Consulting practice, built into business education.
The foundational QXLconsult pathway enables students to work in teams, apply classroom frameworks, and develop recommendations for organizations facing real business questions.
For students, the value is not only the project itself. It is the repeated practice of listening to a client, defining the problem, analyzing evidence, communicating tradeoffs, and presenting a point of view with confidence.
QXLconsult emphasizes:
- Synthesis and relevant application of classroom theory to meet real-world challenges
- Structured problem-solving and critical thinking challenges
- Effective collaboration, communication, and teaming skills
- Encouraging professional growth and building resilience through exploration and reflection
Signature QXLconsult Experiences
Through QXLconsult, you’ll have several ways to practice real client work, including in-class applied learning, team-based projects through the Questrom Consulting Lab, and case competitions and business challenges. These experiences help you build confidence, sharpen your problem-solving skills, and gain hands-on experience with results-driven projects before you step into your next role.
Client-powered and case-based classroom projects
Questrom Consulting Lab
Case Competitions and Business Challenges
MBA Course MK854 Branding
MBA students worked directly with Recirclable, a reusable takeout container brand serving eco-conscious consumers and restaurants, to develop actionable insights and evidence-based recommendations for a new market strategy.
Master in Management Client-based Modules
MiM students partake in hands-on learning projects every eight weeks with the participation of 30+ companies. Recently, student teams redesigned the Thoracic Cancer Patient Journey for a Major U.S. Hospital System.
MS in Business Analytics Course BA882: Deploying Analytics Pipelines
MSBA students built and deployed real cloud-based analytics workflows. Using astronomer, one team built pipelines ingesting CDC public health data to model and monitor disease trends.
BSBA Course SI469: Real Estate Development
Undergraduate students participated in the Urban Planning Competition in partnership with the Urban Land Institute, where they redesigned more than 11 acres in an inner-city neighborhood. Their proposals balanced the needs of the community, city, and developer while incorporating marketing, environmental, and equity-focused strategies.
Questrom Consulting Lab
Questrom Consulting Lab projects give student teams the opportunity to deepen their expertise by delivering premium, strategic support to industry partners while building the skills, confidence, and client-service mindset needed to drive innovation in the real world, with the guidance of industry seasoned faculty mentors.
Recently, a Questrom Consulting Lab team of MBA students delivered consultation to Blount Fine Foods, a major food manufacturer and supplier and visited their production facilities in Rhode Island. Find more examples and learn more about the Lab below.
Case Competitions and Business Challenges
Case competitions are an integral part of Questrom life. Students across programs join teams to tackle complex business challenges under pressure, building confidence and leadership skills along the way.
Signature Case Competitions
Signature case competitions, such as our world-class Susilo Business + Ethics Case Competition, are the first of their kind.
Internal Case Competitions
Internal case competitions, like the Sports Business case competition, are led in part by student organization leaders.
BU Wide Case Competitions
Boston University schools collaborate for cross-discipline challenges, such as the Healthcare Case Competition.
External Case Competitions
Teams that participate in major external competitions, like the Cornell Stock Pitch Competition, receive faculty mentorship.
What Student Consultants Say
Students and recent graduates across degree programs consistently credit consulting opportunities as some of the most impactful moments of their time at Questrom School of Business. These consulting partnerships, challenges, cases, and competitions empower graduates to feel prepared as they take the next step in their career.
“Leading a full consulting workstream pushed me to refine my leadership style, navigate ambiguity, and proactively ask and answer the right questions before the client did, anticipating needs and driving clarity. This has been one of the most meaningful parts of my MBA experience.”
Hungry for Consulting Experience?
Learn more about all the ways students gain consulting experience through QXLconsult.