Business Consultant: Job Description and Requirements for Students Considering a Career in Business Consulting
Business consultants work in areas that include marketing, human resources, management and accounting. Consultants help improve companies through assessing weaknesses and recommending solutions. Most business consultants hold a bachelor's degree, but job opportunities may be best for consultants with a master's degree.
Job Description for a Business Consultant
Business consultants provide an analysis of the existing practices of a company and make recommendations for improvements. These professionals frequently specialize in one area of business management, such as human resources. For example, a hospital may hire a healthcare business consultant to help further develop its employee training programs or a distribution center may hire a logistics business consultant to streamline its shipping department.
Duties
Duties for business consultants generally begin with understanding what clients wish to improve or fix. This may include reviewing financial statements, evaluating competitors and analyzing business practices. Once research is complete, business consultants may develop a new business model or prepare recommendations and present them to the client.
Requirements for Becoming a Business Consultant
Consultants typically need a minimum of a bachelor's degree in business management or business administration. Other business-related fields, such as marketing or accounting, may be appropriate for those entering this career. Courses in a business program may include accounting, management principles, financial modeling, business law, marketing and communications.
An advanced degree, such as a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a specialization in consulting, may improve career possibilities and may result in higher starting salaries. Programs typically include courses in strategic management, consulting practices and business development.
Certification
Employers may favor consultants who are certified. The Institute for Management Consultants (IMC U.S.A.) offers the Certified Management Consultant credential to consultants who pass a series of written and oral exams (www.imcusa.org). This certification lasts three years, and it may be renewed by completing academic courses or other requirements set by the IMC U.S.A.
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32 Popular Schools
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must be a high school graduate or have completed GED
School locations:
- Online Learning
Online Programs
- Master
- Bachelor
- Associate
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Non-Degree
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- Executive Graduate Certificate in Business Administration - Acquisition Emphasis
- Jack Welch Undergraduate Certificate in Becoming a Leader
- Jack Welch Undergraduate Certificate in Creating a Winning Strategy
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must be a high school graduate or have completed GED
School locations:
- Online Learning
Online Programs
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Bachelor
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- BBA in General Management
- BBA in General Management - eCommerce
- BBA in General Management - Project Management
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- Associate
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must be 21 years of age or older and have completed some college or 24 years of age or older and a high school graduate for a Bachelor's degree
- Masters degree applicants must have a Bachelors degree
- Doctorate degree applicants must have a Masters degree
School locations:
- Online Learning
Online Programs
- Doctorate
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Master
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- Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) - General Program
- Master of Business Administration - General
- MBA - Project Management
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- Bachelor
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- All programs require applicants to have graduated high school in 2008 or earlier
- Must be 22 years of age or older
School locations:
- Online Learning
Online Programs
- Master
- Bachelor
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must be a high school graduate or have completed GED
School locations:
- Online Learning
Online Programs
- Master
- Bachelor
- Associate
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must be a high school graduate or have completed GED
School locations:
- Online Learning
Online Programs
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Master
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- MBA in Strategic Management
- MBA - Self-Designed
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- MBA - Research Track
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Bachelor
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- BBA in Management
- BBA
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- BBA in Global Business Management
- BBA in Nonprofit Management
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must be a high school graduate or have completed GED
School locations:
- Online Learning
- Alabama (1 campus)
- Arkansas (2)
- Arizona (6)
- California (24)
- Colorado (3)
- Columbia (D.C.) (1)
- Florida (6)
- Georgia (5)
- Hawaii (2)
- Iowa (1)
- Idaho (1)
- Illinois (2)
- Indiana (1)
- Kansas (1)
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana (2)
- Massachusetts (1)
- Maryland (1)
- Michigan (2)
- Minnesota (1)
- Missouri (3)
- Mississippi (1)
- North Carolina (1)
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico (2)
- Nevada (2)
- Ohio (1)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (1)
- Pennsylvania (1)
- Puerto Rico (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- Tennessee (3)
- Texas (9)
- Utah (3)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (1)
- Wisconsin (1)
Online and Classroom-Based Programs
- Doctorate
- Master
- Bachelor
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Associate
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- AA - Foundations of Business
- AA in Business Foundations
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- Non-Degree
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must be a high school graduate or have completed GED
- Currently not accepting applications from Texas residents
School locations:
- Online Learning
Online Programs
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Master
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- Master of Business Administration
- MBA Dual Concentration: Accounting and Business Management
- MBA Dual Concentration: BS Mgmt. & HR
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- MBA Dual Concentration: Business Mgmt & Project Mgmt.
- MBA Dual Concentration: HR & Project Mgmt.
- MBA in Business Management
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- Bachelor
- Associate
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must be a high school graduate or have completed GED
School locations:
- Online Learning
Online Programs
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Master
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- Master of Business Administration
- Master of Business Administration - Leadership
- Master of Business Administration - Multidisciplinary
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- Master of Business Administration - Project Management
- Master of Business Administration - Corporate Innovation
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Bachelor
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- BS in Business Administration - Management
- BS in Management
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- BS in Business Administration
- BS in Management - International Management
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- Associate
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Non-Degree
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- Graduate Certificate - Leadership
- Graduate Certificate - Project Management
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- Graduate Certificate - Corporate Innovation
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must be a high school graduate or have completed GED
School locations:
- Online Learning
Online Programs
- Doctorate
- Master
- Bachelor
