Program Content for the Master in Strategy & Consulting

This specialization is part of the Master Degree in Innovation (DSMI)

Master in Strategy & Consulting

Unlock Your Strategic Potential with the Master in Strategy & Consulting In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing business world, the ability to think strategically and lead transformational change is not just an asset—it’s a necessity. The Master in Strategy & Consulting (SCO) specialization is designed to meet this growing demand, equipping you with the academic expertise and hands-on skills to thrive in high-impact strategic roles. This program responds to the increasing need for visionary leaders capable of navigating complex challenges, designing responsible strategies, and driving long-term success for their organizations.

Become a Leader with a Strategic Mindset Our goal is to develop future business leaders who don’t just think strategically—they act strategically. Through a balance of strategy formulation and execution, combined with a focus on both analytical and transformational skills, the specialization empowers graduates to excel in diverse, high-level strategic positions across industries.

A Unique Learning Experience: Theory Meets Practice Built on the foundations of science and experience, the program blends cutting-edge academic knowledge with real-world insights. You’ll learn from renowned professors at emlyon business school, while gaining valuable practical experience through collaborations with industry leaders and C-level executives. This dual approach ensures that our graduates are not only equipped with the latest strategic theories but also ready to apply them in real-world scenarios.

Prepare for Success. Lead the Future. The Master in Strategy & Consulting (SCO) specialization gives you the tools to become a transformative leader, ready to tackle the challenges of the modern business landscape. Join us to sharpen your strategic thinking and drive your career to new heights.

Academic content

Year 1 - First period

📅 September to March
📍 Paris

Core Courses

Intermediate Finance
Marketing for value creation
Statistics for Business
Innovation Business game
Sustainability introduction for future business leaders,
Strategizing complexity,
Operations & Decisions,
Introduction to Research Methodology

Specialization courses

Strategy Due diligence,
Mastering Consulting tools,
Business Intelligence,
Consulting Industry,
Communicating Strategy,
International Business Environment,
Consulting skills development.

Year 1 - Second period

📅 March to May
📍 Abroad

This is an opportunity for you to discover another culture and have courses in a prestigious university outside of France. You will be confronted to a new international business environment where you will learn more about Project Management and complete your technological acculturation.

Year 1 - Optional internship

📅 May to beginning of September
📍 Abroad

The 4 to 6-month internship is a great opportunity to put your academic knowledge to the test and acquire tangible experience within the sector of your choice. The school will give you all the support and tools you need to find the right internship for you.

Year 2 - First period

📅 October to March
📍 Paris

Core course

Innovation and Transforming business,
Research methodology,
Governance, ethics & Sustainability thinking

Specialization courses

The Strategist
Organizational Design
Designing a Strategy
Strategizing and Modelling
Consulting and Ethics
Practicing Consulting : design a proposition
Practicing Consulting : implement a strategy
Leading Transformation
Consulting for Sustainable Future
International Consulting Project
Negotiation and Intercultural Communication
Advanced Strategic Management
The Practice of Consulting

Year 2 - Second period

📅 March to May
📍 Abroad

International Seminar

The international seminar takes place for one week. It is a unique opportunity to engage in insightful conferences and connect with numerous companies. It offers a firsthand understanding of how the economic landscape influences business strategies, while also immersing you in the local culture. (Destination subject to change over years)

International term

Year 2 - Third period

📅 May to December
📍 Abroad

Professional thesis

The Professional Thesis is an analytical work on a topic related to the industry and to the professional experience gained during your internship. This is a great opportunity for you to research a subject which is not only of particular interest, but which has the potential to contribute powerfully to your personal and professional development.

Professional experience - 4 to 6 months

The 4 to 6-month internship is a great opportunity to put your academic knowledge to the test and acquire tangible experience within the industry.

The internship is a great opportunity to put your academic knowledge to the test, and acquire tangible experience within the industry. The school will give you all the support and tools you need to find the right internship for you. Instead of doing an internship, starting directly with your first job can validate this professional experience required to get your degree and graduate from the program.

Welcome to the Master in Strategy & Consulting at emlyon business school!

We are proud to be in charge of this program that aims to train students to become strategists. Given the increasing complexity of the business, political and societal worlds, it is important to train people with a strategic mindset to work for the best strategy consultancies, but also to work on strategy projects that take place within companies, governmental agencies, or NGOs.

Based on our belief that strategy is the art of conducting relevant and effective actions in complex situations, we founded this program on the two pillars of strategy: science and experience. On the one hand, the Master in Strategy & Consulting aims at teaching the cutting-edge knowledge of strategy. For that purpose, we rely on the best professors from emlyon business school.. On the other hand, the Master in Strategy & Consulting sticks to the real world of practices and practitioners to avoid false ideas and misleading methods. Partners and C-level executives who have a long-lived experience of strategy projects intervene in the program and students also have the opportunity to work on practical transformation projects conducted in partnership with organizations.

During the program, our students follow a 4-step learning process: they first learn and apply the strategy diagnosis which represents the "bread and butter" of strategy consultants. Then, they are confronted with the implementation of strategy projects which constitutes the core of the strategist job. Afterwards, they gain an international awareness thanks to an International term and an International Seminar, and learn how to think globally before finally applying this strategy knowledge during their internship.

Thanks to this pedagogy, our ambition for the Master in Strategy & Consulting is to build a global Master specialized in strategy, embracing both sides of formulation and execution. In other words, we aim to train future business leaders to think and act as strategists.

Professor Patrick Besson, PhD HDR / Professor of Strategic Leadership, Program Director

Associate Professor Guillaume Carton, PhD / Associate Professor of Strategy, Program Director

Dedicated software for strategy & consulting

Master in Strategy & Consulting students benefit from the premium version of think-cell, #1 PowerPoint software in consulting. They save 70% of their working time on charts and learn to master data visualization techniques to land their dream job in top-consulting firms and companies.

Assessment

Assessment methods may include case studies, presentations, mock exercises, tests, etc.

The graduation rate for students of the previous MSc in Strategy and Consulting for the 2021-2022 academic year was 83.3% (100% of students taking the exam have graduated).