Design Strategy MBA
Overview
Redesign business as usual
Future-forward in San Francisco
Our DMBA program is designed for working professionals and follows a low-residency model. During intensive weekend sessions held on campus, you'll take full advantage of our San Francisco location—one of the world's most dynamic ecosystems for design, technology, and social impact. Collaborate on projects for real-world clients, ranging from global innovators like Google to community-focused startups, and develop creative leadership skills to make change at every scale.
“I didn't want an MBA that taught me how to keep up. I wanted one that helped me move differently, with more clarity, and in a way that felt aligned with where the world is heading.”
Studios & Shops
Put strategy into practice
Prototype your boldest business ideas
Every semester, you’ll move through a pathway of studio courses that turn market insights into products, experiences, and ventures. Alongside a dedicated DMBA studio designed for collaboration and focused strategy work, you’ll have access to the full range of CCA’s fabrication facilities—from laser cutters and hybrid labs to woodshops and darkrooms.
Specialized shops and studios
Bring design strategy to life with cutting-edge tools and traditional craft workshops found almost nowhere else. Experiment with interdisciplinary materials and techniques, including metal fabrication and welding, ceramics, furniture design, model-making, and more.
Faculty
Design strategy leaders
Driving change across industries
DMBA faculty aren’t career academics. They’re professional practitioners leading their fields—from biotech to finance, service design to sustainability ventures. Many hold senior leadership roles or run their own businesses, giving you direct access to the knowledge and methods shaping today’s landscape and how markets, technologies, and cultures intersect.
Justin Lokitz is an entrepreneur, technologist, and co-author of the best-selling books Design a Better Business and Business Model Shifts, who has more than 25 years of experience at companies like Oracle and Autodesk. He has seen how organizations can lose sight of customer needs—and how design methods restore that focus. Today, he draws on his expertise in business models, rapid prototyping, and iterative problem-solving to lead the DMBA, empower students, and build partnerships that deliver real value.
Curriculum
Real work for real clients
Tackle complex challenges every class
Learn exactly how to turn ideas into strategies—and strategies into results. Every semester, the DMBA pairs core business courses with studios across design, business strategy, and social innovation. In applied studios, you’ll analyze markets, prototype solutions, and launch new ventures with real clients like Google X, the City of San Francisco, and purpose-driven startups. With faculty who are active practitioners leading a diverse range of fields, you’re sure to learn what’s relevant to today’s most pressing business challenges.
Choose your competitive edge
As you progress, shape your own path through electives and capstone projects. Focus areas range from circular economy strategy and AI ethics to sustainable business models and leadership for creative organizations. Whether you want to launch a venture, influence corporate sustainability, lead design-driven teams, or something totally new, the DMBA empowers you to tailor your expertise and graduate with a competitive edge in your chosen field.
I learned how to connect the dots between user insights, financial models, and brand strategy. That systems-thinking approach made me indispensable.”
Careers
Hybrid leaders in high demand
Creative strategy for the future
The DMBA prepares you for complex, hybrid roles that few programs can match. You’ll leave with the skills and portfolio to consult on innovation strategy, launch your own venture, or step into leadership at the intersection of design and business. With experience gained from work with real clients and interdisciplinary studios, you’ll graduate with the confidence to navigate uncertainty and drive impact wherever you go.
What's next for DMBA grads?
Our alumni are shaping strategy at Google and Adobe, leading global circular economy initiatives at Autodesk, building brands for Fortune 100 companies, and founding startups recognized by Time and Fast Company. Some move into consulting, others into product or brand leadership, and many launch ventures in fields like biotech, sustainability, and consumer tech.
Success stories
Justin Lokitz (MBA Design Strategy 2014)
Justin Lokitz (MBA Design Strategy 2014)
Delving into the unique blend of design and strategy, the chair of the MBA in Design Strategy (DMBA) program explores the distinct edge a DMBA degree offers.
Jo Marini (MBA Design Strategy 2019)
Jo Marini (MBA Design Strategy 2019)
If you've ever ordered a poke bowl from UberEats, you've benefited from a human-centered approach to design. Learn how this design-based problem-solving process is revolutionizing business creativity.
Isaac Buwembo (MBA Design Strategy 2014)
Isaac Buwembo (MBA Design Strategy 2014)
From the intellectual work of design thinking to the physical work of active making, two alumni carry their CCA education into the world.
Alida Draudt (MBA Design Strategy 2016)
Alida Draudt (MBA Design Strategy 2016)
Eryn Bathke (MFA Design 2021, DMBA 2022) & Amira Selim (DMBA 2022)
Eryn Bathke (MFA Design 2021, DMBA 2022) & Amira Selim (DMBA 2022)
The Women in Leadership team from DMBA and the feminist design collective GRL GRP host a special workshop called “Sewing Connections”
Megan Moyer (MBA Design Strategy 2015)
Megan Moyer (MBA Design Strategy 2015)
News & Events
Grow your network
Meet practitioners turning ideas into impact
Connect with innovators shaping design and business during studio and seminar visits and throughout our semester-long lecture series.