The One Year MBA Program at CU Denver offers a Consulting Course as a required component of the program. This course gives students the opportunity to gain real-world experience while they’re in the accelerated MBA program and learn tools that will serve them in whatever career path they pursue.
The Consulting Course is a required course within the lock-step curriculum of the One Year MBA. This experience combines classroom content focused on consulting best practices and frameworks with the opportunity for students to serve as consultants. Students in the course are in term 4 of 5 of their program, so come prepared with a breadth of skills and tools to solve business challenges.
A keystone of this course is the opportunity to work in small groups on real-world projects. These projects are designed to give students a chance to implement the tools they’ve learned throughout the MBA program. We partner with companies to ensure these projects are rigorous and applicable.
Projects are strategic in nature, with a high likelihood of implementation. We are not looking for hypothetical cases, but projects with real impact. Teams of 4-6 students will complete each project with professional deliverables. The MBA cohort is surveyed at the beginning of the program, and we make an effort to provide projects in their industries and areas of interest.
Types of Projects
Each cohort has different interests and areas of expertise. These are the project types that have been most successful in achieving mutual value in the past. More details on the current cohort will be provided throughout the scoping process.
AUGUST - SEPTEMBER
Students complete a brief survey on their industries and areas of interest
NOVEMBER - JANUARY
Scouting and scoping projects
FEBRUARY
- Final confirmation of projects with clients
- All project pitches are due by February 12
- Projects are pitched to the students. Students submit rank-ordered preferences and are assigned to a consulting team.
Holidaily Brewing Co.
Golden, CO
Spring 2020
Holidaily Brewing was growing quickly and needed to implement a more consistent and streamlined onboarding procedures.
A group of four students served as consultants for this initiative. Student consultants interviewed leadership to understand the onboarding needs of each department, and actively immersed themselves in the day-to-day functioning of operations.
The end product was a comprehensive handbook that could be immediately implemented, along with recommendations for six and 12 months out. One highlight of the deliverables was the creation of a Holidaily “Passport” with which new hires could ensure they were trained on each division by receiving “passport stamps” from each. This reflected the culture and spirit of the company, and was met with enthusiasm by the entire leadership team.
Client Insight:
“Holidaily Brewing Company’s experience with the OYMBA Consulting Course was fantastic! The caliber of students in the program led to a quality deliverable that we implemented into our business immediately. I would recommend partnering with this great CU Denver program to any business looking to get a special project done. I felt like we got just as much out of working with the students as they did getting a glimpse into some of the challenges of running a business.”
- Karen Hertz MBA '05, CEO of Holidaily Brewing
Pediatric Allergen Product Development
Golden, CO
Spring 2019
CU Denver accelerated MBA Alum, Brett de Mooy, was in the final stages of developing a product to serve a growing market in the US. His goal was to create a safe and easy way for parents to test for food allergies with babies and toddlers. Student consultants were brought on board to develop a go-to-market strategy for the start-up. Along the way, students uncovered a previously un-found competitor which allowed Mr. de Mooy to quickly pivot his product pitch. The student consultants also worked with local retailers to develop an operations plan and an overall go-to-market budget for pitching.
Student Insight:
“The consulting course was one of the most enriching parts of my graduate experience. It prepared me for my career after the program in a way that no other course could. Most importantly, the skills I learned as a consultant empowered me to become a problem solver in business, both individually and within a team. It taught me to address business problems with a research-based and solution-minded approach, a method that has allowed me to grow in my own career and tackle issues outside of my expertise or comfort zone.”
- Lauren Paul MBA '19
Client Insight:
“Participating in the consulting program with the CU Denver MBA Program has been a rewarding and enjoyable experience. The students have brought fresh perspectives, energy and ideas to multiple projects that I have had the opportunity to bring to them. Cohorts have participated in creating a go-to-market strategy for a potential consumer product as well as conducted market research for a business expansion. Overall, the partnership with the MBA program and students has been a rewarding endeavor that is both enjoyable and a good time investment. “
- Brett de Mooy, CEO and MBA alum
Past Consulting Clients
