Texas McCombs Academy
McCombs Business Bootcamp
An immersive, weeklong experience equipping future business professionals for success

This intensive, weeklong bootcamp is designed for undergraduate students—primarily juniors and seniors—who are not currently enrolled in the McCombs School of Business. The program is ideal for students from non-business majors who will be transitioning into the world of business

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
  • Business 101: Learn how businesses are structured, how they perform, and how to succeed within an organizational culture
  • Understanding Core Functions: Accounting and Finance principles, including valuation, capital markets, budgeting, and financial reporting
  • Capstone Challenge:  Apply your learnings in a complex online business simulation, making choices to deliver successful outcomes
  • Career Launchpad:  Learn what top employers are looking for in their employees and teams, and prepare yourself to stand out in networking opportunities and interviews
Enroll Now
Class Concentration Date Location Instructors
McCombs Business BootcampTexas McCombs Academy08/18/2025 - 08/22/2025UT Campus, GSB BuildingDavid Quintanilla
John Daly
Gaylen Paulson
Brian Lendecky
Joe Hahn
Brett McKinney
Melissa Murphy
Who Should Attend

This program is for undergraduate students and is open to all majors outside of the McCombs School of Business. 

This bootcamp is perfect for students who are preparing to enter the business world, who are seeking to build their business acumen, financial literacy, professional presence, and career readiness.

Students talking in a classroom
Format & Schedule

Program Dates

Monday, August 18 – Friday, August 22, 2025

run time

8:15am – 5:00pm Daily

Kickoff session starts Monday at 12pm and final session ends Friday at 1pm.

Format

In-person at the UT Austin campus, with lectures, workshops, and interactive interview practice.

materials

PowerPoint slides, curated prep resources, and interview guides.

Cost

The enrollment fee is $2,500 including materials and meals. Travel and lodging are not included.

completion

Participants will earn a certificate of completion and a digital badge.

Program Courses
Principles of Accounting

One aspect of accounting is how all humans who need to make informed and fact-based financial decisions in a world with uncertainty basically have to do accounting. The goal of our accounting sessions is not to train accountants, but to help working professionals realize that the need for accounting is unavoidable as long as someone wants to make informed financial decisions and to show the broad applications of accounting. Topics include:

  • What is the purpose of the Balance Sheet and Income Statement and why are they important?
  • How is the Income Statement related to the Balance Sheet?
  • When is revenue really earned and thus recorded?
  • When are expenses really incurred and thus recorded?
      Foundations of Finance

      This course covers the structure and objective of the firm and the methods that its managers use to evaluate and select value-adding investments.  Through lecture material and interactive examples, you’ll learn how to:

      • Model project cash flows and carry out time value of money calculations
      • Value common sources of capital (stocks and bonds) and understand the implications of capital structure
      • Make investment decisions in a capital budgeting process using metrics such as NPV and IRR
      • Gain practical problem-solving skills with financial models and techniques implemented in Microsoft Excel
      Business 101

      Real-world dilemmas and ethical decision-making frameworks

      This course will equip you to think through challenging situations, come up with your own solution(s) to a given problem, and be able to demonstrate how you got there. You will also be more aware of how our brains are often making decisions for us without being aware that it is happening – and what this can mean for yourself and those around you.

      Succeeding in Organizational Culture

      The workplace is a different culture than school, and to be successful you need to be able to successful working in that culture. In this session we’ll talk about six practical skills that will make you more successful in your jobs, including:

      • How to build and enhance your credibility
      • How to get your best work done—and get credit for it
      • How to build positive work relationships with bosses and peers
      Career Toolkit

      In this course you will receive career preparation, and in the session you will:

      • Identify where you are in the Career Development Framework and choose one next step to take in your career planning
      • Apply best practices for informational interviews by identifying target contacts, drafting outreach messages, and preparing meaningful questions
      • Practice and refine response to the question, “Tell me about yourself,” in a networking or professional setting
          Negotiation Success: For the Job, On the Job

          What if your negotiated agreements could be even 1% better, or 5%, or 10%?  How do experts approach competitive conversations differently?  In this interactive session, we’ll look at some negotiation strategies and practical skills that can help you achieve better outcomes.  We’ll also make applications to the work environment, including job offers, and success within the professional world. 

