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  • Introduction to Business

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A group of students poses together on outdoor steps, smiling and holding up the USC "Fight On" hand sign.

Become a Summer Trojan and earn college credit.

From your local corner store to the NFL, businesses shape our society. But how do business owners build, manage and grow their companies? This business summer program for high school students unpacks the factors that contribute to an organization’s success — from marketing and operations to finance and leadership. Along the way, students will gain insights into entrepreneurship, business ethics, sustainability and more.

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In this course, you will develop conceptual and practical knowledge of managing a small business and the resources needed to sustain and grow that business.

We’ll get an insider’s look at how entertainment and sports really work in Los Angeles, while connecting with world-leading USC faculty and industry experts who bring real-world business into the classroom. It all builds to a high-energy Capstone Case Competition, where your team will analyze a real company and pitch bold, data-driven solutions.

By the time you leave, you won’t just understand business — you’ll already have an extensive Trojan network of mentors and experts to inspire your next steps.

Five students in professional attire stand in front of a red wall with the USC Marshall School of Business logo, holding up the "Fight On" hand sign.

Topics of Study

  • Accounting and finance
  • Marketing
  • Product design
  • Data analytics
  • Strategy and leadership
  • Ethics, sustainability and corporate social responsibility

Learning Highlights

  • Gain a comprehensive understanding of how business works, from finance and accounting to marketing, leadership, entrepreneurship and innovation
  • Apply data-driven thinking and business analytics to solve problems
  • Learn how companies create value, compete and thrive in today’s markets
  • Build confidence in your teamwork, communication and leadership skills
  • Network with faculty, industry experts and peers
  • Deliver a capstone business analysis and pitch to a real company

Requirements

  • Students must bring their own laptops
  • For the Capstone Case Competition, students are expected to wear professional business attire

I think that the most valuable aspects were the subjects of leadership and marketing because as a student who is not 100 percent sure that I want to pursue business in the future, the skills that I learned from these topics can be applied to any field of work to help me be more successful.

— USC Summer Programs student participant
USC Summer Program Ethics in the 21st Century: Business, Politics & Technology
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