Graduate & Professional Degrees

The Doctor of Philosophy program in business administration is designed to produce research-oriented graduates who, from positions in academia, can advance the state-of-the-art of business practice and enhance the contributions that business can make to the larger community. These goals can be advanced through research contributions in theory, concepts, methods and practices, and contributions to the education of the next generation of business leaders. USC Marshall offers the PhD in Business Administration in the following five departments: Accounting, Finance and Business Economics, Data Sciences and Operations, Management and Organization, and Marketing.

All students admitted to the Marshall PhD degree program are supported by graduate assistantships or fellowships that require a full-time commitment to the program. No part-time or evening programs are available. PhD students begin their program in early August and are expected to be in residence 12 months each year throughout the program. Until the time the student is granted permission to take the qualifying examination, successful completion of at least six units per consecutive semester is required.

This degree is awarded under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School. Students should also refer to The Graduate School section of this catalogue. All courses applied toward the degree must be accepted by the Graduate School and relevant to the student's program of study. In most cases, the PhD degree takes five years to complete.

Admission

The PhD program in Business Administration welcomes applications from students with high intellectual aptitude who plan to pursue academic careers in research and teaching. Students with strong backgrounds in mathematics, psychology, the social sciences, engineering, computer science and the other sciences are encouraged to apply for admission. A master's degree or MBA is not a requirement for entry into the PhD program; students may enter with only a bachelor's degree. Prior academic research experience is desirable.

Students who wish to apply for admission to the PhD program should visit marshall.usc.edu/phd to obtain additional information about the PhD program and an online application. Only online applications are accepted. Students with additional questions that are not covered on the Website may contact the Marshall School PhD Program office at (213) 740-0676 or phd@marshall.usc.edu.

Applicants should secure three letters of recommendation. The PhD committee prefers that all recommendations be written by academics who are familiar with the applicant's scholastic and research capabilities. An applicant who has been away from an academic environment for a significant period of time may substitute one academic reference with a non-academic reference. Applicants also provide transcripts, GRE or GMAT scores, TOEFL or IELTS scores (if appropriate) and a statement of purpose. Applicants are encouraged to send a statement of research experience and a research writing sample, if available.

Consideration is given to the rigor of the undergraduate and master's curricula, academic performance, scores on the GRE or GMAT, the quality of the statement of purpose, fit with the department, the applicant's oral and written communication skills and letters of recommendation.

Campus interviews for top applicants may be initiated by the departments. In cases where in-person interviews cannot be arranged, alternative arrangements will be made.

Funding

All admitted students receive a fellowship or graduate assistantship, full tuition, health and dental insurance and payment of mandatory student health center fee for a minimum of five years dependent on continued satisfactory academic progress. This progress is assessed by the PhD program based on students maintaining at least the minimum enrollment, a GPA of at least 3.0, and satisfactory performance in graduate assistant assignments. Teaching and teaching assistant assignments are made only after a student has passed the qualifying examination. For research assistant assignments, students are engaged with a faculty member in a businessrelated, applied-learning, scholarly activity to learn the skills necessary to conduct independent research.

Degree Requirements

The Doctor of Philosophy in business administration is based on a program of study and research culminating in the completion of a dissertation in the major field of study. A minimum of 60 units of course work beyond the baccalaureate is required for the PhD degree, including research courses and a minimum of 4 units and a maximum of 8 units of  GSBA 794a Doctoral Dissertation,  GSBA 794b Doctoral Dissertation,  GSBA 794c Doctoral Dissertation,  GSBA 794d Doctoral Dissertation and  GSBA 794z Doctoral Dissertation. For students who already possess an advanced graduate degree, a minimum of 40 semester units of course work beyond that degree is required, of which a maximum of 4 units may be GSBA 794a Doctoral Dissertation,  GSBA 794b Doctoral Dissertation,  GSBA 794c Doctoral Dissertation,  GSBA 794d Doctoral Dissertation and  GSBA 794z Doctoral Dissertation. Doctoral students are subject to disqualification at any time that the Marshall School of Business determines that they are deficient in academic achievement. All students must maintain a 3.0 GPA at all times.

Screening Procedure

In addition to the papers and examinations assigned in first-year courses, a screening process will occur in May. This process will include a review of each student's grades, an analysis of competence in written communications and reports from faculty members who have had in-class or other responsibility for the student. In most departments, a screening exam is required. The nature of the exam varies by department. Generally, a screening examination or other procedure designated by the department (Accounting, Finance and Business Economics, Data Sciences and Operations, Management and Organization, and Marketing) is to be administered before the student has taken more than 24 units (including research courses). However, the Accounting and Finance and Business Economics departments require their students to take the departmental course requirements until the end of the second year; students must take up to 36 units before the departmental screening procedure is administered. Based upon this review, the PhD committee will determine whether the student should continue in the PhD program. Students who have not performed satisfactorily will be dropped from the program. The review shall normally be completed and results communicated to students by July 1. In some cases a first-year summer project may be taken into account in determining whether a student should continue in the program.

