Marshall School of Business

Undergraduate Degrees

Bachelor of Science

The business major combines a strong grounding in business fundamentals and expertise in select functional areas with extensive exposure to the liberal arts. The curriculum is designed with significant flexibility so that students can complement their studies in business with a minor in a field outside business.

Marshall School programs lead to a Bachelor of Science degree; the most common major is Business Administration. Marshall students may major in Accounting through the Leventhal School of Accounting (part of the Marshall School).

The Marshall School offers three joint programs: the program with the School of Cinematic Arts leads to a B.S. in Business Administration with an emphasis in Cinematic Arts; the program with the School of International Relations leads to a B.S. in Business Administration with an emphasis in International Relations; and the program with East Asian Studies leads to a B.S. in Business Administration with an emphasis in East Asian Studies. The Marshall School and Viterbi School of Engineering offer a combined degree program leading to a B.S. in Business Administration/Computer Science; this degree is administered by the Viterbi School of Engineering. The Marshall School also offers a variety of minors for non-business students.

Admission

Students may be admitted to the program as incoming freshmen, as USC undergraduates transferring from another major or as students transferring from another college or university. Admission to the Marshall School requires admission to the university and depends on academic performance, particularly in quantitative areas. USC students who have not been admitted to the major or a minor in the Marshall School may complete a maximum of 12 units from the Marshall School and/or the Leventhal School. Information and guidelines for applicants to the Marshall School are available at the USC Undergraduate Admission and USC Marshall Undergraduate Admissions Websites.

Degree Requirements

Educational Objectives

The undergraduate programs in business have three main goals: (1) graduates will have a grounding in skills and concepts that are fundamental to business; (2) graduates will have deep expertise in one or more specific areas of business, selected according to the student’s personal and professional goals and objectives; and (3) graduates will have extensive exposure to the liberal arts, usually with a formal minor in a field outside business.

USC Core Requirements

All undergraduates take the USC Core, comprising general education, the writing program and the diversity requirement. The general education program requires six courses in different categories. The writing program requires two courses, WRIT 140 and WRIT 340. The diversity requirement is met by passing any course with the “m” designation. See here and here for more information.

Business Core Requirements

Business Administration majors must complete the business core. The business core contains foundational courses that provide analytical skills and theoretical knowledge in math, statistics, accounting and economics; functional courses in business disciplines such as finance, marketing and operations; and integrative courses in strategy and data analysis.

Business Electives Requirement

In addition to business core courses, students are required to gain a deeper understanding of a specific aspect of business in which they have an interest. Business administration majors must complete 12 units of upper-division elective courses (typically three 4-unit courses) offered by the Marshall School, specifically 300- or 400-level courses with a prefix ACCT, BAEP, non-core BUAD, BUCO, FBE, FIM, IOM, MKT or MOR. Students can also satisfy the business electives requirement through participation in a Marshall School sponsored international exchange program.

Electives should be selected based on a student’s personal and professional goals and in consultation with an academic adviser. The Marshall School’s academic departments and centers can help students select courses that are particularly useful for careers in fields covered by the department or center. Electives are normally clustered in a particular field, but may be spread across different fields.

Additional Requirements

Sixty units of non-business course work are required for any of the undergraduate degrees conferred by the Marshall School of Business.

A maximum of 24 units of undergraduate course work may be taken pass/no pass and used toward the B.S. degree in Business Administration. However, MATH 118x, WRIT 140, WRIT 340, ECON 351x, ECON 352x and all courses required for the major must be taken for a letter grade.

In addition to meeting university GPA requirements, a minimum grade point average of 2.0 (A = 4.0) in upper-division business courses is required for graduation.

Free Electives

The business curriculum allows for 32 units of free electives. Students are strongly encouraged to pursue a minor, study a language and/or take advantage of the university’s many opportunities to study abroad.

Minors

USC offers more than 150 minors, spanning a wide variety of fields. The business curriculum is designed to allow every student enough flexibility to pursue a minor outside of business, in the belief that a strong undergraduate education must be well-rounded and incorporate the liberal arts as well as business classes. Minors allow students to gain substantial expertise in a field outside business by taking classes in another of USC’s top-ranked departments and schools. Students with an officially declared minor may apply for the honor of being named a Renaissance Scholar if they meet the other program conditions.

