The BSGB is a pioneering 90-credit, three-year undergraduate degree that was designed from the ground up to be fast, flexible, and future-focused.
HPU announced that its Bachelor of Science in Global Business (BSGB) has received formal approval from WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), the University’s regional accreditor. The BSGB is a pioneering 90-credit, three-year undergraduate degree that was designed from the ground up to be fast, flexible, and future-focused.
The WSCUC review committee issued two formal commendations alongside its approval, noting that the “curriculum has been thoughtfully designed and provides evidence of innovation in delivery method and instructional pedagogy,” and “the program has attracted well-qualified faculty with teaching and professional experience.”
The approval makes HPU one of only a select group of national institutions to offer a fully accredited three-year bachelor’s degree in business and is the first program in Hawaiʻi to do so.
“The return on investment of a college degree is not measured in years. It’s measured in outcomes,” said HPU President John Gotanda. “Our global business scholars earn a fully accredited bachelor’s degree in three years, saving an entire year of tuition, housing, and living expenses, all while building the real-world skills employers are actively looking for. This program gives HPU students a clear competitive advantage.”
The cost of a bachelor’s degree has come under increasing scrutiny as tuition, housing, and living expenses continue to climb, fueling a national conversation about whether higher education can deliver the same quality outcomes in less time and at lower cost. The three-year degree joins a growing national movement to reimagine the bachelor’s degree as a smarter, faster, and more affordable pathway to career readiness, and HPU’s BSGB is designed to answer that question directly, without sacrificing rigor or credential quality.
Combining interdisciplinary learning with hands-on experience, the BSGB is housed at HPU’s downtown campus and is designed to be completed in twelve (12) eight (8) week terms. Students are immersed in the vibrant Hawai’i business community, located at the crossroads of the Pacific where east meets west, with access to mentors and a close-knit student cohort.
Completing the degree in three years rather than four translates to meaningful savings in tuition, housing, and living expenses, plus a full year of earlier earnings in the workforce. Those financial benefits are compounded by the program’s intensive focus on internships, applied projects, and competency-based learning, including the opportunity for students to complete two internships as part of the program experience. The degree is a purpose-built, skills-first program structured around what students need to succeed in the modern economy.
Key features include:
- 90-credit, fully accredited curriculum — approved by WSCUC, the same regional accreditor that oversees Stanford, UC Berkeley, and other leading universities
- Three-year completion pathway — saving students one full year of time and cost compared to a traditional four-year degree
- Immersive, applied learning — including real-world case studies, project-based challenges, interdisciplinary seminars, and a culminating two-semester capstone consulting experience
- International internship opportunities — structured immersive experiences that build the global fluency employer’s demand
- Hawaiian values integrated throughout — the curriculum weaves principles of community, stewardship, and cultural awareness into every aspect of global business education
- Flexible learning modalities — designed for today’s students, not yesterday’s classroom
The curriculum covers the full spectrum of modern business competency: market strategy, corporate finance, supply chain and operations, data analytics, business law and ethics, leadership, and entrepreneurial problem-solving, all taught through an interdisciplinary lens and delivered by faculty with both academic credentials and real-world professional experience.
The curriculum also builds what HPU calls “durable skills,” which include critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and ethical leadership, through projects, global simulations, and case challenges.
“The three-year degree movement is gaining serious momentum nationally, and for good reason. Families are demanding greater value and faster returns from a college education,” said HPU Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Jennifer Walsh, Ph.D. “HPU’s Bachelor of Science in Global Business was designed to meet that moment. Earning accreditor recognition from WSCUC validates not just the credential, but the quality and rigor of everything behind it.”
BSGB is designed for motivated, career-oriented students who are ready to engage deeply with their education from day one. Dedicated advising support is built into the program to help students thrive in an accelerated environment, ensuring that “faster” never means “alone.”
HPU is accepting applications for the new BSGB, and prospective students are encouraged to learn more about the program and apply.
For admissions inquiries, contact admissions@hpu.edu.
