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Academics

Northwestern students may graduate from a variety of majors and minors in pursuit of business careers. Listed below are some of the academic programs that many business-minded students pursue.

Majors

  • Data Science
    • Data Science is a newly emerged program of study for integrated methods used to deal with complex and massive data encountered in every field nowadays. Data science concerns principles and methods applied in a broad array of activities spanning data collection, storage, integration, analysis, inference, reasoning, reporting and ethics. The breadth of these activities defines the interdisciplinary nature of data science programs, which typically entails statistics and computer science in the core curriculum, while embracing other domain sciences.
  • Economics
    • Economics is a social science that deals directly with the allocation of scarce resources.  Economic insights are vital for understanding society, business, policy, and history.
  • Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences (IEMS)
    • Industrial engineering focuses on skills needed to create, design, analyze, and improve the operation of complex systems.  Data-driven decision making is a fundamental aspect of industrial engineering.
  • Learning and Organizational Change (LOC)
    • LOC is the study of using learning as a driver to create and react to change.  These insights are particularly helpful in the fields of organizational development, human capital management, entrepreneurship, non-profit and education administration.
  • Mathematical Methods in the Social Sciences (MMSS)
    • The quantitative modelling skills and teamwork that are the heart of MMSS are as valued in the business world as they are in Finance and Economics Ph.D. programs.

Minors and Certificates

  • Business Institutions
    • Business Institutions is the minor for all Northwestern undergraduates who want to learn about the world of business and the institutions that make it go.
  • Data Science & Engineering
    • The Data Science & Engineering Minor will teach you the skills needed to build reproducible data pipelines that are necessary to support data-driven decision making in modern business applications. You will gain experience with models and techniques used for collecting, cleaning, and analyzing data. You will also learn how to glean insights from data through multiple modern computational tools, as well as the ability to think critically about the construction and implications of analysis and models for such applications. This minor is currently open to McCormick students.
  • The Farley Center Undergraduate Minor in Entrepreneurship
    • The Farley Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation offers an Undergraduate Minor in Entrepreneurship and courses focusing on entrepreneurship and innovation. Farley courses teach students how to think like innovators and use creative problem-solving skills to help turn their ideas into reality, ranging from foundational classes in leadership, accounting, and marketing to experiential, team-based classes in which startup ideas are developed. The minor is open to all undergraduate students at the university.
  • Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC)
    • The IMC Certificate Program prepares students for a career in traditional and/or digital marketing communications.  IMC Certificate alumni are currently working in corporations, agencies, media firms, NGOs and non-profits specializing in communications, advertising, PR, digital marketing and marketing research.
  • Kellogg Certificate Program for Undergraduates (CPU)
    • The CPU prepares student for careers in financial services, consulting, and any field that analyzes data to make decisions.  Students learn about business analytics, strategic models and tools, and business applications from Kellogg MBA faculty.
  • Center for Leadership at Northwestern University
    • The Center for Leadership offers Northwestern students an introductory Leadership Course and a Leadership Certificate.  The Leadership Certificate is a rigorous course of study totaling four units of academic credit. Through this customizable program, students will learn about their leadership strengths and weaknesses, identify gaps in their leadership assets, and receive group and personal coaching.
  • Segal Design Certificate
    • This certificate in engineering design helps undergraduates develop design knowledge and skills that provide a competitive edge in their careers. Culminating in the presentation of a portfolio, the certificate focuses on innovative engineering design in a team-based, cross-disciplinary setting, and includes experience identifying and solving real-world problems for actual clients.

Graduate Level Programs

  • Kellogg Master in Management (MiM)
    • The Master in Management (MiM) program builds upon a STEM, economics, or liberal arts education by adding core business management skills. MiM also offers a pathway for graduates to return to complete the 1 year MBA degree at Kellogg. The test score requirement for the MiM application is waived for Northwestern Students.
  • Kellogg Future Leaders (KFL) Deferred MBA
    • The Kellogg Future Leaders program allows graduating students to apply for deferred enrollment to Kellogg’s Full-Time MBA. Admitted students work for 2-5 years before returning to Evanston to complete their MBA. The test score requirement for the KFL application is waived for Northwestern students.