Qualifying Exam Committee and Dissertation Committee

Students are responsible for finding a qualifying exam committee chair among the student's home department faculty by the fall semester of the second year. The qualifying exam committee should be established within the student's home department at least two semesters prior to taking the qualifying examination and after the student has passed the screening procedure. The qualifying exam committee comprises a minimum of five tenured, tenure-track and non-tenure track USC faculty, three of whom must be from the student's home department. At least one faculty member from the home department must be tenured. One member must be from outside the student's home department (within or outside of Marshall). The qualifying exam committee advises the student on courses during the first two years and oversees and grades the qualifying examination.

Within 90 days of passing the qualifying exam, the dissertation committee chair must be identified. The dissertation committee must be appointed within six months after the qualifying examination has been passed and a dissertation topic approved. The committee should be appointed at least one month before the dissertation defense. The appointment of dissertation committee form, available on the Graduate School Website, is used to establish the dissertation committee. The dissertation committee is normally composed of three members, although additional members may be included at the student's and committee chair's discretion. The committee chair and at least one additional member must be affiliated with the student's home department. Faculty eligible to serve as committee members include tenured and tenure-track faculty, and nontenure track faculty of outstanding stature who have a documented record of exceptional expertise and superior achievement in a field relevant to the dissertation. At least two members of the committee should be tenured or tenure-track, including the committee chair.

The Marshall School of Business PhD program requires an outside member for both the qualifying exam committee and dissertation committee. The outside member may be a faculty member from another department within Marshall or from another school within USC. Students may also include a person from a different university as an additional member with the permission of the associate dean; however, this person cannot substitute for the required outside member.

Course Requirements

Each student must successfully complete one course in microeconomics or behavioral sciences, one course in statistics and one course in research design plus the core courses in his or her field of specialization. Advanced course work is specified by the student's guidance committee in preparation for the qualifying examinations in the area of specialization. The areas are: accounting, data sciences and operations, finance and business economics, management and organization, and marketing.

Qualifying Examination

The examination qualifying a student for candidacy may be comprehensive in nature. It is designed to determine the student's competence in the area of specialization.

The qualifying examination consists of two sections: written and oral. The written section must be passed before the oral section; if a student does not pass the written examination, the oral examination need not be administered.

In preparing for the qualifying examination, students form a qualifying exam committee. This committee helps the student prepare for the exam and also administers the written and oral section of the examination. See also The Graduate School section of this catalogue.

Dissertation

The final phase of the program is the completion of a dissertation. The dissertation must be based on an original investigation that makes a substantive contribution to knowledge and demonstrates the student's capacity for independent, scholarly research. The quality of the dissertation should meet the standards for publication in leading academic journals in the field.

Typically, research in business administration involves studies that advance the body of knowledge concerned with issues and solution of problems confronting managers and administrators. As a result, a dissertation will (1) develop or extend theories, techniques or models relevant to managerial problems; (2) demonstrate original applications or adaptations of existing theories, techniques or models to managerial problems in a specific area; (3) develop innovative formulations and analyses of complex managerial problems and propose creative approaches to their solution; and/or (4) employ scientific research methodology to test empirically the validity of existing theories, techniques or models and their application to specific types of managerial problems.

A dissertation committee chair shall be requested by the student and appointed by the dean of the PhD program within 90 days after the student has passed the qualifying examination. The remaining faculty on the dissertation committee shall be appointed within six months after the student has passed the qualifying exam.

The dissertation committee must consist of at least three tenured or tenure-track faculty, two of whom must be from the student's home department. At least one faculty member from the home department must be tenured.

One member must be from outside the student's department and the Marshall School of Business. Students may add additional faculty to the committee, especially those who might provide valuable expertise that improves the dissertation. It is important that the student select faculty members who are committed and interested in serving on the committee, since a quality dissertation requires extensive interaction with and a sizable time commitment from individual faculty members. See also the Qualifying Exam Committee and Dissertation Committee section above for further details.

Defense of the Dissertation

When the dissertation committee agrees that the candidate has essentially completed the research and a satisfactory draft of the dissertation has been written, a final oral examination is held. This examination is open to all members of the faculty of the school and the university. Final judgment of the dissertation and the oral defense is rendered by the members of the dissertation committee. The dissertation must be accepted unanimously by the dissertation committee. Further information on procedures is contained in the The Graduate School section of this catalogue.

Return to: USC Marshall School of Business

The Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics provides students with the tools, ideas and frameworks that will aid them in making business decisions in a scientific manner. These statistical and optimization tools, necessary for analyzing large and unstructured data sets, are applied to actual data in the classroom, teaching students in the program how to make optimal decisions to improve the performance of their organization.

