Program Overview

Consulting, Certificate

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.

Requirements

Required Courses

• Core:
  • GEN BUS 370: Case Interview Analysis (1 credit)
  • OTM 452: Project Management (3 credits)
• Consulting Foundation (3 credits): Complete one course from the following:
  • M H R 412: Management Consulting
  • M H R 423: Strategic Management
  • OTM 351: Business Process Improvement
• Analytical Thinking (3 credits): Complete one course from the list below.
• Additional Coursework (3 credits): Complete another Consulting Foundation, Analytical Thinking, or Elective Course (listed below).
• Total Credits: 13

Analytical Thinking Course Options

• ACCT I S 640: Foundation in Accounting Analytics (3 credits)
• ACT SCI 655: Health Analytics (3 credits)
• I SY E 412: Fundamentals of Industrial Data Analytics (3 credits)
• I SY E 516: Introduction to Decision Analysis (3 credits)
• I SY E 620: Simulation Modeling and Analysis (3 credits)
• INFO SYS 423: Digital Platform Analytics (3 credits)
• M H R 614: People Analytics (3 credits)
• OTM 453: Operations Analytics (3 credits)
• R M I 660: Risk Analytics and Behavioral Science (3 credits)

Elective Course Options

• INFO SYS 322: Introduction to Databases (3 credits)
• I SY E 313: Engineering Economic Analysis (3 credits)
• I SY E 515: Engineering Management of Continuous Process Improvement (3 credits)
• I SY E 520: Quality Assurance Systems (3 credits)
• I SY E 604: Special Topics in Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management (3 credits)
• M H R 322: Introduction to Entrepreneurship (3 credits)
• M H R 422: Advanced Entrepreneurship (3 credits)
• M H R 401: Leading Teams (3 credits)
• M H R 420: Leading Change in Organizations (3 credits)
• M H R 628: Negotiations (3 credits)
• OTM 351: Business Process Improvement (3 credits)
• OTM/MARKETNG 421: Fundamentals of Supply Chain Management (3 credits)
• OTM/MARKETNG 427: Information Technology in Supply Chains (3 credits)
• OTM 451: Service Operations Management (3 credits)
• R M I 650: Sustainability, Environmental and Social Risk Management (3 credits)
• R M I 655: Risk Financing Techniques (3 credits)
• R M I 670: Cyber Risk & Regulations (3 credits)

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 students 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.