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The strongest graduate business programs don’t just respond to the marketplace—they help students stay ahead of it. By working closely with employers and industry leaders, Leeds continually evolves its programs to equip graduates with the technical expertise and professional skills organizations value most.

The Whole Package

The pressure on graduate business education is real. A “skills-first” mindset is gaining ground, and the ROI of a graduate degree is under the microscope. But Lily Bi, president and CEO of the international Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), is pushing back. “Everything is integrated and holistic,” she said during a visit to Leeds last spring. “Degrees and skills must coexist.”

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��Being nimble and able to execute wins the day. We train our students to be both.��

—Kai Larsen, Professor and Faculty Director of MS Business Analytics

Employers, she noted, consistently seek qualities that technical training alone can’t build—strategy, leadership, communication, emotional intelligence—alongside fluent use of AI and technology.

“It’s important that students have the immediate skills employers want because it gets them their first job, but the day-to-day skills required by industry change all the time,” said Kai Larsen, professor and faculty director of the MS Business Analytics program. “Being nimble and able to execute wins the day. We train our students to be both.”

This approach resonates with the employers Leeds works closely with, who lean toward agility. “I hire more for attitude rather than aptitude,” said Sherry Comes, an AI leader from PwC at Leeds’ AI Industry Roundtable event.

Masters of Industry

Whereas a four-year undergraduate business degree offers a broad business education, a graduate degree has the luxury of honing in.

“Because the MS programs are so specialized, we can shift almost immediately based on what’s happening in industry,” said Kristi Ryujin, associate dean for Graduate Programs. For example, the MS in Business Analytics overhauled its foundational courses this year and added new AI courses to reflect where the field is heading.

“Many of these courses are brand new or completely reinvented—something that was only possible given the distinct backgrounds of our MS program faculty and their up-to-date knowledge on cutting- edge, AI-focused research in business,” explained David Dobolyi, assistant professor and Caruso Faculty Scholar.

“I’ve continuously added new content related to large language models, including both foundational concepts and examples of business applications of LLMs,” added Assistant Professor Liu Liu.

When Ryujin walked employers through the updated curriculum, the response was telling: “They were impressed by how timely it was. It’s a gamechanger for career placement.”

Where They’re At

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��Because the MS programs are so specialized, we can shift almost immediately based on what’s happening in industry.��

—Kristi Ryujin, Associate Dean for Graduate Programs

Leeds’ MS portfolio spans accounting, taxation, finance, business analytics, marketing analytics, supply chain analytics and real estate—each a targeted pathway into a specific field, typically completed in a single year. The MS in Supply Chain Analytics, relaunched in 2024 with AI and machine learning integrated into its core, commands the highest average starting salary in the portfolio. The MS in Accounting posts CPA pass rates averaging 10 points above the national average and the highest in Colorado. In the latest U.S. News graduate specialty rankings, Leeds placed in the top 10–25% nationally across six disciplines with dedicated MS programs.

For those seeking broader leadership and skills development, four MBA formats meet students at their distinct life stages: the Full-Time MBA for early career professionals, the Part-Time MBA (ranked No. 24 nationally) for working professionals, the fast-growing Hybrid MBA for career switchers needing flexibility, and the Executive MBA (ranked in the top 11% nationally) for seasoned leaders averaging 19 years of experience.

Mastering Change

“This isn’t a static challenge. It’s an adaptive one,” Bi noted during her visit, referring to how global demographics, geopolitics and technology are reshaping business education. While the goal of Leeds’ MS and MBA degrees is to give students a foundation they will continue to build upon, the programs are also designed to ensure that students are equipped with the skills they’ll need on day one. Adaptation is what the new model of graduate business education is all about, and Leeds is setting the new standard.