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Special Practicums & Corporate Responsibility

 
The Graduate School of Management at UC Davis offers a number of hands-on experiences in which students get outside of the classroom to experience and apply material they learned about within the classroom.

INTERNATIONAL STUDY PRACTICUM (IST)

Each year UC Davis MBA students create a live case study of international business that culminates witha two-week study trip abroad. Students collaborate with a faculty advisor to select a country or countries, identify industry sectors to explore, and establish contacts with business executives and agency directors they will meet on the trip. As destinations often occur within developing regions and topics covered include socioeconomic development, environmental sustainability and stewardship, and cultural diversity, the practicum often takes on a strong element of social responsibility. For example, in 2006 the group traveled to Brazil and Argentina, during which time they visited Curitiba - a city renowned for its sustainability efforts. Meanwhile, the 2007 destination was Japan - a country renowned for its progressive approach to energy and environmental responsibility. Read about these Japanese events or view the accompanying pictures.

COMMUNITY CONSULTING PROJECTS (CCG)

Organized by MBA students within the Community Consulting Group student association, these projects provide students with the opportunity to apply the fundamental business skills that they learned in the classroom to real-world problems for real-world organizations. As the clients have strong social and/or environmental missions, the 3-credit projects offer great exposure and experience. Examples of former and/or currently slated client organizations include Pride Industries, California FairPlay, San Francisco SPCA, Mercy Housing California, and the UC Davis Sustainability Advisory Committee.

MBA CONSULTING CENTER PROJECTS

The UC Davis MBA Consulting Center gives teams of our students practical, hands-on experience completing strategic projects in partnership with our client organization’s management. Our MBA student consultants work with field study advisors to address critical management problems for business, government and not-for-profit clients. These projects benefit organizations and give students an opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills to real challenges while earning credit toward their degree. The Consulting Center is directed by Professor Richard Dorf.

Occasionally, projects have a strong social impact and/or environmental sustainability theme. For example, one of the three projects offered during Fall 2007 targets the California Solar Initiative.