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Ranking as #27 on Chief Executive’s 2019 list of Best and Worst States for Business, #33 on the Forbes 2018 list of Best States for Business, and #39 on U.S. News and World Report’s Best States for Business Environment, Montana (MT) is not the best—but also not the worst—state in which to do business. According to Forbes, this average ranking rests on the fact that Montana ranks in the middle of the nation regarding factors like business costs (#26), regulatory environment (#33), and economic climate (#33).
Agriculture is a key industry in the state, with growing industries in app development, financial services, business services, and retail trade. While no Fortune 500 companies have headquarters in Montana, major players in the state include Oracle, Blackmore Sensors, CrossTx, Open Source, Iron Core Labs, Proof Research, LumenAd, OnXmaps, and Foundant Technologies. Montana is currently incentivizing the growth of new markets through tax abatements and tax credits. It’s also making strides in workforce development with trusts for those bringing projects to high-poverty counties, as well as training stipends for those creating jobs in the private sector.
For busy professionals who are interested in connecting to the world of business in Montana, enrolling in an MBA program headquartered in the state can be the first step in the right direction. Online MBA programs provide students with business curricula that must withstand the same scrutiny and uphold the same quality as on-campus counterpart programs. Perfect for the busy professional who cannot relocate for school, or who cannot stop working, online programs offer learners complete choice over the “when” and “where” of their learning. In addition to being flexible and offering the same quality as on-campus counterparts, online programs are often taught by the same professors as those teaching on campus as well.
Keep reading to learn more about the one MBA program currently offered by a university in the state of Montana and the distinguished professors behind the high-quality MBA offerings.
Featured Online MBA Program in Montana
The College of Business at the University of Montana offers students a flexible program designed to help them succeed in the business workplace of the future following graduation. Students enrolled in only program in Montana can choose a general MBA track, or can choose to earn micro-credentials (certificates) in entrepreneurship, entertainment management, or cybersecurity management.
Coursework in the 32-credit-hour program includes organizational behavior, competitive strategy, international business, and strategic management. The online format allows students to log in to live courses while they are being taught on-campus, or students can learn by viewing recordings of those lectures.
GMAT scores are required to apply to the University of Montana online MBA. GMAT waivers are available to those who have an accredited undergraduate degree, five years of professional or military experience, a 3.0 undergraduate GPA or higher, and one of the following: possession of managerial and financial responsibilities, a terminal degree (JD, MD, PhD), or business ownership for five years. Those without an undergraduate background in business may be required to complete five online foundational courses (15 credit-hours) before taking core coursework.
| Location: Missoula, Montana |
| Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) |
| Expected Time to Completion: Two to five years (part-time), One year (full-time) |
| Estimated Tuition: $42,104 for the program (non-resident, two years) |
Hybrid MBA Programs in Montana
Hybrid MBA programs offer a best-of-both-worlds MBA experience whereby students fulfill some degree requirements online and fulfill others through on-campus experiences like courses. Intensives, capstone projects, or residencies.
In the case of the University of Montana, students can choose to make the program hybrid by attending regularly scheduled courses on campus. As the University of Montana offers regularly scheduled MBA coursework in the afternoons and evenings (Monday through Thursday), this may be appealing for students living close to the campus. For those living further away, or for those whose schedules don’t have space for weekday courses, students can also choose to hybridize their program and increase their opportunities for in-person networking by attending courses offered on campus on select weekends.
Professors to Know in Online MBA Programs in Montana
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Michael Braun, PhD, MBA - UMT College of Business
Dr. Michael Braun is a Poe Family Distinguished Fellow in Entrepreneurship, the chair of the management department, and professor of management in the College of Business at the University of Montana, where he teaches strategy, entrepreneurship, and international business.
Dr. Braun’s research focus is the management of family-owned firms, organizational decline and corporate turnaround, and innovation strategies for start-ups and entrepreneurs. His scholarship can be found in peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Business Strategy, the Journal of Family Business Management, the International Journal of Management, and the Journal of Managerial Issues.
Professionally, Dr. Braun has a deep history of project management and leadership, including working as a founding team member of the Nike Academy, founding and directing Family Business Partners, and serving as an advisory board member for Blackstone Launchpad. He earned his master of arts in the business of publishing from New York University, his MBA from the University of Southern California, and his PhD in strategic management from the University of Amherst. Dr. Braun also has two certifications from the NeuroLeadership institute in brain-based conversation skills and results-trained coaching. -
Theresa Floyd, PhD - UMT College of Business
Dr. Theresa Floyd is an assistant professor in the College of Business at the University of Montana, where she leads courses organizational behavior and human resources management. Her research interests include social cognition in business management, social influence in business management, the effects of organizational change on attachment and identification in business management, and how psychological processes within social networks of resource stakeholders influence the attitudes about and outcome of natural resource governance.
Dr. Floyd is a published scholar, with works appearing in the Journal of Applied Psychology, and chapters in books published by Oxford University Press and Emerald Group Publishing, Ltd. Dr. Floyd is an awarded researcher and professor, earning the Gleason Family Fellowship in 2019, and the Outstanding Teaching Award in Management in 2017—both from the University of Montana College of Business. Dr. Floyd earned her master of arts in textile design from Syracuse University and her PhD in business administration from the University of Kentucky.
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Cameron Lawrence, PhD, MBA - UMT College of Business
Dr. Cameron Lawrence is a professor of business at the College of Business at the University of Montana. His research interests include tech-mediated organizational transformation, the management of the IT functions within large organizations, and the application of neo-institutional theory into information systems research.
Dr. Lawrence’s scholarly works appear in peer-reviewed journals including the Journal of Information Technology Theory and Application, the Journal of Information Systems Education, Communications of the Association for Information Systems, and the International Journal of Information, Knowledge & Management. Dr. Lawrence’s professional background includes consulting, start-ups, and real-estate. Currently, Dr Lawrence sits on the board for the Clark Fork Coalition, an organization protecting a watershed in western Montana and northern Idaho. Dr. Lawrence earned his MBA from the University of Montana and his PhD in information systems from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
