Consulting

Career Journeys

Career Journeys - Consulting

Career Path: Consulting

You’ll find Darden graduates at the helm of the world’s top consulting firms. From innovative boutiques to the powerhouse global firms, Darden’s case method curriculum and relationship-driven extracurricular activities position graduates to excel in a variety of consulting paths and careers. Darden alumni know how to tackle ambiguous problems and clearly articulate their points of view to any stakeholder — skills critical for consulting success.

Pie chart 1/5

The Darden MBA Powers Stellar Career Outcomes in Consulting

A significant portion of Darden’s Class of 2023 began post-MBA careers at the world’s top consulting firms — and earned record starting salaries.

Global Consulting Leaders Recognize the Value of the Darden MBA

Top Hiring Companies

46.3
%
of graduates entered careers in consulting
$
190,000
median base salary
$
30,000
median bonus

 

Darden Graduates Launch Consulting Careers Across the U.S. 

Top Locations for Consulting Graduates

Atlanta, GA
Austin, TX
Boston, MA
Charlotte, NC
Chicago, IL

Dallas, TX
Denver, CO
Houston, TX
Los Angeles, CA
New York, NY

 

Meet Your Consulting Career Team

 

Christy Gunville

Christy Gunville

Senior Director of Consulting Careers

Abby Stauffer, Assistant Director for Employer Engagement and Recruiting

Abby Stauffer

Assistant Director of Employer Engagement and Recruiting

 

Pie chart 2/5

Navigate Darden Electives and Coursework That Deliver the Skills You’ll Need to Succeed in Consulting

In your First Year, you’ll gain an invaluable foundation in fundamental business concepts as you build lasting connections with your learning team and section.

Here, we help you navigate what comes next. After the First Year core curriculum, Darden students begin to tailor their experience by selecting from over 100 electives. Students interested in a consulting career may find particular benefit from the courses listed below or via the elective guide below.

Career Elective Guide

Career Elective Guides

  • Problem-Solving

    Are you drawn to solving complex problems in new and innovative ways? You’ll apply intellectual curiosity and superior research skills, and introduce cutting-edge business ideas to address your clients’ biggest challenges. Variety is also the name of this game. No two problems will be exactly the same.

    Course Number Course Title
    8028 Corporate Strategic Leadership: Major Concepts from Strategy Consulting
    8163 Strategic Sourcing
    8171 International Corporate Finance
    8310 Competitive Dynamics
    8758 Strategy in the Digital Age
    8800 Operations Strategy
    8830 Supply Chain Management
  • Logical Thinking and Analysis

    Whether it’s framing the problem, developing hypotheses, planning and conducting analyses, or communicating your recommendations to the client, structure and linear logic in your work are essential for effectively addressing the problem and communicating your solutions with clarity.

    Course Number Course Title
    7603 Valuation in Financial Markets
    7994 Strategic Analysis and Consulting
    8015 Behavioral Decision Making
    8285 Corporate Strategy
    8325 Markets, Government, and Society
    8453 Entrepreneurial Finance and Private Equity
    8465 Management Planning and Control Systems
    8496 Data Science in Business
  • Ideas to Action

    Successful results are defined by your ability to drive impactful and lasting change to the organizations you serve. Defining the right strategy is imperative at the start of a project, but linking the overall strategy with tactical and effective execution is the key to driving lasting outcomes for the clients you serve.

    Course Number Course Title
    7500 Innovation, Design, and Entrepreneurship in Action (IDEA) 
    7611 The Consulting Process
    8400 General Managers Taking Action
    8621 Project Management
  • Leadership

    In order to garner trust with your clients, develop and build outstanding teams, and create lasting change inside an organization, you will need to draw on exceptional leadership skills—and your own unique style that will evolve over time.

    Course Number Course Title
    7619 Paths to Power
    8013 Strategic Corporate Governance
    8019 Defining Moments
    8155 Talent Management
    8274 Leadership When It Really Counts
    8412 People, Purpose, & the Power of Relationships
    8498 Creating and Advancing Big Ideas
    8500 CEO Leadership in the 21st Century
    8619 Leadership, Diversity, and Leveraging Difference
    8706 Leading Teams
  • Presentation and Persuasion

    While “hard skills” such as problem-solving and analysis are critical, it’s equally important that you are able to effectively present your recommendations in a way that is clear, compelling and truly resonates with your client. Adapting your communication style and message to a variety of audiences, and leveraging powers of persuasion are key skills to develop for a consulting career.

    Course Number Course Title
    7600 Data Visualization and Analytics
    7605 Strategic Communication
    8125 Storytelling with Data 
    8320 Leadership Communication During Times of Disruption and Transformation
    8930 Negotiations
  • Creativity and Teamwork

    Problems are complex and often require innovation and extensive collaboration, both with colleagues and clients in order to determine the optimal solution. The “people” side of consulting offers an excellent opportunity to build relationships, network and partner with a variety of individuals to achieve a shared vision and breakthrough results.

