USC Marshall MBA Program

USC Marshall Program Overview

Founded in 1920, the USC Marshall School of Business is the oldest accredited business school in Southern California. The school’s mission is to “deepen the knowledge and understanding of the critical problems faced in business, and to educate tomorrow’s leaders who will address them.”

USC Marshall emphasizes three core goals of the full-time MBA program: to develop professional strengths, to gain knowledge and skills, and to motivate and build high-performing teams. 

Recognizing the ways in which globalization and new technologies have impacted the business school environment, the school also highlights the importance of a global scope, entrepreneurial approach, rigorous and impactful research, and a diverse learning environment.

The average salary and bonus for the USC Marshall full-time class of 2021 was $151,964, and 94.2% of students received job offers within three months of graduation.

USC Marshall reported a 23% acceptance rate for the class of 2023.

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What Sets USC Marshall School of Business Apart

• Holistic Academic-Career Program: USC Marshall’s curriculum focuses strongly on career development, its core courses teaching leadership, communication, self-awareness, and value creation. These courses position Marshall MBA students to get the most out of the school’s Career Insights Seminar, giving them the opportunity to network with professionals in their target industries.
• Interdisciplinary Teaching: The full-time MBA program highlights the importance of courses that complement and build upon each other. Faculty members are encouraged to teach collaboratively and partner with one another to unpack case studies from different perspectives. These teachings are strengthened by career panels, guest speakers, and industry practitioners who enhance in-class learnings through real-world perspectives.
• Los Angeles Location: Los Angeles is the third largest global metropolitan economy, opening doors to the high tech sector, startup culture, biotechnology, and other innovative pursuits. While Southern California has a lot going for it from a professional standpoint, the climate is undoubtedly another draw. In fact, USC attests that they experience 329 days of sunshine in a year.
• Academic Flexibility: While Marshall students must complete 15 core courses, they also have the ability to choose from nearly 100 electives based on personal goals and interests. Up to nine of these electives can be taken at other USC graduate schools.

USC Marshall School of Business 2024 Class Profile

The USC Marshall class of 2024 is made up of 190 students.

Of these students, 56% identify as students of color (24% historically underrepresented students of color), 46% identify as women and 10% identify as LGBTQ+. USC Marshall’s class profile also reports that 41% of the class are international students.

On average, the class of 2024 had 66 months of pre-MBA experience, and the average age is 29. Top pre-MBA industries were financial services, technology, and healthcare.

Top areas of undergraduate study were business/commerce, engineering/computer science, and economics.

The median GPA and GMAT score for USC Marshall’s latest class profile is as follows. The school also accepts the GRE, though this information is not noted in the latest class profile.

Joint/Dual Degrees Offered at USC Marshall

USC Marshall also offers joint and dual degrees for those interested in pursuing more than one academic discipline or area of expertise. These include:

• JD/MBA: JD/MBA students have the opportunity to earn a dual degree from USC Marshall and the USC Gould School of Law. The program takes 4 years to complete, the first of which students spend taking required law courses and the second of which they take required MBA courses.
• MBA/MPl: USC’s Master of Business Administration/Master of Planning gives students exposure to business, finance, accounting, real estate marketing, and corporate/strategic planning. MBA/MPl students also gain an understanding of public policy, city planning and government regulations. The program typically requires five semesters of full-time in-residence study.
• MBA/MRED: This dual degree program allows students to earn an MBA from USC Marshall and a Master of Real Estate Development from USC Price. The program is designed for those who intend to become real estate developers, honing their skills in management, planning, marketing, land development, decision sciences, accounting, finance, and economics.
• MBA/MS: USC’s Master of Business Administration/Master of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering degree is offered between USC Marshall and USC’s Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. Students will gain an understanding of advanced production planning and scheduling, as well as engineering project management.
• MBA/MD: Those interested in an MBA and a doctor of medicine have the opportunity to earn this dual degree from USC Marshall and the Keck School of Medicine of USC. The program spans five years, preparing students for leadership positions in the design and management of health care systems.
• MBA/MSW: USC’s Master of Business Administration/Master of Social Work degree program typically takes three years to complete. The program is designed for those pursuing careers related to human resources, organizational development, information management, and philanthropic/corporate social responsibility.

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