Emory Launches Graduate Business Degree for Veterans, Active-Duty Military

A graduate business degree can help boost career prospects and income — and a new program at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School aims to do just that for veterans and active-duty service members.

Emory’s 11-month master in business for veterans program will feature flexible learning options designed specifically for active-duty military, veterans, members of the National Guard, and reserve personnel, school officials announced in a July press release. The program will retain all the core business courses of a master of business administration (MBA), according to the release.

Applications for the program are set to open in August, with classes beginning in May 2024 for its first cohort.

A combination of aid from the GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon benefits, pending approval by the Department of Veterans Affairs, could cover the full cost of tuition for the program, according to the release.

The program is geared toward working professionals and will feature on-campus classes on Friday and Saturday every other weekend.

In addition to featuring MBA core courses, the program will bring a heavy focus to helping military personnel transfer to civilian careers in business and match students with mentors who are also veterans. Students will also receive one-on-one career coaching, hands-on learning opportunities, and exposure to a wide range of potential career paths and industries.

Ken Keen, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general and Goizueta associate dean of leadership development, said in the release that veterans and active-duty service members remain an untapped resource for many leading companies and teams.

Our program gives students a foundation in business knowledge, building off their existing leadership training, and allows them to apply their skills in real-world scenarios with real clients, said Keen, who developed the program alongside Goizueta faculty lead professor JB Kurish.

The program adds to Goizueta’s already lengthy track record of supporting veterans. Matthew Ball, a graduate of the school’s MBA program and former squad leader for the 75th Ranger regiment, highlighted the school’s robust veteran community in the release.

One of the most important aspects and strengths of the Goizueta military and veteran community is how they support one another through their transition, MBA journey, and pursuit of their goals, Keen said in the release. I’m proud to serve Goizueta as we embark on this new initiative and support our troops.

Gareth James, the John H. Harland dean of the Goizueta Business School, noted that the new veteran-focused program is only the latest in a series of developments at the school.

We continue to develop principled and impactful leaders and entrepreneurs, foster innovation for a data and technology driven world, and grow a global presence fueled by local synergies, James said in the release.

This new program will join a strong set of offerings targeted to do just that. We are thankful to our current veteran and active-duty service community for supporting these efforts and serving as advisors along the way.

Other recent expansions and innovations at Goizueta include an expanded master of science in business analytics program that includes a track focused on artificial intelligence, more evening and executive MBA programs that include online formats to better serve working professionals, and three new master’s degree programs: master of analytical finance, master of science in business analytics for working professionals, and a master in management program.

At least 1 million veterans across the U.S. were receiving GI Bill benefits for higher education programs as of 2020, BestColleges previously reported, including active-duty service members and veterans. Students who are veterans are often older, married, and employed, and come from all branches of the military.

Student veterans also face challenges in pursuing their education, BestColleges reported.

Student veterans tend to have higher rates of disabilities: Almost two-thirds of all student veterans stated that they have at least one Veterans Affairs (VA) disability rating in 2020, meaning they had a service-connected condition that has been rated by the VA and made them eligible for monthly compensation. Of these students, roughly 75% reported that their disability affected their educational experience.