Business innovation is not always about creating a new product. Toyota, for example, improved its manufacturing process by finding ways to reduce waste and work more efficiently. Its approach shows how making small changes to everyday operations can help a business improve performance and stay competitive.
Good management has a measurable impact on business results, too. According to the World Management Survey’s 2023 manufacturing report, a one-point increase in a company’s management score is associated with 6% higher productivity. This highlights why business success depends not only on innovation but also on how organisations manage people, allocate resources, and make strategic decisions.
From evaluating investments and interpreting economic trends to improving supply chains and shaping public policy, professionals need advanced expertise to turn insights into practical solutions. Three US universities offer graduate-level opportunities to develop and apply these capabilities to real-world business challenges.
Whether you want to lead teams or turn data into better decisions, the University of North Dakota offers programmes to help you make a meaningful impact in the business world. Source: University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
As businesses increasingly use data to guide decisions and public agencies face pressure to manage resources effectively, professionals today need new skills that keep pace with their changing responsibilities. At the University of North Dakota (UND), the Nistler College of Business and Public Administration offers graduate programmes in business, accounting, applied economics, and public administration that can help you deepen your expertise or pursue a new career direction.
With its affordable online options, you can even continue working while learning and adding incredible value to your career. Programmes here hold the gold standard of accreditations. Nistler College is the first accredited business college in North Dakota. Nistler graduate business programmes are accredited by AACSB International, and the graduate public administration program is accredited by NASPAA.
If you’re aiming for a management role, UND’s Online MBA can help you build the skills to take on greater responsibility. The curriculum covers business analytics and executive management, as well as strategy and financial and economic analysis. Live online classes take place one evening a week, allowing you to pursue an MBA while maintaining your work commitments.
For those interested in public service, the Master of Public Administration (MPA) prepares you for leadership in government and nonprofit organisations. Available online or on campus, the programme covers ethics, human resources management, public budgeting, and public policy. These subjects can prepare you for roles such as public administrator, policy analyst, or nonprofit executive.
If you’re considering a move into accounting, the online Master of Accountancy Fundamentals track offers a foundation for students without an accounting background. The programme builds accounting knowledge that can support you for your CPA exam, subject to applicable licensing requirements.
For professionals who want to leverage data insights, the MS in Applied Economics and Predictive Analytics combines economic perspectives with analytical methods. Available online or on campus, it develops your ability to interpret data and apply economic insights to business decisions.
Explore the Nistler College’s graduate programmes to find a path for your next career move.
The Pennsylvania State University’s Smeal College of Business equips students with the knowledge and skills employers demand through degree and non-degree programmes. Source: The Pennsylvania State University/Facebook
The Pennsylvania State University
What if your next career move started with a year of focused study? Whether you want to enter finance, sharpen your analytical skills, or specialise in accounting, the right graduate degree can help you take that step. At Pennsylvania State University’s Smeal College of Business, one-year residential master’s programmes offer focused training in fields that shape how organisations make decisions and operate.
Based at Penn State’s University Park campus, these programmes allow you to develop expertise in a specific business field. Smeal is accredited by AACSB International, a distinction held by fewer than 6% of business schools worldwide. If you need more flexibility, you can also explore online and hybrid graduate options, including specialist master’s degrees and certificates through Penn State World Campus.
If you want to broaden your management skills, the One-Year MBA can be completed in nine months. The STEM-designated programme includes experiential learning and a global immersion experience, helping you prepare for early-career leadership or a move into greater responsibility.
For a more specialised path, Smeal’s on-campus Master of Accounting builds expertise for students preparing to sit for the CPA exam. If you’re drawn to data-led decision-making, the Master’s in Business Analytics focuses on turning raw data into evidence-based business decisions.
Those interested in financial markets can explore the on-campus Master of Finance. The programme will develop your critical thinking skills in corporate strategy, valuation, market analysis, capital budgeting, and more. Meanwhile, the Master of Real Estate Analysis and Development equips you with skills relevant to property investment and development.
Supply chain operations offer another route. Through the Master of Supply Chain Management, you’ll learn to improve operational efficiency and support strategic decisions across modern supply chains. You can complete this STEM-designated programme in nine months on campus or over two years online.
The University of California San Diego’s STEM-designated business programmes combine hands-on learning with innovation and faculty-led research. Source: University of California San Diego/Facebook
University of California, San Diego
Good business decisions come from looking at the evidence, not intuition alone. At the Rady School of Management, the business school at the University of California (UC) San Diego, you’ll learn to test assumptions with data and apply scientific thinking to business challenges. This approach has helped shape Rady’s reputation. The US News & World Report ranked its full-time, part-time, and executive MBA programmes #1 in San Diego for 2026. The school also has a strong track record in entrepreneurship, with its alumni having founded more than 330 companies.
This focus on evidence and practical problem-solving carries through to Rady’s graduate programmes, which will help you develop skills you can apply in the workplace.
If you want to move into management, the Full-Time MBA helps you build leadership and analytical skills. You’ll study core business subjects and work on projects with companies in the San Diego area. The programme is designed for candidates with three to five years of work experience. For professionals who want to advance their careers without taking a break from work, the FlexEvening MBA offers a part-time option. Classes take place two evenings a week, and the programme takes 24 to 30 months to complete.
If you prefer working with data, the MS in Business Analytics teaches you to use analytics, programming and AI to solve business problems. You’ll put these skills into practice through a team capstone project. Meanwhile, the Master of Quantitative Finance combines financial modelling with data science. This one-year, STEM-designated degree prepares you to use data in investment decisions and risk management.
If accounting is your goal, you can consider the Master of Professional Accountancy. Through this programme, you’ll tackle practical accounting problems and explore areas such as tax, auditing, or finance through electives.
*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International