Because some classes required for particular minors may have limited availability, students are encouraged to work closely with their academic advisers to develop plans for their minors. The Marshall Office of Undergraduate Advising can help plan for minors and provide information on the various minors offered throughout the university and how they complement different business tracks.

Marshall School Academic Departments and Centers

The Marshall School’s academic departments and centers listed and described below can help students select courses that are particularly useful for careers in the fields covered by the department or center.

Center for Management Communication

The center offers classes in a variety of topics relating to communication in organizations, ethics, business presentations, business writing, interpersonal interactions, group processes and teamwork, persuasion and leadership. The importance of effective communication to the success of business leaders and organizations has increased exponentially in the age of globalization, the Internet and instant media reporting that takes business news to the world in seconds. Communication theory, practice and skills will help students advance themselves and their organizations regardless of their positions or industries. Business leaders at all levels need the ability to communicate strategically in times of crisis or calm.

Department of Finance and Business Economics

The department offers classes in the fields of finance, business economics, business law and real estate. Subjects include microeconomics, macroeconomics, economic forecasting, corporate finance, investments and valuation, financial institutions and markets, risk management, and real estate finance, among others. These subjects are important for business planning and consulting, evaluation of capital investments and corporate strategies, and securities investment analysis, advising and trading.

Department of Information and Operations Management

The department offers classes in operations management, statistics and information systems. These three areas are critical to the success of any firm in a globalized economy: technology and information management, gathering and understanding data, and effective management of day-to-day operations. Students learn to leverage technology and information systems to gather critical market data on a global basis; use statistics to turn this data into critical forecasts and competitive analysis; and manage projects with international teams, develop innovative products, and skillfully manage the creation and delivery of goods and services to anywhere on the globe. Career opportunities in these areas include consulting, product development, supply chain management, global marketing and manufacturing. Course work in this department is especially important to students interested in one day running their own companies.

Department of Management and Organization

The department offers classes in human resources, negotiations, organizational behavior and management strategy. The management function is concerned with setting corporate strategy to gain competitive advantage in a dynamic, global environment; designing the organization to implement the strategy; and leading organizational members to achieve strategic objectives. In carrying out their responsibilities, managers must balance the demands of the competitive environment with the resources and capabilities inside the organization. The department’s classes help students learn how to be effective managers by developing skills in team building, decision-making, strategy formulation, organizational design, motivating employees and human resource development.

Department of Marketing

Marketing is the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas, goods and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organizational objectives. Modern marketing stresses research and analysis to understand consumer behavior and to identify customer needs, new product research and development, competitive pricing, coordinated promotional or sales programs, and efficient logistics and distribution. Students interested in careers in marketing management, logistics management, retailing or wholesaling, sales program administration, advertising or marketing research will find courses in marketing valuable.

Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies

The Greif Center offers a multiclass entrepreneur program designed for students who want to start or own a high-growth business, join an emerging business or participate in an entrepreneurial venture in a mature corporation (intrapreneurship). The overall goals of the program are to open students’ minds to the advantages of entrepreneurial thinking, to instill confidence that they can be successful entrepreneurs, to increase their awareness of the entrepreneurial process and to enhance their conceptual skills to take advantage of business opportunities. Wide exposure is given to all types of entrepreneurs and industries. The program actively supplies contact with and support to its alumni. The program is designed to teach relevant concepts and theory, to develop conceptual ability and to let the student experience what is being taught. A significant part of the program is each student’s development of a working business plan. Applications for admission to this program are mandatory and must be completed at the start of the spring semester of the junior year.

Leventhal School of Accounting

The Leventhal School offers classes in accounting information systems, financial accounting, managerial accounting and tax accounting. The Leventhal School also offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. See here for a complete listing of information regarding courses, programs and requirements.

