How GGU’s MBA Is Evolving to Meet the Needs of Today’s Professional

Across the country, MBA students are re-evaluating what they want from graduate business education: flexibility, faster time-to-degree, and applied learning that aligns with emerging technologies. Golden Gate University’s revamped MBA reflects those shifts—streamlining our curriculum and expanding specializations to prepare working professionals for an economy shaped by innovation and agility.

Designed with working adults in mind, our MBA program empowers students to customize their degree so that it aligns with their unique career goals and the evolving demands of the global marketplace. We’ve listened to the needs of today’s working professionals and are excited to showcase three program enhancements that make the GGU MBA an ideal choice for aspiring leaders. Together, these updates redefine what an MBA can offer today’s working professional: speed to completion, career-specific depth, and a curriculum aligned with the technologies transforming business.

1. Reduced Program Length: From 42 Units to a Streamlined 36 Units

Working professionals are balancing career growth, family, and education. By reducing the MBA from 42 to 36 units, GGU enables students to complete their degree more quickly—saving both time and tuition—while maintaining the rigor that employers expect.

With our 36-unit MBA, you’ll still learn all of the same essential business leadership skills and dive deep into specialized topics in an intentional, streamlined way. This update to our program provides you with the opportunity to accelerate your career progression and put your newfound knowledge and skills to work sooner, whether you’re making a career pivot or climbing the corporate ladder.

2. Eight Specialized Concentrations, Including a New Focus on Applied AI

Students increasingly want an MBA that reflects the realities of their industry, not a one-size-fits-all approach. GGU now offers eight concentrations so students can tailor their studies to emerging areas of growth.

Among these is our new concentration in Applied AI. This cutting-edge concentration equips future business leaders with the strategic, technical, and ethical foundations to harness artificial intelligence for real-world impact. Students will have the opportunity to explore how AI technologies — such as machine learning, natural language processing, and predictive analytics — can drive innovation across industries, optimize decision-making, and create competitive advantage.

In addition to Applied AI, students can choose from a variety of MBA concentrations, such as Business Analytics, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Management, Marketing, and Public Administration.

3. Six Unique Tracks Within the Management Concentration

The GGU MBA offers even further specialization within its Management Concentration, now featuring six distinct management tracks. This allows for a deeper dive into specific areas of management, enabling you to become a true expert in your chosen field.

We are particularly proud to introduce two new tracks:

• • Healthcare Management Track

As the healthcare sector continues to grow, business leaders with fluency in both patient care systems and organizational management are in high demand. GGU’s new Healthcare Management track, developed with Samuel Merritt University, bridges that gap by integrating real-world casework from hospitals and clinics with GGU’s core business curriculum.

• • Global Supply Chain Management Track

The Global Supply Chain Management track prepares you to lead and innovate in this complex field, diving into topics such as logistics, procurement, operations management, risk assessment, and the strategic use of technology to optimize global supply networks. You’ll be equipped to design and manage world-class supply chain strategies that drive business success around the world.

In addition to these two new tracks, students pursuing a Management concentration can also choose from tracks in global management, IT management, organizational behavior, and project management.

“Employers are telling us they want graduates who can integrate analytics and leadership judgment,” said Theresa Markham, Assistant Program Director for GGU’s MBA program. “These updates ensure that every student leaves with the capacity to lead in environments shaped by technology and change.”