logo stampa

Program Structure

During four years at three difference campuses all over the world, students in this program gain a solid foundation in business and economics, rounding out their education through liberal arts courses with an emphasis on writing, science and humanities. Required courses during the first three years focus on a variety of topics according to the country of study and each school’s areas of excellence, first at USC University of California's Marshall School of Business, then at HKUST Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, then at Bocconi. Business and legal courses with regional emphasis help students acquire an in-depth understanding of the nuances of doing business in different global environments.

Expand allCollapse all

First Year: Learning the fundamentals (at USC)

Main topics

  • Accounting
  • Microeconomics
  • Calculus
  • Writing for Business
  • Seminars on soft skills

The first year includes foundational business courses like Microeconomics for Business and Accounting, along with classes designed to build essential business skills like Writing and Critical Reasoning
Students can select from a variety of humanities courses designed to develop analytical and communication skills.

Second Year: Broadening your horizons (at HKUST)

Main topics

  • Finance
  • Business in Asia
  • Chinese communication
  • Organization

During the second year, students will gain professional and technical knowledge while developing a strong entrepreneurial spirit and innovative thinking. Courses will offer unique insights into the way business works in China and Asia and provide an introduction to the Chinese languages.
Other courses such as Business Statistics and Introduction to Information Systems emphasize mathematical and analytical skills. Students will take their first Finance class and develop critical-thinking skills.

Third Year: Consolidating your studies (at Bocconi)

Main topics

  • Finance
  • Marketing
  • Global History
  • Management and Economic Policy in Europe
  • Law
  • Public Management
  • Second foreign language

Courses in the third year will foucs on Corporate Finance, Marketing, and European Economic Policy. Students will examine the fundamentals of Italian civil law within the broader framework of European legal culture, and analyze economic developments in Western nations in Global History. The course in Public Management will explore the complex relations between private businesses and the government bodies for whom they supply products, services and management know-how at the national and local levels.
In additional classes, students will learn about the specifics of doing business in the European Union and build introductory Italian language skills.

Fourth Year: Expanding your curriculum (at your choice)

Main topics

  • 3 electives on specific individual interests and objectives
  • Operations Management
  • Ethics
  • Strategy

The fourth and final year reinforces an integrated view of business with courses in Operations Management, Ethics and Strategy.
Year four allows students to focus on specific interests and objectives, not only in the choice of which school to attend, but also through the selection of 3 elective courses. Furthermore, students can choose to complete an internship as an alternative to one of the electives.


Program requirements are subject to change.


Last modified 09/01/2024 - 07:50:30