International Studies

The Marshall School offers students a variety of opportunities to cultivate a global mind. Classes like international trade and commercial policy, financial management of multinational corporations, international finance, multinational marketing, and international management practices and negotiation broaden students’ understanding of managing a global business. Opportunities to travel and study outside the United States allow students to develop skills for functioning in different cultures, societies and economic environments, and to understand a wide variety of international business practices. Contact the office of Undergraduate Student Services for information about international study opportunities at Marshall, including:

GLP/LINC

All first-year students are encouraged to enroll in one of Marshall’s international experiential learning programs, GLP or LINC. Each includes a 10-day faculty-led trip to a city outside the United States, where students meet with business, political and civic leaders. The Learning about International Commerce (LINC) Program is a 2-unit class open to freshman students who apply. The Global Leadership Program (GLP) is a two-course sequence open by invitation to select first-year students in the incoming freshman class.

International Exchange Program

The international exchange program is a one-semester exchange program with a host institution in Asia, Australia or Europe during either the fall or spring semester. Exposure to international cultures and practices in business and non-business settings provides another level of understanding of international business. Students complete between four to eight courses at the host institution (15-18 USC units). All instruction is in English, so foreign language proficiency is not required. Courses completed at the host school are graded credit/no credit on the student’s USC transcript. The courses are selected from a list approved by the Marshall School of Business and satisfy the business elective requirement.

International Summer Program

The Marshall School offers unpaid international internship programs in London, Madrid, Dublin, Sydney and Singapore during the summer session. The program provides students with theoretical and practical experiences working and navigating within the international global environment. The program consists of an eight-week internship abroad. In addition, unpaid social entrepreneurship internships are offered in Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda and Ghana. Paid internships in Bangkok and Jakarta are also offered.

Research Opportunities for Undergraduates

BUAD 490x Directed Research provides an opportunity to pursue research above and beyond the normal course offerings. This course is open to juniors and seniors with a 3.0 or better grade point average who have obtained approval from a faculty sponsor, the department chair and the director of the Office of Academic Advising by the semester prior to enrollment. Units are assigned on a variable basis with a maximum of 8 units toward an undergraduate degree, 4 units per semester.

Students may also work with faculty as research assistants. Research opportunities are made available through various departments at Marshall and through the university’s undergraduate research program found at usc.edu/ugresearch.

Marshall Honors

Marshall Honors, available upon graduation to majors in business administration or accounting, provides a special designation of departmental honors on a student’s transcript. Marshall Honors requires completion of BUAD 491 Honors Seminar (2 units) and a minimum 3.5 GPA in upper division Marshall School and Leventhal School courses. To enroll in BUAD 491 requires senior standing, a minimum overall 3.3 GPA and completion of at least 32 units of upper division business courses with a minimum 3.5 GPA. Contact the Office of Undergraduate Advising for additional information.

Marshall Undergraduate Academic Advising

Academic advisement is provided through the Marshall School of Business Office of Undergraduate Advising located in Bridge Hall 104, (213) 740-0690 or undergrad.advising@marshall.usc.edu. Incoming freshman and new transfer students are required to meet with an academic adviser before registering, and this requirement will be in effect until 24 USC units are completed. All students are encouraged to see an academic adviser on a regular basis, and continuing Marshall students may schedule appointments throughout the year.

Registration

Students may register for business courses directly using the Web registration system, according to their scheduled appointment times. Appointment times are based on number of units completed. For example, seniors have the first opportunity to register for a course. It is important to register as soon as one’s appointment allows or priority standing will be lost.

Marshall Undergraduate Student Services

The Marshall School recognizes the importance of integrating education with experience. The Undergraduate Student Services Office, in cooperation with the USC Career Center, assists business school undergraduates with securing externships, internships and full time positions. Moreover, this office provides students with career support and access to alumni. Students who actively participate in these programs maximize their opportunities for professional development and employment after graduation.

In addition to these programs, students are encouraged to participate in student organizations to build leadership, teamwork and networking skills. The Marshall School has more than 30 student organizations. USC has more than 700 student organizations. The Student Services Office also offers over 25 international exchange programs in Asia, Australia and Europe. Through these programs, students spend a semester overseas and fulfill business elective requirements. The office also coordinates international summer internship programs and week-long international travel opportunities. For further information, contact Marshall Undergraduate Student Services, (213) 740‑5705 or send an email to studentservices@marshall.usc.edu.

