USC Launches MBA Course Analyzing Beyoncé’s Business Empire
Students will examine the pop star's strategic brand management and entrepreneurial ventures.
1Academic Focus on Stardom
The USC Marshall School of Business is launching a new MBA course titled The Business of Beyoncé. Starting in January, the class explores how the artist transformed her global fame into a multimillion-dollar empire. The curriculum aims to prepare students for professional careers in entertainment management, branding, and strategic marketing.
2Curriculum and Assignments
The 16-week course features a unique assignment called the BeyEssay, requiring students to analyze her diverse ventures. Beyond music, the syllabus covers her hair-care line Cécred, SirDavis whiskey, and various entertainment projects. Students must also draft a professional business guidance document as if advising the star directly on her strategy.
3Expanding Case Study Scope
Professor Shaun Harper designed the course to address long-standing complaints that business school case studies focus too heavily on white male entrepreneurs. The class will also examine broader industry themes, including the history of girl groups, Black artists in music, and the evolution of child performers into adult business leaders.
4Financing and Brand Strategy
The course highlights Beyoncé's approach to capital, specifically her decision to self-fund the Cécred brand after investors pushed for marketing over research. Students will analyze how she maintains a guarded public persona as a form of brand management, a tactic previously scrutinized in a 2014 Harvard Business School case study.
5Historical Industry Context
Weekly topics place Beyoncé within a wider historical framework of music industry evolution. Readings include the impact of the Motown label on Black artists and the career trajectories of figures like Janet Jackson. The course also explores the business models of groups like the Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, and the Pussycat Dolls.
6Student Perspectives and Goals
Enrolled students, such as Kendall Ferguson and Maddie Gissler, seek to apply these lessons to future roles in retail and entertainment marketing. Many participants are drawn to the course because it offers a rare opportunity to study a Black businesswoman through the lens of a professor who shares their cultural background.
7Celebrity-Led Academic Trends
This course joins a growing list of celebrity-themed academic offerings at universities nationwide. Previous examples include courses on Tupac Shakur at UC Berkeley, Lady Gaga at the University of South Carolina, and Taylor Swift at Harvard. USC also hosts leadership courses featuring former football coach Pete Carroll and music curation by Solange Knowles.
8Unmatched Work Ethic
Professor Harper emphasizes that the course is not merely a fan-based discussion but a rigorous examination of professional discipline. He notes that Beyoncé reviews concert footage frame by frame, similar to a football coach analyzing game tape. This relentless work ethic remains a central pillar of her sustained commercial success.