Elevate Your Expertise with a Graduate Business Degree

Key Takeaways

• Leavey School of Business is located in the heart of Silicon Valley, providing unmatched access to over 7,000 companies and startups.
• The School offers a portfolio of flexible graduate programs, including the nationally ranked Evening MBA and Executive MBA, as well as specialized MS degrees.
• Leavey’s approach uniquely blends cutting-edge business practices with an ethical foundation, helping you become an ethical leader who drives meaningful impact.
• You’ll benefit from a strong connection to industry through faculty and a focus on forward-looking topics like AI and sustainable business.

Are you a working professional looking to make the next big leap in your career? In the competitive, fast-paced world of Silicon Valley—the global hub of innovation—a standard resume often isn't enough to stand out. Gaining new, specialized skills and a professional network is key to advancing your career or successfully navigating a career transition. For many, the answer lies in a graduate business degree.

Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business, strategically positioned in the San Francisco Bay Area, is dedicated to helping professionals like you thrive in a competitive market. Whether you’re aiming for the C-suite, launching a startup, or pivoting into a specialized field like Business Analytics or Sports Business, our programs are designed to meet you where you are and propel you forward.

This comprehensive overview will explore how a graduate degree from Leavey—rooted in Jesuit values and shaped by the innovative spirit of Silicon Valley—can be the catalyst for your professional future.

The Leavey School of Business: Silicon Valley’s Business School

Leavey’s location is not just a geographical distinction; it’s a foundational element of your educational experience.

Unmatched Access and Network in the Innovation Hub

Silicon Valley serves as your extended classroom, offering unmatched access to a vibrant ecosystem of over 7,000 technology firms and startups. Instead of learning about innovation from a distance, students work on live projects with companies in cloud computing, fintech, med-tech, and AI-driven startups. Guest speakers routinely include founders, product leaders, and analysts who are shaping the region's next wave of growth.

• Real-World Application: Our curriculum is constantly being updated to reflect the rapid changes and cutting-edge business practices currently shaping the tech industry and beyond.
• Industry-Connected Faculty: You’ll learn from globally recognized teaching scholars who are actively published in top journals and maintain deep connections to industry. Their expertise brings real-time insights into the classroom, far beyond what you might find in a traditional academic setting.

This strong Silicon Valley connection is highlighted through employer partnerships, guest speakers, and project work. You gain immediate access to the leaders and companies driving the global economy.

Educating Ethical Leaders

For over 100 years, the Leavey School of Business has shaped ethical leaders who drive meaningful impact. This emphasis on values and ethics is a core component of your education, which is crucial for modern business leadership.

Choosing Your Path: MBA vs. Specialized MS Programs

Leavey offers a wide portfolio of renowned graduate-level programs, both in-person and online. If you’re an early- to mid-career professional seeking advancement or transition, you will likely be deciding between an MBA and a specialized Master of Science (MS) degree. The right choice depends on your career stage and specific professional goals.

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

• Evening MBA: Designed for working professionals, this program delivers a broad, general management education without interrupting your career. Evening and weekend classes allow you to study while continuing to work full-time, covering all core business areas—finance, marketing, operations, and strategy—to prepare you for senior leadership roles.
• Executive MBA (EMBA): Tailored for experienced executives, the EMBA emphasizes strategic leadership, global business challenges, and driving organizational change. Participants gain a collaborative peer network and the high-level framework needed to advance to C-suite positions.
• Online MBA: Recognized by Poets&Quants as one of the top online MBA programs, Leavey’s Online MBA combines innovation, collaboration, and integrity. Complete the Silicon Valley-focused curriculum on your schedule, from wherever you are.

Specialized Master of Science (MS) Programs

For those seeking to pivot into or advance significantly within a specific, high-demand field, a specialized MS degree provides the deep, technical expertise required. These programs focus on elevating your expertise in a focused area, often at a faster pace than an MBA.

