The McCoy College of Business at Texas State University offers businesses the opportunity to gain a fresh perspective on old challenges and new ideas by collaborating with a team of Master of Business Administration (MBA) students. The MBA Field Projects allow our students to apply their collective skills and experience to investigate specific business challenges or opportunities, and to work together to develop creative and useful solutions.

Goal for Students

Students will cooperatively work with the client to understand the business and focus on issues of greatest interest or need. They will also conduct practical research to both investigate core issues, generate insight into root causes, and offer creative solutions to help the client solve real problems. 

Client Responsibilities

  • Embrace a willingness to actively work with students to understand your business, the industry, and give constructive guidance throughout the project.
  • Share essential financial, marketing, and operational data and information, as needed. All company data will be treated confidentially.
  • Meet with the students regularly either weekly or biweekly for 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on project phase.
  • Give direct, honest feedback to the students as you would to an employee or consultant.

General Project Outline

Client Inputs (30 days before start)

  • Project objectives and goals
  • Opportunities and challenges
  • Commitment to share data

Discovery and Project Definition (Four week period; weekly calls)

  • Understanding the business
  • Find core issue and create problem statement
  • Define project deliverables

Research and Analysis (8-9 weeks; biweekly calls)

  • Investigate key issues
  • Use data and insight to provide practical solutions
  • Assessing underlying assumptions

Recommendations and Reporting (3-4 weeks; review as needed)

  • Data-driven action recommendations
  • Clear rationale and impact
  • Share cost/benefit analysis

Client Application

The client is asked to provide insights on the business and time preferences on the online application form. The application is open year round; deadline dates are below:

Application deadline for companies to participate in a field project:

Fall - July 1st   
Summer - April 1st   
Spring - December 1st   
 

Project Examples

  • Business Expansion
  • Corporate Strategy
  • Industry Market Analysis
  • Market Penetration
  • Marketing & Operations
  • Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Opportunity Analysis
  • Organizational Exit Strategy
  • Organizational Growth
  • Revenue Generation
     

Past Clients

  • Austin Chamber of Commerce
  • Baylor Scott & White Healthcare
  • City of Cedar Park
  • City of Georgetown
  • Crisis Center of Comal County
  • Mensor
  • NASA
  • New Braunfels Utilities
  • Quality Stone
  • Rodeo Austin
  • Round Rock Chamber
  • Rush Enterprises
  • San Antonio Zoo
  • SioTex
Tim Morrow

“We are more than pleased with the Texas State MBA Field Project partnership. The students were diligent, creative, and productive. We look forward to a long-standing relationship with Texas State and the Field Project program. The program has a positive impact on zoo operations, and we appreciate the students' hard work and passion for our industry."

— TIM MORROW
CEO | Executive Director
San Antonio Zoological Society

MBA Field Projects

CORPORATE, ALUMNI, & PARTNERSHIP MANAGER
Wendi J. Rios
McCoy Hall 110
512.245.2311
mccoyoutreach@txstate.edu