What Is the Marshall School of Business?

The Marshall School of Business is the business school of the University of Southern California (USC). Located in Los Angeles, it offers a wide variety of both undergraduate and graduate courses, conferring both business-related B.S. (Bachelor of Science) degrees and several MBA degrees.

History of the Marshall School of Business

Founded in 1920, the Marshall School of Business is one of the largest of the 17 schools that comprise the University of Southern California, a private academic institution. It is the oldest accredited business school in Southern California. The school was known as the College of Commerce and Business Administration. It had 300 students. Its first graduate degree was offered in 1922.

USC renamed its business school the Gordon S. Marshall School of Business after its alumnus Gordon Marshall, head of electronic components distributor Marshall Industries. His donation of $35 million was the largest ever given to a business school at the time.The Marshall School of Business boasts more than 90,000 alumni worldwide.

Marshall School of Business Curriculum

The Marshall School of Business occupies five buildings on the USC campus in Los Angeles, CA. It has 243 full-time faculty members. Students can earn undergraduate degrees in business administration, accounting, and world business; full- or part-time masters in business administration; an online MBA, executive MBA, or one-year international MBA; and ten specialized masters’ degrees, which include entrepreneurship and innovation, marketing, global supply chain management, and business analytics.

Undergraduate

Marshall degrees combine the theory and practice of business with a foundation in the liberal arts. All undergraduate degrees are STEM-designated. Degrees conferred include:

• B.S. Business Administration
• B.S. Accounting
• World Bachelor in Business or WBB
• B.S. Artificial Intelligence for Business
• B.S. Business of Cinematic Arts

MBA and Post-Graduate

The Marshall MBA and Masters programs combine foundational knowledge across the business discipline and electives on a multitude of topics. The curriculum and degrees include:

• Full-Time MBA
• MBA for Professionals and Managers (Part-Time MBA)
• Online MBA
• Executive MBA (EMBA)
• One-year International MBA (IBEAR)

Specialized Masters Degrees:

• Master of Accounting (MAcc)
• Master of Business Taxation (MBT)
• Master of Business for Veterans (MBV)
• Master of Management in Library and Information Science (MSLIS)
• Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA)
• Master of Science in Entrepreneurship and Innovation (MSEI)
• Master of Science in Finance (MSF)
• Master of Science in Global Supply Chain Management (MSGSCM)
• Master of Science in Marketing (MSM)
• Master of Science in Social Entrepreneurship (MSSE)

Ph.D. Degree

• Management
• Marketing
• Accounting
• Finance
• Data Sciences

Applicants

The USC student community has representation from 128 countries, and Marshall students participate in international programs each year. The Marshall School of Business has approximately 4,000 undergraduate students and 1,200 individuals in various graduate programs.

USC requires undergraduate applicants to submit standardized test scores, applications, and resumes. Most admitted students are ranked in the top ten percent of their graduating class. First-year students can apply for Early Action or Regular Decision.Marshall does not seek a type of ideal MBA candidate but looks for students from all walks of life and varying degrees of experience. Unlike other business schools, it doesn't require application fees or references.

The Bottom Line

The Marshall School of Business is the business school of the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, CA, and hosts students from 128 countries. It offers undergraduate business degrees, full- and part-time MBA degrees, specialized master's degrees, and doctorate degrees. The school is named for Gordan Marshall, who endowed $35 million in 1997.