Program Overview

Introduction to the MBA in American Indian Entrepreneurship Program

The MBA in American Indian Entrepreneurship (MBA-AIE) program at Gonzaga University was established in 2001 with the generous help of the Johnson Scholarship Foundation. The program aims to prepare leaders to effectively manage and support sustainable business on American Indian reservations.

Program Details

• The program is a 2-year, lock-step model, comprising a total of 35 credit hours.
• Each new cohort begins in the summer with a three-week session at Gonzaga University, with on-campus housing provided for students.
• The remaining three weeks of the summer term are taught via distance learning, including online, videos, and special projects.
• Fall and spring semesters include three to five day on-campus visits and distance learning.

Program Costs and Scholarships

• Graduate tuition at Gonzaga is $1,265 per credit.
• Students in the MBA-AIE program receive a 50% tuition discount, bringing the total cost for all 35 credits to approximately $22,138.
• Summer housing for the three-week summer sessions is covered in full.
• Hotel expenses for fall and spring on-campus visits are covered in full.
• Travel expenses to campus are reimbursed at a rate of 50% up to $500/semester.
• Books are included.

Curriculum

The curriculum for the MBA-AIE program is as follows:

• Year 1 - Summer:
  • MBUS 560T Accounting Analysis - 3 credits
  • MBUS 614 Business Ethics - 2 credits
  • MBUS 618 Tribal Seminar 1 - 1 credit
• Year 1 Fall:
  • MBUS 520 Financial Management - 2 credits
  • MBUS 628 Managerial Accounting - 2 credits
  • MBUS 647 Entrepreneurship - 1 credit
  • MBUS 672 Decision Making for Managers - 1 credit
• Year 1 Spring:
  • MBUS 624 Finance Theory & Practice - 2 credits
  • MBUS 625 Operations Theory & Practice - 2 credits
  • MBUS 615 Small Business Marketing - 3 credits
• Year 2 Summer:
  • MBUS 610 Economic Analysis - 2 credits
  • MBUS 699 Study Abroad Trip: Operations & Tribal Leadership - 2 credits
• Year 2 Fall:
  • MBUS 612 Managing People and Performance - 2 credits
  • MBUS 683 Doing Business in Indian Country; Legal Environment - 2 credits
  • MBUS 619 Tribal Seminar 2 - 1 credit
  • Elective - 1 credit
• Year 2 Spring:
  • MBUS 616 Tribal Strategic Management - 2 credits
  • MBUS 626 Information Systems Theory & Practice - 2 credits
  • Electives - 2 credits

Student Learning Outcomes

The MBA-AIE program has the following learning goals:

Strategic Thinking

• Position organizations in chosen market areas, compete successfully, and satisfy stakeholders with the objective of achieving superior organizational performance.
• Articulate a vision and set prioritized strategic objectives.
• Formulate business strategies utilizing understanding of the key functional areas of business.

Ethics and Social Responsibility

• Champion ethical and socially responsible decision making for the common good.
• Recognize ethical issues and demonstrate the skills necessary to make informed, ethical decisions in complex, conflicting or ambiguous environments or situations.

Tribal Entrepreneurship and Leadership

• Demonstrate entrepreneurship and leadership skills.
• Develop a successful small business marketing plan by articulating customer audiences, key messaging and positioning, and activation through marketing and advertising channels.
• Apply leadership paradigms to proposed community change initiatives, taking community context and organizational communication into consideration.

Effective Communication

• Demonstrate the ability to communicate ideas effectively and efficiently in a variety of business settings.

Global Perspective

• Appreciate and understand the variety of external factors that affect business decision making and organizational life.
• Evaluate and integrate economic, political, technological, environmental and societal issues into decision making and show competencies required to effect changes in their communities.

Community and Economic Impact

• Bring meaningful, sustainable, and intentional change to their communities, creating economic opportunities for themselves and for others.