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International One-Year MBA
The USC Marshall International Business Education and Research (IBEAR) MBA is an accelerated one-year, full-time international MBA program for mid-career professionals with diverse backgrounds. Established in 1978, the IMBA program has over 2,100 alumni from 60 countries.
The typical IBEAR class is comprised of 55 participants from 12 to 15 countries. On average, participants are 36 years old and have 12 years of work experience; 80% are in the 32 to 40 age range. One-third of participants are sponsored by companies and family-owned businesses and two-thirds are self-sponsored.
In a global economy defined by constant change, the IBEAR MBA Program immerses participants in the complexities of international business and includes a four-month consulting project that involves close collaboration with peers, faculty, and clients to solve real-world business issues.
Pictured: Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo, at USC for the IBEAR MBA's 2022 Global Leadership Forum with the IMBA-44 class, March 2022.
IBEAR PROGRAM BENEFITS
Accelerated One-Year Program for Mid-Career Professionals
The IBEAR MBA Program is a “double-time” program that reduces the opportunity costs of earning an MBA from 22 months to 12 months
Participants complete 19 courses and earn 56 credits over six intense 8-week terms. The 12-month program includes IBEAR MBA core courses, Marshall School electives, professional development retreats, domestic and international experiential learning trips, and a 4-month long management consulting project for business sponsors. Courses are taught by Marshall School faculty who have substantial international business expertise.
Flexibility + Choice
Get the flexibility and choice you need to pursue the career of your choice! The curriculum has been designed for mid-career professionals who would like the option to pursue a specialization that will advance their career outcomes, while retaining the unique cohort experience of IBEAR’s mid-career classmates. Whether a student is looking to make a career change or wanting to advance in their industry, the IBEAR MBA curriculum will help them create their own unique experience.
IBEAR MBA students take 56 units over 12 months starting in June. (In the Two-Year MBA, students take 62 units over 22 months). Your 56 units are comprised of 17 units of Required courses (non-waivable), 21 units of functional Core courses (you may waive out of a core course and substitute it with an elective), and 18 units of Elective courses. Working off this model, you can customize an IBEAR MBA program that best suits your needs. This includes pursuing the STEM-track, International Management Science MBA.
Action Learning
The IBEAR MBA Program is designed to prepare students for the dynamic challenges and opportunities of the global marketplace. Classes and research are combined with real-world experiences which emphasize interactive, hands-on learning.
The International Business Consulting Projects (IBCP): The IBEAR MBA Program has long incorporated real-world business consulting projects as a key part of its MBA learning experience. IBCP is a 3-unit capstone course, it is a proprietary consulting project that requires the integration of prior coursework to make actionable recommendations to senior-level corporate sponsors.
The Experiential Learning Programs: International (IELP) provides exceptional opportunities for IMBA students to learn from business and government leaders about doing business in important Asia-Pacific economies. Domestic (DELP) provides exceptional opportunities for IMBA students to network with business leaders in a variety of companies in the U.S.
The Executive Leadership & Professional Development Workshops, a required series of customized and highly interactive programming and retreats. These activities which are held on-campus and off-campus, with some over-night stays, are designed to augment and complement IMBA’s academic program.
International Worldview — Creating Global Leaders
IBEAR MBA students learn and work alongside their mid-career peers from 12-15 countries. As a result, they become much more capable of working with and competing against persons from different cultures.
Lifelong + Worldwide Connections
IBEAR’s 2,100 alumni are strategic assets of the IBEAR MBA Program. IMBA alumni build lifelong relationships with each other and with MBA faculty and staff. Alumni regularly help recruit and interview candidates, mentor and hire students, sponsor IBCP consulting projects, as well as do business together. IMBA alumni clubs are active in cities around the world and IBEAR alumni often hold leadership roles in Marshall and USC alumni clubs globally.
Dedicated Career Services
Career development is an integral part of the IBEAR MBA experience. Participants receive highly personalized coaching from a dedicated team of career and professional practitioners with extensive cross-industry, cross-functional international experience. Designed for the unique needs of mid-career professionals seeking career advancement or transitions, the IBEAR MBA career services team works closely with each participant to help them identify and achieve their career objectives.
International Business Consulting Project
The Capstone Course of the IBEAR MBA Program is its 5-unit International Business Consulting Project (IBCP) which are done in Terms 4 & 5. IBCP is a unique hands-on learning experience, which is based on a 4-month business consulting engagement. Teams of IBEAR MBA students work with their IBCP clients to build strategies and develop solutions for one their client’s key business issues.
International and domestic research travel is a key component of most projects; costs are covered by client sponsorship fees. Each project requires deep analysis which is grounded in field research. The idea is to impart practical learning of executive decision making skills in a real-world business environment.
IBCP clients include Fortune 1000 companies, small and medium sized firms and startups. IBEAR MBA students have executed over 250 IBCP projects on topics such as market entry, market growth strategies, mergers and acquisitions, supply chain management, finance, etc. in the U.S., Asia, Latin America and Europe. Each student team is guided by a faculty practitioner with global consulting experience.
APPLYING TO THE IBEAR PROGRAM
Admission decisions are based on the applicant's work experience, academic background, test results, letter of recommendation and application essays. Applicants must have completed a minimum of six years of full-time work, military, or graduate study prior to the start of the program. Interested individuals are encouraged to visit IBEAR classes and discuss the program with current participants and alumni.
Dates + Deadlines
Round 1DEADLINE: October 17, 2022 | NOTIFICATION BY: December 19, 2022
Round 2DEADLINE: January 3, 2023 | NOTIFICATION BY: February 27, 2023
Round 3DEADLINE: February 27, 2023 | NOTIFICATION BY:April 10, 2023
Round 4DEADLINE: March 27, 2023 | NOTIFICATION BY: May 8, 2023
Round 5 Rolling Round
ADMISSIONS EVENTS
REQUEST INFORMATION
For more information about this program please fill out THIS FORM.