          Pitchology: Influence at Work

          Whether you’re pitching an idea, leading a meeting, or presenting to a client or team, strong communication skills are essential. Yet, many influence efforts fall flat—not because the ideas aren’t good, but because the messaging doesn’t connect. In this session we’ll explore how to craft and deliver influence messages that are clear, persuasive, and memorable. You will learn how to:

          • Structure your messaging using persuasive formats and storytelling techniques
          • Break down the elements of verbal and non-verbal communication, both in-person and in virtual settings like Zoom
          • Design slides and materials that support—not distract from—your message
          • Build confidence in your communication
              Bootcamp Capstone: Online Business Challenge

              This program includes a business challenge simulation, which allows you to practice key financial analysis tools. The simulation is designed to help you understand how your decisions impact business value and engage in financial discussions with greater confidence. Through the simulation you will learn:

              • Connect day-to-day decisions to key drivers of value
              • Learn how to effectively drive business growth using financial data and metrics
              • Gain conversancy with financial statements
              • Analyze projects through the lens of finances and value creation
                  Instructors
                  John Daly
                  John Daly
                  John Daly
                  Professor, Management; Instructor for 'Succeeding in Organizational Culture' course
                  Brian Lendecky
                  John Daly
                  Brian Lendecky
                  Professor of Instruction Accounting; Instructor for 'Principles of Accounting' Course
                  Melissa Murphy
                  Gaylen Paulson
                  Melissa Murphy
                  Associate Professor of Instruction, Management; Instructor for 'Pitchology: Influence at Work' Course
                  David Quintanilla
                  David Quintanilla
                  Associate Professor of Instruction; Instructor for 'Business 101' Course
                  Joe Hahn
                  Gaylen Paulson
                  Joe Hahn
                  Clinical Professor, Finance; Instructor for 'Foundations of Finance' Course
                  Brett McKinney
                  John Daly
                  Brett McKinney
                  Professor; Instructor for 'Career Toolkit' Course
                  Gaylen Paulson
                  Gaylen Paulson
                  Gaylen Paulson
                  Associate Dean and Director of Texas Executive Education; Instructor for 'Negotiation 101' Course
                  View Program Schedule
                  FAQs
                  Can I attend if I am not a student at the University of Texas?

                  Yes, the McCombs Business Bootcamp is open to any full-time undergraduate student.

                  Is this program in-person or online?

                  This program takes place in-person at UT Austin, at McCombs’ Graduate School of Business (GSB) building from  Monday, August 18 – Friday, August 22, 2025 (the week prior to the start of the Fall semester).

                  How long is the Business Bootcamp?

                  The bootcamp is one week long. The intensive program takes place Monday-Friday, and includes limited pre-work and evening assignments. The schedule is as follows:

                    • Monday: Arrival and kick-off session begins at 12:00pm 
                    • Tuesday-Wednesday:  Class from 8:15am-4:45pm 
                    • Thursday:  Class from 8:15am-4:45pm; 5pm –7pm (team prep for simulation)  
                    • Friday: 8:15am-1:00pm, including closing certificate presentation 
                    Will I earn college credit?

                    No, this program is a non-credit intensive.

                    Will I earn a certificate or a digital badge? 

                    Yes, you will earn a certificate and a digital (LinkedIn) badge upon successful completion of the program.

                    Are there financial support opportunities available? 

                    Discounted admission may be available for a limited number of students. Support is based upon availability and participant need, and requires submission of an application.

                    To Apply for a Support

                    • Register for the program using the Enrollbutton above
                    • Select the Pay Later option at checkout
                    • Complete your enrollment
                    • Download the application here
                    • Submit the application, along with your resume, to execed@mccombs.utexas.edu
                    Texas McCombs Academy
                    This program is part of Texas McCombs Academy, your gateway to gaining essential business skills that will set you apart from the crowd. These boot camps and accelerator programs are designed specifically for undergraduates, and allow you to dive into hands-on learning experiences and tackle real-world business challenges – all while building a strong foundation for your future success.
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