    Course Number Course Title
    7618 Effectual Entrepreneurship
    8011 Ambicultural Strategy
    8476 Collaboration Lab

Additional Coursework and Opportunities

  • Earn a Strategy Consulting Concentration

    Strategy Consulting

    This concentration is intended to immerse students in the consulting process and to help them identify and deepen the skill sets necessary for success in that role.

    Faculty contact: Mike Lenox

     

    Concentration Requirements

    A student will be recognized as having this concentration when they have completed 9.0 credit hours from the courses listed below.

    Note: Not all courses may be offered in a given year.

     

    Course Number Course Title Credit Hours
    7603 Valuation in Financial Markets  1.5
    7611 The Consulting Process 1.5
    8011 Ambicultural Strategy 1.5
    8013 Strategic Corporate Governance 1.5
    8014 Strategic Thinking 1.5
    8024 Strategy Execution    1.5
    8030 Challenges in Health Care: A System Overview 1.5
    8033 Digital Marketing 1.5
    8047 Pricing 1.5
    8058 Disruption, Response, and Transformation 1.5
    8067 Managing Innovation   1.5
    8171 International Corporate Finance 1.5
    8305 East-West Strategy Seminar 1.5
    8310 Competitive Dynamics  1.5
    8459 Innovation and Design Experience  3
    8650 Cases in Global Strategy Seminar 1.5
    8697-8699 Darden Consulting Project  3
    8758 Strategy in the Digital Age 1.5
    8800 Operations Strategy  1.5
  • Gain a Global Business Perspective

    Global Consulting Projects

    Global Consulting Projects are MBA electives that give small teams of students the opportunity to provide consulting services to an international company or organization while working closely with a Darden faculty member.

    Consulting Darden Business Projects

    Consulting Darden Business Projects are for-credit projects that provides students with the opportunity to gain real-world consulting experience.

 

Pie chart 3/5

Outside the Classroom, Consulting Opportunities Spark Collaboration and Inspiration and Hone Professional Purpose

Darden’s best-in-class Career Center and wide array of student organizations and research centers provide you the opportunity to learn about yourself and learn from others as you pursue your purpose.

  • Career Preparation

    Through Darden’s Career Center and Alumni Career Services, you’ll gain career guidance from the moment you enroll and for wherever your career takes you after graduation. Here’s what you can expect:

    • Pre-matriculation, First Year and Second Year career education
    • One-on-one, industry-specific coaching
    • Darden-facilitated opportunities for networking, meeting alumni and industry leaders, and interviewing
    • Resume and cover letter reviews
    • Access to advanced analytics and data to craft recruiting marketing materials such as resume, LinkedIn, and more
    • Industry- and employer-specific database for interview prep and salary research
    • Case interview prep
    • Mock interviews
    • Employer case competitions
    • Negotiation skill-building
    • Executives-in-Residence Program
  • Career Clubs and Activities

    Darden Consulting Clubs

    Darden’s Full-time MBA Consulting Club and Executive MBA Consulting Club are student-run organizations that help students gain and share vital insights as they develop invaluable relationships.

    Community Consultants of Darden

    The Community Consultants of Darden is a not-for-profit organization that provides marketing, operational and strategic evaluation and planning services to visionary nonprofits and small businesses in the Charlottesville community.

  • Conferences and Events

    Consulting Conference

    The Consulting Club coordinates the Consulting Conference each fall, which serves as a prime networking opportunity during peak recruiting season. Conference activities typically include a networking dinner, keynote speakers and breakout sessions with top consulting firms.

 

Pie chart 4/5

Get to Know Consulting Leaders Who Will Help During a Darden Career and After Graduation

 

Award-Winning Faculty

Scholars, innovators, disruptors, entrepreneurs, dissenters, thinkers, and, above all doers converge to create an unparalleled education experience.

Consistently recognized as the best in the world, the Darden faculty teaches to the student's benefit while advancing the nature of business itself.

Explore Darden Faculty > 

 

Select Alumni Leaders in Consulting

Darden’s alumni network is united in its commitment to shared professional and personal excellence. Here, you'll join a global network that’s over 18,000 people strong.

Mark S. Bower (MBA ’02)
Partner, Bain & Company

Richard C. Edmunds (MBA ’92)
Principal, Strategy&, PwC

Abby A. Ruiz de Gamboa (MBA ’04)
Principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP

Arpan R. Sheth (MBA ’96)
Senior Partner, Bain & Co. Inc.
Bangalore, Mumbai, United States and Australia

Scott A. Stemberger (MBA ’04) 
Managing Director and Senior Partner, Boston Consulting Group

Hai Ye (MBA ’04)
Partner, McKinsey & Co. 
Hong Kong

 

Pie chart 5/5

There Are Even More Opportunities to Explore

Darden students can go from here, to anywhere. Graduates begin their post-graduation careers in a wide variety of the world’s most in-demand sectors. Explore even more career journeys.