BYU Strategy

Tracks

Four career tracks to guide your Strategy journey

Strategy students may choose (but are not required) to follow one of four tracks. Each track guides your elective choices, provides a distinct experiential learning opportunity, and connects to likely career outcomes. All majors, regardless of track, complete the same Junior Core. Minors complete a slightly trimmed version of the Junior Core and may also choose to align with a track contingent on the associated courses working for their schedule.

Tracks are meant to help you select electives and understand the career paths a Strategy degree can lead to. You do not need to officially declare a track with the advisement office, and you may switch tracks at any time. However, if you are interested in the Product or Research tracks, it is best to decide soon after admission, as these require specific classes in your first semester to keep the option open.

Strategy Tracks Overview

Management Consulting

Originally known as the Business Analyst track, the Management Consulting track has formed the foundation of BYU's Strategy program since its inception in 2009. Founded by Jeff Dyer, a former Bain & Company consultant and internationally recognized expert in innovation and strategy, the Strategy major was initially designed to prepare BYU students for consulting positions at top-tier firms. While we continue this mission today, the program has expanded to offer multiple tracks that reflect the growing landscape of career opportunities in strategy.

Management consultants are external advisors to organizations that help them solve challenging business problems, improve performance, and implement strategic changes. Consultants bring specialized expertise, objective perspectives, and a structured problem-solving approach when companies are looking for support to address a particular problem effectively.

Despite the disruption AI is causing throughout the economy and the impact of DOGE, demand for management consultants remains high with estimated revenues of ~$400BN annually in the US. In fact, the AI disruption presents new opportunities for management consultants to add value to organizations addressing the effects of AI on their workforce and on their business.

McKinsey, Bain, and BCG (MBB) are the best known global consulting firms, however there is a long list of other excellent firms that you should consider. Because of the notoriety of the MBB firms, they receive an exceptionally high volume of applications, generally only hiring 1% of applicants.

A complete list of leading consulting firms can be found here.

See Example Job Descriptions

Corporate Strategy

The Corporate Strategy track is best for students interested in being internal advisors to senior leadership teams to shape long-term direction, drive growth initiatives, and create sustainable competitive advantages. Corporate strategists operate at the intersection of analysis and execution, translating market insights and organizational capabilities into actionable strategic plans that drive business performance.

Corporate strategy professionals are embedded within organizations as full-time employees, working closely with C-suite executives, business unit leaders, and cross-functional teams to identify opportunities, evaluate strategic options, and guide critical business decisions. Unlike external consultants, corporate strategists develop deep institutional knowledge and maintain long-term accountability for the outcomes of their recommendations.

Corporate strategy roles exist across virtually every industry, from Fortune 500 corporations to high-growth startups. Corporate strategists typically focus on areas such as market analysis, competitive intelligence, merger and acquisition evaluation, new business development, strategic planning, and performance improvement initiatives.

Leading companies known for strong corporate strategy functions include Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase, Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, and many others.

See Example Job Descriptions

Product

Product managers serve as the strategic orchestrators who bridge the gap between customer needs, business objectives, and technical capabilities to bring innovative products and features to market. Often described as “mini-CEOs” of their products, product managers are responsible for defining product vision, prioritizing features, and coordinating cross-functional teams to deliver solutions that create meaningful value for users and drive business growth.

Product managers work as internal leaders within organizations, collaborating closely with engineering, design, marketing, sales, and executive teams. AI is allowing product managers to do more than ever before and be less reliant on engineering and design teams to decide what gets built.

Students who join the Product track complete 1 of 4 experiential learning experiences:

  1. Associate Product Manager (APM) Internship: Students complete a 4-month product focused internship (unpaid) starting Winter of their junior year.
  2. Associate Product Builder (APB) Fellowship: Students build and deliver to market a pre-validated product concept from the Strategy Foundry, starting Winter of their junior year.
  3. Sandbox: Students build and launch a digital product from scratch starting in the summer after their junior year.
  4. Crocker Innovation Fellowship: Students design and build a physical product from scratch starting Winter of their junior year.

Associate Product Manager (APM) Internship

Students complete a 4-month product focused internship (unpaid) starting Winter of their junior year. Students work a minimum of 10 hours per week. Work may be in person or remote depending on the location and preferences of the company. The internship may extend into summer and convert to paid depending on negotiations between the company and the student.

Students interested in being considered should enroll during Fall of their junior year in both:

If your Junior Core schedule conflicts with enrolling in one or both of these courses, you may take STRAT 490R-001: Creating Digital Products with AI as an alternative in order to still be eligible.

Product Management Track Flyer

Associate Product Builder (APB) Fellowship

The Associate Product Builder (APB) Fellowship is an 8-12 month experiential learning experience where students commercialize a pre-validated product concept from BYU's tech transfer office by seeking to earn real revenue, starting Winter of their junior year.

Register Your Interest

Sandbox

Sandbox students spend two semesters working in a small team to build and launch a software tech business from scratch—one of the best experiences those interested in tech entrepreneurship or product management can get in school.

In April of each year students completing Sandbox have the opportunity to pitch what they've built to real investors. Applications are completed during Winter Semester. There are no formal pre-reqs.

Crocker Innovation Fellowship

The Crocker Innovation Fellowship is an interdisciplinary innovation program that runs from January to December each year. Students study and practice principles of innovation in Winter semester, learn through a summer internship, and then study and practice principles of innovation commercialization in the Fall semester. Applications for the 2026 class will open Fall 2025.

Research

The Research track represents the intellectual foundation of strategic thinking, where professionals dedicate themselves to advancing the frontiers of business knowledge through rigorous analysis, original research, and innovative frameworks. This track attracts individuals passionate about deep inquiry and knowledge creation. Some students from this track will go on to pursue PhDs in Strategy or a related field.

Students interested in the Research Track should enroll in the following courses: