Two students sitting at a table with a laptop between them, while a third student standing behind them points at the screen

The Consulting Certificate from the School of Business helps students develop a consultative process and mindset that integrates critical skills in the areas of project management, business communication, advanced analytics and/or strategy and technology.  The Consulting Certificate will prepare students to seek answers to questions in order to define the problem, gather necessary data and information, convert the information into decisions, and successfully communicate that answer in a form appropriate to the audience.  Upon completion of the certificate, students will understand how businesses operate, how to communicate successfully with others in business, and will be familiar with the concept of business goals and objectives. This perspective is central to the design and differentiation of our certificate.  The goal of this certificate program is to be an add-on to any undergraduate major at UW-Madison so students can apply their major to the field of consulting.

How to Get in

The consulting certificate is open to UW-Madison undergraduate students. Space in the consulting certificate program is limited so an application is required to be accepted into the program. To find out more about the application process for this certificate, please visit the Undergraduate Certificate page of the School of Business.  

Requirements

Required Courses

GEN BUS 370 Case Interview Analysis1
OTM 452 Project Management3
Case Analysis Course
M H R 412 Management Consulting3
or M H R 423 Strategic Management
Analytical Thinking Course3
Another Case Analysis, Analytical Thinking or Elective Course3
Total Credits13

 Analytical Thinking Course Options

ACCT I S 640 Foundation in Accounting Analytics3
ACT SCI 655 Health Analytics3
I SY E 412 Fundamentals of Industrial Data Analytics3
I SY E 516 Introduction to Decision Analysis3
I SY E 620 Simulation Modeling and Analysis3
M H R 614 People Analytics3
OTM 453 Operations Analytics3
R M I 660 Risk Analytics and Behavioral Science3

Elective Course Options

INFO SYS 322 Introduction to Databases3
I SY E 313 Engineering Economic Analysis3
I SY E 515 Engineering Management of Continuous Process Improvement3
I SY E 520 Quality Assurance Systems3
I SY E 604 Special Topics in Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management3
M H R 322 Introduction to Entrepreneurship3
or M H R 422 Entrepreneurial Management
M H R 401 Leading Teams3
M H R 420 Leading Change in Organizations3
M H R 628 Negotiations3
OTM 351 Business Process Improvement3
OTM/​MARKETNG  421 Fundamentals of Supply Chain Management3
OTM/​MARKETNG  427 Information Technology in Supply Chains3
OTM 451 Service Operations Management3
R M I 650 Sustainability, Environmental and Social Risk Management3
R M I 655 Risk Financing Techniques3
R M I 670 Cyber Risk & Regulations3

A minimum 3.0 GPA must be earned on all course work used to meet the requirements (13 credits) of the certificate program.  All certificate credits must be earned in residence at UW-Madison.   

Certificate Completion Requirement

This undergraduate certificate must be completed concurrently with the student’s undergraduate degree. Students cannot delay degree completion to complete the certificate.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Apply critical thinking skills to complex real-world problems to develop strategies and make actionable recommendations to solve business issues based on a variety of important analytical tools and techniques.
  2. Develop case analysis skills in diagnosing business issues and managerial problems, propose workable solutions, and explain and defend solutions.
  3. Apply and evaluate project management techniques, and have a basic understanding of the formal and informal tools available to manage time, resources, and stakeholders in executing a project.
  4. Develop and practice aspects of successful communication: writing, presenting, and listening. A theoretical foundation provides a method of deep audience analysis; apply that analysis when producing a variety of written genres and when preparing content for formal presentation.

Advising and Careers

Students who have declared the Consulting Certificate will be assigned a School of Business academic advisor and career coach.