 in the following courses:
Course Requirements | Units |
BUAD 304 | Leading Organizations | 4 |
MOR 462 | Management Consulting | 4 |
Electives |
Choose three courses from the following (12 units): |
IOM 455 | Project Management | 4 |
MOR 421 | Social and Ethical Issues in Business | 4 |
MOR 461 | Design of Effective Organizations | 4 |
MOR 463 | Organization Change and Development | 4 |
MOR 465 | Advanced Methods in Strategy Analysis | 4 |
MOR 469 | Negotiation and Persuasion | 4 |
MOR 473 | Designing and Leading Teams | 4 |
Minor in Marketing
The minor in marketing is available to students in all schools and departments except the Marshall School. Marketing studies processes organizations use to identify and serve the needs of customers.
The marketing minor provides a business-related education that will supplement many undergraduate majors, and enhance the career prospects for students whose majors could incorporate a marketing dimension or application. This minor should appeal to any student interested in an early marketing career, which includes, but is not limited to, professional sales, retailing, marketing research, product management and advertising.
Eligible students must be in good standing with the university and have completed 48 units of college level credit. Students must complete an application for the minor, including a one page statement of how the minor will contribute to their goals and objectives. This form can be obtained from the Marshall Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Students take four elective courses offered in the marketing department to satisfy this minor.
Minor in Mathematical Finance
This interdisciplinary minor was created for students in business, economics and mathematics, whose majors already require some of the introductory course work. Students in other programs are welcome but should expect the minor to require more units than it does for students in those programs. See
Interdisciplinary Programs for course requirements.
Minor in Operations and Supply Chain Management
The minor in operations and supply chain management is available to students in all schools and departments except the Marshall School. This minor requires 20 units to complete. To enroll, students must be in good standing with the university and have completed 48 units of college level credit.
Students must complete an application for the minor, including a one-page statement of how the minor will contribute to their goals and objectives. This form can be obtained from the Marshall Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
MINOR COURSE REQUIREMENTS | units |
BUAD 311 | Operations Management | 4 |
IOM 482 | Supply Chain Management | 4 |
IOM 483 | Operations Consulting | 4 |
Electives | Units |
Choose from the following to achieve a total of at least 8 units:
IOM 401 | Business Information Systems – Spreadsheet Applications | 2 |
IOM 427 | Designing Spreadsheet-Based Business Models | 4 |
IOM 433 | Business Information Systems Analysis and Design | 4 |
This course is available for elective credit beginning fall 2012.
IOM 441 | Service Operations | 4 |
IOM 455 | Project Management | 4 |
Minor in Organizational Leadership and Management
The minor in organizational leadership and management is available to students in all schools and departments except the Marshall School. Students in the minor learn about personal and organizational leadership, ethics of the workplace, leading in a global context and organizing and planning for effective personal and organizational performance.
To enroll, students must have completed a minimum of 48 units of college-level courses and have a minimum overall GPA of 2.75. Completion of this minor requires a minimum GPA of 2.0 in the following courses:
Course Requirements | Units |
BUAD 304 | Leading Organizations | 4 |
MOR 470 | Global Leadership | 4 |
Electives |
Choose three courses from the following (12 units): |
MOR 421 | Social and Ethical Issues in Business | 4 |
MOR 431 | Interpersonal Competence and Development | 4 |
MOR 469 | Negotiation and Persuasion | 4 |
MOR 471 | Managing and Developing People | 4 |
MOR 472 | Power, Politics and Influence | 4 |
MOR 473 | Designing and Leading Teams | 4 |
MDA 365 | The Art and Adventure of Leadership | 4 |
This new minor is available beginning fall 2011.
Minor in Social Entrepreneurship
The minor in social entrepreneurship provides students from all non-business undergraduate majors with a foundation in the context and practice of social entrepreneurship, nationally and internationally. The minor provides an understanding of social entrepreneurship and its relationship to government and public policy as well as an understanding of management skills specific to starting and maintaining a social enterprise. The curriculum includes options allowing the student to tailor course work to his or her individual academic interests and professional aspirations.
To enroll in this minor, students must have declared a major, and must have completed 48 units of college level courses with a cumulative USC GPA of at least 2.75. Students will complete an application for the minor.
Course Requirements (14 units) | Units |
BAEP 450x | Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship, or |
BAEP 451 | The Management of New Enterprises | 4 |
BAEP 491 | Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship | 4 |
BAEP 497 | Field Project in Entrepreneurship, or |
BAEP 460 | Seminar in Entrepreneurship, or |
BAEP 470 | The Entrepreneurial Mindset - Taking the Leap | 2 |
PPD 371 | The Nonprofit Sector and the Public Interest | 4 |
Electives: Complete at least 7 units from the following: |
BAEP 452* | Cases in Entrepreneurship | 4 |
BUCO 485 | Business Communication Management for Nonprofits | 4 |
CE 469 | Sustainability | 3 |
SOCI 360 | Social Inequality: Class, Status, and Power | 4 |
PPD 478 | Social Innovations | 4 |
Minor in Engineering Technology Commercialization
This undergraduate minor is interdisciplinary in nature, requiring courses from both the business and engineering schools. See the
Viterbi School of Engineering, Special Educational Opportunities section for requirements.