Dr. Leigh Tost

Associate Professor

Build a Statement of Purpose

Generate a tailored SOP for Dr. Leigh Tost. Improve your application with a focused, well-structured draft.

Biography

Leigh Tost is an Associate Professor in the Department of Management and Organization at the USC Marshall School of Business. Her research primarily focuses on the psychological and sociological dynamics of power, status, leadership, and legitimacy within organizations. Tost's work has been published in a variety of prestigious academic journals, including the Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Psychological Science, and the Journal of Applied Psychology. She has contributed to discussions in prominent media outlets such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Forbes, and Harvard Business Review, highlighting the implications of her research. Prior to her tenure at USC, she held appointments at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business and the University of Washington's Foster School of Business. Tost completed her Ph.D. in Business Administration at Duke University and has a Master's in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, along with a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology from Harvard College.

Research Interests

Experience

Associate Professor

2017-09-01 — Present

University of Southern California • Los Angeles, CA

Teaching courses in the Department of Management and Organization, focusing on leadership, negotiation, and teams.

Associate Professor

2015-09-01 — 2017-08-31

University of Michigan Ross School of Business • Ann Arbor, MI

Taught and conducted research on organizational behavior and leadership.

Associate Professor

2012-09-01 — 2015-08-31

University of Washington Foster School of Business • Seattle, WA

Focused on management and organizational efficiency through teaching and research.

Courses

GSBA-508 Foundations of Business Success GSBA-532 Leading People, Teams and Organizations

Requirements for University of Southern California

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
TOEFL
Listening
Required:20
Reading
Required:20
Writing
Required:20
Speaking
Required:20
Total
Required:90
IELTS
Listening
Required:6
Reading
Required:6
Writing
Required:6
Speaking
Required:6
Overall
Required:6.5
GRE General
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Math, or Hard Science
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Official transcripts
  • Personal Statement
  • Resume/CV
  • Letters of Recommendation (not required for MS CS, but allowed)
Specialization Notes

GRE is NOT required for Master's applicants for 2025-2026.