Honor Societies

Beta Gamma Sigma is the national honor society for business students. The Marshall School of Business chapter has been active since 1923. Juniors in the top five percent of the class and seniors in the top 10 percent of the class are invited to join. For further information, contact the Office of Undergraduate Advising.

Transferring College Credit

Community College Courses

USC has established articulation agreements with most community colleges in California. Most academic courses are acceptable for transfer credit from a two-year school, but students will not receive credit for remedial course work. Courses that do not appear on the articulation agreement are not transferable. A maximum of 64 semester units may be transferred. There are university restrictions that apply to transferring course work from other institutions that may affect the above rule. Check with the Degree Progress Department (JHH 010) for information about transferable courses or see an adviser in the Marshall School. Prospective Marshall students should speak with an adviser in the Marshall Undergraduate Admissions Office and continuing Marshall students should speak with an adviser in the Office of Undergraduate Advising.

Official transcripts of college work taken elsewhere must be submitted at the time of application to the USC Office of Admission. A credit evaluation will be completed that will list transfer courses accepted for credit. All business courses completed at a two year college, if transferable, will be considered elective credit. There is one exception to this policy: Students may transfer two semesters of introductory accounting and receive credit equivalent to one semester of introductory accounting at USC. Then students can register for BUAD 305 Abridged Core Concepts of Accounting Information.

Four Year Colleges

Most courses of an academic nature are acceptable for unit credit from all fully accredited four year institutions. If they do not satisfy specific subject requirements at USC, they will usually be accepted for elective course credit.

Students are urged to complete all their required business courses at USC. ECON 351x and ECON 352x must be completed at USC. All business courses from four year institutions, if transferable, will be considered elective credit unless a challenge examination is passed. All upper division core classes, with the exception of BUAD 497 Strategic Management and BUAD 425 Data Analysis for Decision Making, may be challenged. Students should consult with their academic advisers to initiate the challenge examination process.

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Cinematic Arts)

This program consists of courses offered by both the Marshall School and the School of Cinematic Arts. Students completing the program receive a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in Cinematic Arts. The program is available to entering freshmen only.

Requirements for Completion

To complete the program, students must satisfy all requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree in business as well as an additional 24 units in cinematic arts, which specifically address the business side of the industry.

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science/Business Administration

This combined program offers qualified students the opportunity to gain an educational foundation in both computer science and business administration. Students must meet the admission requirements for both programs. The degree is administered by the Viterbi School of Engineering; see Computer Science for complete degree requirements.

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (East Asian Studies)

This program consists of courses offered by both the Marshall School of Business and the East Asian Studies Center. Students completing the program receive a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in East Asian Studies.

Requirements for Completion

To complete the program, students must satisfy all requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree in business as well as an additional 24 units in East Asian Studies.

Although not required, students are strongly encouraged to enroll in two summer sessions of a Language for Special Purposes Program offered at the USC Language Center. This is a non-credit program involving intensive language training to complement the particular area of study selected by the student.

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (International Relations)

This program consists of courses offered by both the Marshall School of Business and the School of International Relations. Students completing the program receive a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in International Relations.

Requirements for Completion

To complete the program, students must satisfy all requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree in business as well as an additional 24 units in international relations from the courses listed below.

International Political Economy Courses (4 units)

International Relations Regional Courses (8 units)

International Relations Electives (8 units)

Food Industry Management Concentrated Program

Certificate Program

The Food Industry Management Concentrated Program offers undergraduate and graduate courses emphasizing marketing, retailing, financial and management aspects of the food industry. Completion of the program is acknowledged by a Food Industry Management Certificate.

To qualify for admission and a scholarship grant for the undergraduate food industry management concentrated program, students must be in their junior or senior year with an academic standing adequate for admission to USC; be currently employed in a management position in the food retailing, wholesaling or manufacturing industry; and be recommended by their employer.

To receive a certificate, students must complete 16 units during the one-semester program. Students must take all required FIM courses for the time they are in the program.

Certification Program Requirements

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