Class Profile
Participant Profile
Average Class Size: 55
Number of Countries Represented: 12-15
Median GMAT: 630
Average Age: 36
Average Years Work Experience: 12
Advanced Degrees: 30%
Married Students: 60%
Undergraduate Majors
Business: 25%
Science & Engineering: 40%
Humanities & Social Studies: 20%
Economics: 10%
Computer Science: 5%
Pre-MBA Career Industries
High Tech / Engineering: 20%
Financial Services / Banking: 20%
Consulting: 10%
Consumer Services / CPG: 35%
Other: 15%
Participants By Region (Typical Class)
Asia: 65%
North America: 15%
Latin America: 15%
Other: 5%
STUDENT INVOLVEMENT
Ranging from career clubs for professional networking, community outreach, diversity and affinity groups, and social and athletic organizations, IMBA students are able to expand their network to other USC Marshall MBA graduate programs and corporate contacts. Club activities take place during the day, evenings and weekends, and can include networking opportunities, social events and company visits.
IBEAR MBA Program students are encouraged to join and broaden their networks. Club involvement and leadership positions are also a great way to demonstrate to recruiters one’s skills and commitment to a specific career industry or function. Learn more about each of the clubs at USC Marshall by visiting their web sites.
GRADUATE STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
NEWS + EVENTS
Marshall Develops DEI Leadership Training
Strategic DEI content, built around faculty expertise, now informs all graduate students at orientation.
IBEAR Graduates its 44th Class
Indra Nooyi Speaks at USC Marshall Event
USC Marshall's IBEAR MBA 2022 Global Leadership Forum featured the former CEO of PepsiCo.
Indra Nooyi Speaks at USC Marshall event
IBEAR ACADEMIC OVERVIEW
The IBEAR MBA curriculum provides an immersive, experiential-learning based framework that gives students an opportunity to develop the knowledge, tools, and business networks that will help them become a global business leader. The Program’s dual focus on curricular and co-curricular learning provides IBEAR MBA students with the catalytic career boost they are seeking.
Program Structure
In order to graduate, IBEAR MBA students take 56 units over 12 months starting in June. (In the Two-Year MBA, students take 62 units over 20 months). Your 56 units are comprised of 17 units of Required courses (non-waivable), 21 units of functional Core courses (you may waive out of a core course and substitute it with an elective), and 18 units of Elective courses. Students can customize an IBEAR MBA program that best suit their needs. This includes pursuing a STEM-track, International Management Science MBA.
This intensive double-time program begins in late June 2023 and ends in late June 2024. It begins with a required two-week transition program to assist international and domestic participants to understand the strategic importance of communications and interpersonal effectiveness. The transition program includes communications skill-building, teambuilding, and activities for the participants to get to know each other and to better understand cultural differences among the classmates.
Required Courses
Core Courses (non-waivable)GSBA 523 Communication for ManagementUnits: 3GSBA 529 Strategic Formulation for Competitive AdvantageUnits: 3GSBA 543 Managerial Perspectives Units: 3GSBA 583 The Global Context of Business (IELP) Units: 2GSBA 584 International Business Consulting ProjectUnits: 3FBE 529 Financial Analysis and Valuation Units: 3
Functional Courses (available for challenge waiver exams)GSBA 510 Accounting Concepts and Financial Reporting Units: 3GSBA 524 Data Science for Business Units: 3GSBA 511 Microeconomics for Management Units: 3GSBA 528 Marketing Management Units: 3GSBA 534 Operations Management Units: 3GSBA 548 Corporate Finance Units: 3GSBA 549 The Firm in the National and International Economy Units: 3
Electives
Complete a selection of graduate business elective courses (500-level ACCT, BAEP, BUCO, DSO, FBE, GSBA, MKT or MOR courses) sufficient to bring the total units completed to at least 56.
Get the flexibility and choice you need to pursue the career of your choice! The curriculum has been designed keeping in mind the needs of mid-career professionals who would like the option to pursue a specialization that will advance the career outcomes they are seeking, while retaining the unique cohort experience of the IBEAR MBA Program. Whether a student is looking to make a career change or wanting to advance in their industry, the IBEAR MBA curriculum will help them create their own unique experience.
IBEAR MBA students have the opportunity to pursue the STEM track, International Management Science (STEM) MBA Program.
International Management Science (STEM) IBEAR MBA Program
The IBEAR MBA program offers a STEM track as part of its curriculum. Students who opt for this track as part of their IBEAR MBA curriculum will be pursuing the International Management Science (STEM) MBA Program.
The value of a business education focusing on quantitative and scientific methods has long been recognized. The Management Science specialization of the Master of Business Administration recognizes the efforts of individuals who choose to focus their MBA studies on quantitative business-related fields such as statistics, mathematical techniques, analytics, data warehousing, data mining, operations and supply chain optimization, finance, forecasting, digital marketing, and modeling.
A core of essential courses is designed to build the foundation of skills required of all leading executives, develop collaborative talent, cultivate innovation, build analytical skills, and expand the student's vision and ethical framework with a global perspective. An individualized program of study allows students to acquire knowledge and skills in their preferred STEM-related disciplines.
Certificate Programs
IBEAR MBA students also have the option to add certificate programs in numerous areas of specialization such as Business Analytics, Financial Analysis & Valuation and Supply Chain Management.
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Marshall School of Business3670 Trousdale Parkway, BRI 104Los Angeles, CA 90089-0802
213 740 7140
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