BUSI 758G

Course Description

• 4-credits (4 credits in the spring semester)
• Open to 2nd and 3rd year MBA students only
• On-campus project launch in October
• On-campus coursework in spring semester + 5-7 day travel abroad Winter break or Spring break
• Non-repeatable course; students may participate in only one MBA GCP Project during their MBA program 

Students spend over a semester working on a consulting project for an external client.  The Global Consulting Practicum will include consulting and content training with a Smith faculty member, pre-travel work with/for the client, on-site consulting experience for/with the client, a presentation and written deliverable to the client, and a final written deliverable turned in to the faculty member.  The organization of the fieldwork component, part which takes place abroad, is directed by the students.  While abroad, students are expected to arrange meetings with stakeholders, conduct customer surveys, etc as required to inform the project.  

The clients for the projects changes each year.

GCP projects are offered every year, and new projects are announced each Spring. Visit the Office of Global Initiatives website for current opportunities.

Upon completion of the GCP, students will gain:

• In-depth, first-hand experience providing consulting services in a foreign country.
• Knowledge of global business practices.
• Insight into cross-cultural differences that affect leadership and interpersonal 
  interactions such as communication, negotiation, conflict resolution and teamwork.
• Tolerance for ambiguity, which is intrinsic to all global experiences.
• Capacity to deliver innovative, operational plans to clients.
• Increased competitiveness in today’s job market.

AY 2016-2017 Course information

Cost for Spring 2017 = 4 credits of tuition + TBA Program Fee (Program fee contributes to project execution expenses, including shared accommodation, in-country logistics, and faculty advisor travel) + Education Abroad Fee ($250) + Mandatory International Health Insurance Fee ($39, estimated)

*Not included: international airfare, visa processing if applicable, meals, personal expenses.

Application Process

To apply, students must complete the application online and attach their resume and cover letter via Qualtrics here(link is external).  The résumé, application, and cover letter will be used to evaluate each student's background and career interests in order to determine which potential consultants are the best fit for the Global Consulting Practicum.  Follow-up interviews will be held with a subset of the applicant pool to select students. Students will be matched to projects based on their experience, skills and knowledge, language capabilities (where applicable), and interest in the industry and project objectives.

The cover letter should address each of the following:

1. The reasons for your interest in participating in a consulting project and your expectations for personal gain from participation in this project, as well as your future career aspirations.
2. The skill sets, knowledge and work expertise that you can bring to this particular project. Indicate previous work experience, class/study, internship, etc.
3. Substantive experience closely related to the specific industry of the project and to the specific region where the overseas consulting will take place, or substantive experience in an entrepreneurial start-up setting, or in strategic growth of small private enterprises.
4. Experience working and/or studying in cross-cultural settings.

Students will be enrolled in Testudo by MPO once selected and assigned to projects.

Key Dates