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.

Individuals applying for admission to the Master of Science in Business Analytics should not also apply for admission to this program.

Application Procedure

Prospective students who have not previously taken graduate-level (post-baccalaureate) business statistics must apply to begin the program in the fall semester. Prospective applicants who have taken a graduate-level business statistics course may apply to begin the program in the fall, spring or summer.

Applications are submitted online through the USC Graduate Admissions website (gradadm.usc.edu/). International applicants are advised to see the instructions for international students published in the USC Graduate Admissions website (gradadm.usc.edu/apply/international-students/).

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

The Master of Science in Business Analytics provides students with the skill and knowledge to become experts in business analytics and to advance their careers in the area of data analytics. Students in the program acquire the statistical and optimization tools necessary to analyze large and unstructured data sets and make optimal decisions to improve the performance of their organization while also developing the critical ability to effectively present complex analyses to high-level decision makers. This program concentrates on business applications across different industries and functions including marketing, finance, operations management, retail, manufacturing, banking and health care.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must satisfy most of the admission requirements for all Marshall master's degree programs. A few years of work experience is preferred, but not required. For international applicants TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores required.

Application Procedure

All students begin the program in the fall semester with no option for starting in the spring or summer. Applications are submitted online for fall semester through the USC graduate admissions website at gradadm.usc.edu. International applicants are advised to see the instructions for international students published in the USC Graduate Admissions website (gradadm.usc.edu/apply/international-students/).

A complete application includes the online application form, an application fee, English proficiency test scores (if applicable), responses to several short-answer questions, a one-minute video essay addressing application topic, and transcripts from all institutions attended since the applicant last applied to USC.

• All applicants must complete a statistics course at an accredited college or university before applying. Eligible statistics courses must cover all the following topics: basic probability, probability distributions (normal, exponential, etc.) inferential statistics (such as t-tests, Chi-square test, confidence intervals and sampling), and intro to linear regression.
• 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.
• New English proficiency test scores may be required for international student applicants who completed their degrees outside the U.S.A.
• All other applicants must submit all documentation identified in the online application instructions.

For additional information, visit marshall.usc.edu/msba or write to msba@marshall.usc.edu.

Degree Requirements

The Master of Science in Business Analytics degree requires 33 units.

Students may opt to take a waiver exam for certain required courses if they have significant knowledge on the topic already. If an exam is passed with a sufficient score, the course may be replaced in a later term with an elective from the list below. 

The MBV program is designed as an intensive program to assist military veterans, active duty and reserve personnel who wish to gain formal business knowledge and develop critical skills to succeed in careers in business.

The program focuses on the topics of finance, accounting, leadership, strategy, operations, marketing, and data analytics. The program also includes significant work through a capstone project completed in the spring semester.

Application

To obtain information regarding application process, criteria, deadlines and fee waiver for veterans, visit the MBV application website. For any additional questions please contact the Master of Business for Veterans office at (213) 740-5719 or email mbv@marshall.usc.edu.

Program Structure

The MBV program is a one-year (2 semester), on-campus program offered on the University Park Campus near downtown Los Angeles. The program incorporates a thematic curriculum focusing on the way business functions relate to each other instead of individualized subjects.

The MBV program conducts orientation in mid-July with classes beginning in late-July. Students must complete 27 units of coursework with 13 units taken in the fall semester and 14 units taken in the spring semester. Classes are held over 10 class weekends every other Friday and Saturday allowing minimal interruption to the careers of working professionals.

JD students must complete at least 22 units of business-related classes to receive this certificate. Interested JD students must submit their applications for this certificate program after completing the first year of law school. JD students complete the certificate requirements during their second and third years of law school, and courses may count both toward the JD degree and the certificate.

LLM students must complete at least 12 units of business-related classes to receive this certificate. LLM students complete the certificate requirements during the year they are taking their LLM course work, and courses may count both toward the LLM degree and the certificate.

All students are required to take both mandatory business law courses (such as business organizations) and a selection of elective business law courses (such as mergers and acquisitions, advanced contracts and bankruptcy).

USC Gould School of Law online LLM, online MSL and Business Law Certificate students will enroll in the Online Business Law Certificate program and will take each of their courses in the online modality.

USC Gould School of Law JD and LLM residential students will enroll in the residential Business Law Certificate program and will take each of their courses in residence.

The Online Business Law Certificate program requires Business Organizations (4 units) as a core, mandatory course. Students are required to complete an additional 10 business law units online to earn the certificate. Electives include Securities Regulation (3 units), Business for Lawyers (2 units), Contract Drafting and Strategy (2 units), Negotiation Skills (2 units) and Mergers and Acquisitions (3 units and for which Business Organizations is a prerequisite). Students must complete a minimum of 12 units to receive this online certificate.