• MS in Business Analytics (MSBA): This program provides the data science and analytical skills needed to translate complex data into strategic business decisions.
• MS in Finance and Analytics (MSFA): Combining financial theory with analytical techniques, this degree prepares you for specialized roles in complex financial markets, often leveraging new technologies.
• MS in Information Systems (MSIS): This degree focuses on the strategic deployment and management of technology, a critical skill set in the tech-centric economy.
• MS in Marketing (MSM): Focusing on modern marketing strategies, digital platforms, and consumer behavior, this program prepares you to develop powerful brand strategies and master data-driven campaigns.
• MS in Sports Business (MSSB): This newly launched program applies cutting-edge business principles to the rapidly evolving global sports industry.

Flexibility: Making Education Work for You

A major concern for graduate students is program flexibility. The Evening MBA, EMBA, and MS programs offer evening, weekend, and hybrid schedules to accommodate those balancing studies with a full-time job. We use a practical, accommodating approach to ensure your education fits your life.

ROI: Career Outcomes and Impact

Choosing to pursue graduate study isn’t a small decision. It requires time, money, and a willingness to rethink how you work and lead. But for many of our students, that challenge is what unlocks the next stage of their career.

Tangible Career Advancement

A Leavey degree provides the credibility and network necessary to open new doors. Our programs are designed to help you advance your career in a competitive market.

• Immediate Impact: Graduates frequently experience immediate salary impact and upward professional mobility, whether they are seeking advancement within their current organization or a successful career transition.
• Proven Results: We’re proud to share our alumni success and employment outcome reports, sharing the career progression achieved by our graduates in Silicon Valley and beyond.

A Foundation for Ethical Leadership

Beyond financial metrics, Leavey emphasizes a values-driven education. Rooted in the 450-year Jesuit tradition, our programs educate ethical leaders who understand that business success and meaningful social impact are not mutually exclusive. This focus on values and ethics, including sustainability, prepares you to make thoughtful, socially conscious decisions in your roles as leaders—a quality increasingly sought after by top employers.

See the Path Forward

The impact of a Leavey degree is best understood through the achievements of our alumni and the real-world expertise of our faculty. You will see clear, tangible paths for career progression created by current students and successful graduates in your chosen field.

Forward-Looking Curriculum: Preparing You for What’s Next

The rapid pace of change in Silicon Valley demands a constantly evolving curriculum. We ensure our curriculum stays ahead of industry trends so you graduate prepared for the future of business.

Embracing the Future of Business: AI and Analytics

One of the most critical topics of conversation at Leavey is Artificial Intelligence (AI). We’re actively engaged with this transformation to ensure your degree remains relevant.

• Ethical Consideration: We address the technological, business, and ethical considerations surrounding AI, reflecting its integration into business practice and faculty research.
• Faculty Research: Leavey faculty are conducting research surrounding AI—from the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare to how AI is transforming business operations.
• Program Focus: Strong emphasis on data across all our programs—particularly in the MSBA and the new undergraduate major in Business Analytics—demonstrates our commitment to equipping students with skills at the intersection of technology and business strategy.

Your Next Step: Getting Started

The journey to elevating your expertise begins with taking an actionable next step. We’ve covered the power of our Silicon Valley location, the flexibility of our programs, and the critical ROI for career advancement.

If you are a professional ready to make a significant move in your career, we encourage you to explore the specifics of our programs.

Admissions and Contact

Our admissions team is here to support you every step of the way. We look forward to helping you achieve your career goals.

• Connect with Experts: We can help make introductions to faculty directors, admissions staff, and student ambassadors to answer your questions and provide clarity.
• Explore Program Details: Visit our website to review the full details, schedules, and application requirements for the program that aligns with your goals.

If you’re thinking about where you want your career to be—and what kind of leader you want to become—a conversation with our team can help you map that path. Explore the programs, meet our students, and see whether Leavey is the environment where you’ll grow next.