A unique blend of technology and leadership courses prepares students for an exciting future.
Artificial intelligence is front and center in a concentration at the Daniels College of Business. A cutting-edge AI track allows anyone earning a master’s in management to position themselves as a well-equipped leader for whatever lies ahead.
“When you talk about disruptive technologies, the companies that come to terms with them and reinvent their business models are the ones that generally win,” said Andrew Schnackenberg, an associate professor and director of the Master’s in Management (MSM) program. “We want our graduates to lead the change.”
More and more universities are beginning to offer AI-centric courses and even degrees. The difference at Daniels, Schnackenberg said, is its holistic approach. Daniels is delivering technical knowledge through a partnership with the University of Denver’s Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science. Faculty will take students into the weeds for hands-on lessons in neural networks and backpropagation.
Meanwhile, Daniels business faculty—many of whom have a background or research experience in AI—will connect the dots on how the technology can be applied in a business setting. Students will gain hands-on experience through real-world challenges, in tandem with industry professionals and other stakeholders.
Andrew Schnackenberg
“It should bring a depth of understanding of the technical underbelly of AI, as well as the sort of business, user-friendly, how do I leverage this in my life and career?” Schnackenberg said. “When you’re talking about foundational and fundamental changes to industries, management needs to be involved to think through the implications across the board of your value transformation process. And the companies that fail to do it are simply going to die.”
The new AI concentration was the deciding factor in Aidan Routzon’s search for a graduate program. He has a genuine interest and curiosity about the subject, but also recognizes that the things he learns will help him stand out in the job market.
“All of the business professionals that I have communicated with in the past year have emphasized how increasingly relevant AI has become and is continuing to become in professional settings,” Routzon said. “I am excited to gain unique skills related to AI as they are incredibly desirable across most industries from a hiring perspective.”
The MSM program’s model allows students to dive deep into a concentration while still gaining the business and people skills they need to succeed in any organization. Its unique structure starts with core business classes in marketing, business analytics and finance—an especially strong foundation for those coming from non-business backgrounds. Students then move on to four AI-focused classes and end the program with leadership courses.
Routzon, who will graduate in June 2026, is at the beginning of his AI journey. But he already feels he has a better grasp on how AI influences everyday life and the logic and data it uses to make decisions.
“I am excited about the rest of the program to build on the foundational knowledge that I have gained so far,” he said. “Above all else, I am excited to continue expanding my knowledge on an emerging subject and to be at the forefront of a new cutting edge technology’s implementation in business settings.”
Those who complete the program can expect to be “front-running their careers,” Schnackenberg said. They will be the “idea people,” thinking critically, anticipating, bringing solutions to the table.
“You’re at the front end of a big transition and you’re leveling yourself up in a way that will enable you to really dig into it, make the changes that you want to make, capitalize on the next 20 years,” Schnackenberg said, adding that the skills students gain can be applied to any industry. “If you join the program and pursue this track, be ready for an exciting future.”