The program is structured especially for working professionals who wish to take one or two courses per term in an online format. Students are expected to enroll each semester until the program is completed.

The on-campus Master of Laws in Business Law (LLM in Business Law) is a full-time and part-time master's degree program designed for new graduates and seasoned professionals who seek a foundation in business law and who are interested in learning about the diverse legal, business and negotiating skills which are required to succeed in this area of law.  

The online Master of Laws in Business Law (LLM in Business Law) is designed for new graduates as well as seasoned professionals who seek an in-depth understanding of business law. This program is offered on a part-time basis in a completely online modality.

Students submitting an application to the on-campus or online LLM in Business Law must have earned a basic law degree, a Bachelor of Laws (LLB), a Juris Doctor (JD) or the foreign equivalent. Please visit the Gould School of Law website for more information.

The Master of Laws in Business Law requires a minimum of 24 units, a set of required courses, and a set of electives for on-campus students or a set of electives for online students, either of which satisfy the minimum required units. 

The graduate certificate in the business of entertainment program provides graduate-level education in various aspects of the business of film, television and new media.

Select 16 units from the following:

The Master of Science in Business Research is an alternative available to only Marshall PhD students.

It acknowledges those who have completed significant doctoral level course work and attained significant skills in research methods and provides a smooth transition to completion of an alternate degree for students who, for whatever reason, need to leave USC without completing the Marshall PhD. 

Admission

Marshall does not accept applications for admission to this program. A student enrolled in the Marshall PhD program may request conversion or be invited by the faculty to complete the master's degree in lieu of the PhD. The student must have completed at least 18 units of letter-graded course work with a cumulative USC graduate GPA of at least 3.0.

Requests for conversion are subject to approval by the Marshall Senior Vice Dean for Academic Programs.

For more information, contact the PhD program office for a referral to the MSBR adviser.

Program Requirements

The degree requires a minimum of 30 graduate units for all candidates.

Upon admission to the PhD program, the student works with a faculty adviser who oversees the selection of course work, taking into account the student's prior academic preparation. The curriculum requires completion of PhD program core courses focusing on research methods and theory in an area of specialization. Additional courses are drawn from the Marshall School of Business and other participating departments at USC including economics, psychology, mathematics, sociology, engineering, communication and others.

No courses numbered lower than 500 may be applied in this program. All courses applied to the degree must be letter-graded and completed in residence at USC. No transfer units or graduate units from a degree previously completed at USC can be applied to the MS in Business Research.

Return to: USC Marshall School of Business 

Understanding taxation is critical to every business decision and many personal decisions as well. Whether you are preparing for a career as a tax professional in public accounting, industry, government or the investment arena or are starting your own business, tax planning must be done. Because of the complexity of the tax law and its pervasive influence, people facing tax decisions routinely call on tax professionals for advice in planning and structuring their affairs in order to comply with the law and to ensure economic good sense.

The practice of tax is becoming increasingly analytic and data driven. The environment demands great thinking about business, financial and taxation issues. It includes sophisticated IT systems and demands leading edge processes to understand and interact with those systems.

The Master of Business Taxation with an emphasis in data and analytics (MBT D&A) delivers a firm foundation in taxation with a focus on data and analytics and the enabling of IT capabilities. This program provides a rigorous approach and will require students to develop strong analytical skills while focusing on such areas as tax research, corporate taxation, accounting methods, and multijurisdictional taxation. Tax instruction is further enhanced by incorporating data analysis into the tax curriculum with the goal of providing students with an understanding of how to capture data, analyze it, draw conclusions and present those conclusions to disparate audiences.

Admission requirements can be reviewed by visiting marshall.usc.edu/programs/graduate-accounting-programs/master-business-taxation/admissions.

Application

The MBT with data and analytics is open to individuals who have earned the equivalent of a four-year bachelor's degree from an accredited program. An undergraduate degree in accounting or business is not necessary, nor is work experience a requirement. The program enrolls students in the summer or fall based on their academic background. For application information visit marshall.usc.edu/mbt/admissions.

Program Requirements

The Master of Business Taxation with an emphasis in data and analytics (MBT D&A) degree requires 45 units, including fundamentals, core requirements and electives.

Academic Background Review and Waivers

The Leventhal School of Accounting Master's Program Office evaluates the academic background of each admitted student to determine the courses required to complete the program.   

Students admitted for summer term start with ACCT 525x Intensive Accounting Principles and Practices -- an eight-week, 40 hours-per-week course for students who have not completed undergraduate degrees or other extensive course work in accounting. This course must be completed successfully prior to beginning the core in the fall.

Students admitted for fall term holding a bachelor's degree in Accounting are waived from the 15-unit ACCT 525x course, reducing the number of units required to earn the degree to 30.