Graduate Certificate in Management Consulting at Pennsylvania State University

The graduate certificate in Management Consulting is a 9-credit program that covers key issues, concepts, methodologies, tools, and techniques associated with management consulting. Topics include the professional services industry and industry best practices, engagement management, consulting agreements and contracts, commonly used frameworks and analytical tools, communication tools, as well as a variety of client contexts where advisory services are needed.

• Explain the role of a management consultant, why firms hire management consultants, and how management consultants create value for their clients in a variety of contexts
• Explain the engagement life cycle for a management consulting engagement
• Apply basic secondary and primary research methods and tools in a management consulting context
• Apply commonly used tools and techniques for analysis and solution generation in a management consulting context
• Develop an actionable plan for implementing change within a firm that appropriately incorporates generally accepted concepts and theories related to change management
• Apply commonly used communication related tools and techniques used to enable the success of a management consulting engagement.
• Identify best practice methods used to develop key client deliverables, such as business cases, cost estimations, recommendations, and final reports.
• Relate and integrate consulting engagement management to project, program, and portfolio management and begin to apply them in client settings.
• Pursue an elective area of specialization