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Olin Business School
Washington University in St. Louis | Olin Business School
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Immediate Experience Beyond the MBA Classroom

​Put your learning into practice on critical business issues.

An important facet of the WashU Olin MBA experience is the chance to broaden your perspective and your appreciation for differences in people, approaches, economies, and cultures. Our global-minded approach, coupled with substantial opportunities for hands-on learning, fosters healthier relationships between business and humanity. You’ll gain the confidence to operate beyond your comfort zone as you work on real-world business problems in local, national, and international settings.

These forward-looking experiences give you a holistic business school education, with not only the tools to be business leaders and problem solvers, but the confidence to use them. Knowledge begins in the classroom and flourishes in the real world as you put it to the test. Internships, consulting projects, competitions, and student clubs prepare you to go further. And achieve more. Businesses and employers get behind this concept. So put down your pen and roll up your sleeves.

Knowledge at work

Get ready for real-world, résumé-building experiences. The Center for Experiential Learning (CEL) and Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurial Studies facilitate our hands-on way of learning, organizing innovative learning experiences, and igniting a campus-wide passion for entrepreneurship. More than 50 percent of our graduating MBA students complete a practicum through the CEL.

You and a team of your classmates will take on a project to put what you’ve learned into practice in an area that fits you, your functional interests, and your goals. You’ll go to work helping for-profits, nonprofits, and startups by creating smart solutions to their management challenges. It’s about showing these industry professionals what you can do, proving you have the know-how—and the gumption—to lead.

  • Corporate Consulting
    Our business consulting opportunities offer the ambitious student an inspiring challenge, a way of improving upon their already polished abilities. Apply to one of our CEL Practicum student teams, overseen by an Olin faculty mentor, to provide management consulting for local, national, or international firms. Participate in collaborative projects with industry sponsored by Olin research centers. Network with leading consulting firms and hone your case analysis skills working with our consulting platform.
  • Nonprofit Consulting and Governance
    Help nonprofit organizations run more effectively through short-term consulting assignments and expertise sharing. Serve on the board of a local nonprofit as a full-fledged voting member. You’ll get invaluable lessons in leadership—all while giving back to the community.
  • Global Business
    Get firsthand global business experience with other cultures and economies. Our global summer semester gives every student an around-the-world trip that puts them face-to-face with business in Washington, DC, Barcelona, Shanghai, and St. Louis. You’ll join an internationally diverse student body, exposing you to the perspectives, practices, and teamwork styles from citizens around the world. Our global finance platform connects you with professionals from the financial capitals of North America, Europe, and Asia.
  • Entrepreneurship and Innovation
    Explore your interest in entrepreneurship and innovation. Students routinely have access to hands-on experience with founders, venture capitalists, investors, and CEOs of well-established companies. Our entrepreneurship platform introduces you to all phases of the startup process and lets you network with St. Louis’ nationally recognized startup scene.