Hull’s MBA program receives rankings, changes to its concentrations  

There have been some exciting developments with the James M. Hull College of Business and its Master of Business Administration program.  

In the July/August education issue of James Magazine, the MBA program was ranked in the top 10 in Georgia. The ranking is based on the magazine’s criteria, including whether it’s competitively priced, offers an MBA with a concentration in healthcare management and is a member of Georgia WebMBA.  

For Matt Brocato, MBA, who is coordinator of business programs, making the top-10 list was a shock, but he wasn’t surprised because of how hard the faculty and staff work.  

“There’s a sense of pride, but it’s the whole college,” Brocato said. “Faculty, deans, staff, everybody is involved in making that happen. It’s not just a program manager making that happen, it’s everybody.”  

James Magazine was not the only organization to recognize Hull as The Princeton Review also released its list of Best Business Schools for on-campus MBA programs.  

The Princeton Review’s list is based on 18 factors, including career prospects, classroom experience, academic rigor, professors, campus environment and toughest admissions process.

“These rankings are more than accolades; they are evidence that we are creating meaningful value for our students,” said Teresa Waters, PhD, who is Hull’s interim dean. “We have intentionally built a program that combines academic excellence with practical experience, ensuring our graduates are equipped to make an immediate impact in their organizations and communities.”  

New MBA concentration

Not only is the Hull starting the new school year with the top 10 ranking but starting this fall it will offer the Hull MBA with a concentration in Strategic Innovation and Technology Management (SITM).  

The motivation behind the new concentration was to connect with Fort Gordon because many new captains are O-3 officers and they must do a master’s program, Brocato said. The question became how to get them to Augusta University.  

“Today’s organizations need leaders who can connect strategy, technology, and innovation,” said Waters. “Our MBA-SITM blends a traditional MBA education with specialized preparation in emerging technologies and data-informed leadership, positioning graduates to lead with confidence in an increasingly competitive marketplace.”  

Brocato said the program is ideal for people who like technology and want to go into managerial roles. The classes for this concentration are Technology and Innovation Management, Data Analytics for Strategic Decision Making and Artificial Intelligence and Technology for Business.   

To start, the SITM concentration will mostly be in person with the program specific courses taught in the spring 2027 and summer 2027 semesters, Brocato said.  

Healthcare concentration moves online

The MBA with a concentration in healthcare management will move fully online starting in fall 2026. This move helps the program because many of those enrolled, such as medical and dental students, are dual-degree students, Brocato said.  

“The fact that it’s online helps them because they’re not always in Augusta,” he said. “So, moving it online will help those dental and med students, and we’ll be able to reach more because MCG has campuses all over the state of Georgia. So before only the ones who are on this campus could do it, but now all the campuses can.”  

Another change with the program is that fulltime enrollment can now be done in both the fall and spring semesters.  

“Healthcare is one of the fastest growing and most dynamic sectors of our economy, creating demand for leaders who understand both business strategy and the unique challenges of healthcare organizations,” Waters said. “This new online concentration allows working professionals to develop those skills with the flexibility needed to advance their careers.