Skip to Main Content
A ROMP employee gives a tour of the ROMP Skis showroom.

Discover your future in the outdoor industry.

Take your passion for the outdoors to new heights with Western Colorado University’s Outdoor Industry MBA. Whether you’re ready to pursue the full master’s degree or prefer to start with one of our standalone certificates, our flexible program is designed to fit your goals. Through a dynamic curriculum that blends business fundamentals with industry-specific insights, you’ll develop the skills and expertise needed to lead, innovate, and thrive in this fast-growing field—all while balancing your education with your professional and personal life.

Focus Your MBA to Match Your Passion

In the Outdoor Industry MBA, you can tailor your experience by choosing a focus area that aligns with your career goals. Whether you're drawn to innovation or experience delivery, you’ll build the expertise to lead in your chosen path.

More About Product
Professor Dave Erbe points his ski pole uphill in front of his backcountry skiing class. Mount Crested Butte is seen in the background.

Product Concentration

This pathway prepares you to lead the development of innovative and sustainable products from concept to market. You’ll gain the strategic thinking and practical skills to manage product lifecycles, align innovation with consumer needs, and make informed decisions that drive growth in a competitive landscape.

More About Product
More About Service
An EPIC Mentor gives her advice to his student

Service Concentration

This pathway equips you to design and deliver exceptional customer experiences that build loyalty and brand value. You’ll develop a deep understanding of how to lead service-driven teams, create meaningful connections with customers, and navigate the evolving demands of experience-based industries.

More About Service

Areas of Study

Admissions, Cost & Requirements

Admissions
Tuition & Costs
Program Requirements

Outdoor Industry MBA Application Requirements

All admission requirements to the MBA Program will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis with respect to work experience, including managerial experience and leadership roles.

  • BA or BS degree in Business or related program from a regionally accredited college or university.
  • Prospective students with a BA or BS in an unrelated area may be provisionally admitted. Provisionally admitted students with this requirement must earn a B- in the fall semester pre-term course MBA 690: MBA Essentials prior to classes starting.
  • Prospective students with a degree in a related area may be provisionally admitted. Provisionally admitted students with this requirement must earn a B- in the fall semester pre-term course MBA 690: MBA Essentials prior to classes starting:
  • Intro to Financial Accounting (lower or upper division)
  • Statistics (lower or upper division)
  • Microeconomics (lower or upper division)
  • Macroeconomics (lower or upper division)
  • Business Finance (upper division)
  • Principles of Marketing (lower or upper division)
  • Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is desirable. Official transcript required.1
  • Greater than three years of outdoor industry work experience.2

1 Those candidates with significant work experience with less than the minimum GPA will be considered.

2 Candidates with less than three years of outdoor industry experience will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Provisional Admission: If an applicant applies without all of the requirements listed above, they will be reviewed for provisional admission. Students who enter the program with prerequisite deficiencies can make up those deficiencies during the fall semester pre-term prior to their first year. In that case, MBA students will enroll in the required MBA 690 course once accepted to the program. These students will be considered “provisional admits” (this status will be removed once a student has completed the prerequisite).

International Students: See Graduate Academic Catalog section, Criteria for International Admission.

Application Deadlines and Requirements

  • Application Priority Deadlines: February 1, May 1, November 1
  • Applications received after the priority deadlines will be reviewed ongoing
  • Enrollment Deposit Deadlines: March 1 (for early applicants), July 1 for all rolling admissions

*GRE/GMAT/GMAC are NOT required for our program.

All admission requirements to the MBA Program will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Ideal applicants will have:

  • More than three years of work experience
  • Applicants with significant work experience and less than the minimum GPA will be considered
  • Those with less than three years of work experience will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis
  • A bachelor’s degree in business-related studies is preferred. Applicants with other academic background will be considered on a case-by-case basis
  • A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is desirable
  • Demonstrated preparations for graduate-level courses in business

Provisional Admission: If an applicant applies without all of the requirements listed above, they may be reviewed for provisional acceptance. Students who enter the program without an academic business background must complete the 3-credit MBA 690: MBA Essentials course before the regular OIMBA fall semester begins. Course registration information is provided upon admission to the program.

Outdoor Industry MBA Tuition & Fees

Period Credits Required Tuition Per Credit Fees Per Credit* Flat Fees** Total Tuition & Fees
Year 1: Fall 9 $1,110.00 $73.40 $50.00 $10,700.60
Year 1: Spring 9 $1,110.00 $73.40 $10,650.60
Year 2: Fall 9 $1,110.00 $73.40 $10,650.60
Year 2: Spring 9 $1,110.00 $73.40 $10,650.60
Program Total 36 $42,652.40

*Mandatory graduate students fees per credit hour
$3.90 IT Services Fee
$63.00 Graduate Operations Fee
$6.50 Library Fee

**Mandatory graduate students flat fees
Flat Fee: $50 one-time new student Matriculation Fee

 

Master of Business Administration

A master’s degree is an advanced qualification earned after completing a bachelor’s degree. It focuses on a specific area of study and provides specialized knowledge and skills. This differs from a concentration, which is a more focused area within the master’s program. Your concentration determines the specialized courses you take, shaping your expertise in a particular field. To complete a master’s degree, students must fulfill core coursework, elective requirements, and often a final project, thesis, or practicum.

How to Apply

We are so excited about your interest in the Outdoor Industry MBA program! Before submitting the application, please review the requirements and deadlines.

"I joined this program to support veterans in need using wilderness therapy to build a personal relationship with the outdoors. My goal is to start a new organization or work with an existing one within my local community for this effort."

Patrick Klein

OIMBA Candidate
Patrick Klein

Scholarships & Financial Aid

Faculty & Staff

Outdoor Industry Master of Business Administration

Contact Information

Contact Location

1 Western Way
Borick Business Building 252
Gunnison, CO 81231

Mountain Graphic