The HPU three-year business degree is a 90-credit baccalaureate designed from the ground up to be fast, flexible, and future-focused.
HPU plans to make history by being the first university in Hawai‘i to offer a three-year undergraduate degree. The new Bachelor of Science in Global Business (BSGB) is a 90-credit baccalaureate designed from the ground up to be fast, flexible, and future-focused. Applications are now open, with the first cohort of Global Business Scholars expected to begin in fall 2026.*
Go to www.hpu.edu/global for additional information and to apply today.
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. With a significant foundation in business and the freedom to explore the world as changemakers, students live with their cohorts in their first year and graduate a full year earlier than their peers, ready to launch careers that span industries and continents.
“What sets HPU’s new Bachelor of Science in Global Business apart from other three-year business degrees in the continental United States is the ability for our students to thrive in an innovative, interdisciplinary program in the Pacific, where students can choose milestone experiences, and also be surrounded by motivated peers who are adventurers and changemakers and be mentored by some of our 56,000 alumni spread around the world,” said HPU Dean of the College of Business Amy Nguyen-Chyung, Ph.D. “HPU’s three-year degree is not simply an alteration of our four-year program, but a completely new and comprehensive curriculum that was designed by HPU in partnership with the Minerva Project, known globally for educational innovation. HPU will enable students to get real-world skills for real-world success and make their mark in the world a year earlier.”
Students begin their journey in downtown Honolulu, immersed in the vibrant business community of Kakaʻako and the business district, with access to mentors and a close-knit student cohort. In their second year, students have the opportunity to take on two internships—both integrated into their semesters, or the second one can take place during spring break. During the summers, students are encouraged to study away or work in locations like Japan, Singapore, China, Europe, or the continental U.S. These transformative experiences are designed to keep students on track to graduate in three years—on time.
The dynamic BSGB curriculum blends business fundamentals with applied, real-world learning. In the first year, students explore topics like globalization, digital information and data science, accounting and strategic finance, applied financial economics, products, customers, and brands and multimodal business communication. As students’ progress, they take courses such as “Technology and the Global Enterprise,” “Market Landscape & Positioning,” “Corporate Finance & Investment Strategies,” “Purpose Driven Innovation and Entrepreneurship,” and “The Art of Selling.” The degree is interspersed with team-based business challenges and concludes with two capstone courses that tie it all together.
“HPU’s Bachelor of Science in Global Business is designed for students who want more than just a degree. They want impact,” said HPU Acting Provost Brenda Jensen, Ph.D. “The program masterfully blends deep academic rigor with immersive, real-world experiences. It’s not just about learning business. It’s about becoming the kind of leader the world needs: adaptable, ethical, and globally minded.”
The unique learning experience is structured around milestone moments that give each phase of the journey meaning and direction. From a cohort-building kickoff grounded in Hawaiian business and culture, to a career-focused midpoint to a reflective, nature-based closing, students grow both personally and professionally. These shared experiences foster confidence, connection, and a strong sense of purpose.
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. Every course is designed to be immersive and immediately relevant. Whether students are pitching ideas, solving international business problems, or leading team efforts, they’re doing the kind of work that translates directly to the real world.
“Culturally, this program is unlike anything else at HPU,” said HPU Dean of the College of Liberal Arts Allison Gough, Ph.D., who has been leading the effort on constructing the general education component, “It blends Hawaiian values with a global perspective, preparing students to navigate international business with cultural awareness and humility. Students get to explore international markets, learn how to lead with empathy, build relationships across cultures, and approach business as a force for good.”
Nguyen-Chyung added that the program also represents a shift in higher education as a whole. “This is not just a faster path to graduation. It’s an intentional, impactful, and global way to learn,” she said. “We expect three-year degrees like this to become more common in the years ahead, and HPU is pioneering the opportunity right here in Hawai‘i.”
Learn more about the HPU College of Business at hpu.edu/cob.
*Pending approval from WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).
