World-class skiing, hiking and climbing in the Rocky Mountains has made Colorado one of the nation’s largest hubs for the outdoor industry. Whether you want to start your own business or rise in the ranks of companies like The North Face, our unique Outdoor Industry MBA will provide you with a strong business acumen and a competitive edge.
Program Overview
Turn your passion for the outdoors into a business opportunity.
Situated in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, Western Colorado University’s Outdoor Industry MBA is the first of its kind in the United States. The five-year accelerated degree program was created to foster leaders with executive-level skills in one of Colorado’s critical economic engines—the outdoor industry. In the program, you’ll not only acquire a robust business acumen through traditional MBA courses, but you’ll also be immersed in issues specific to the outdoor industry including sustainability, stewardship and global trade.
To customize your educational experience, you can pick from two specialized tracks for either the product or service side of the industry. The Product Concentration track focuses on sustainable development and the Service Concentration track imparts critical resort management skills. Before graduating, you’ll have the opportunity to work with an outdoor company, which will help expand your industry network and could even lead to permanent placement. Through intensive coursework and hands-on opportunities, you’ll be well-prepared to run environmentally-conscious companies in the booming outdoor industry.
An outdoor playground
Outdoor Recreation Industry MBA students have a one-of-a-kind opportunity to live, learn and play in the heart of the Rocky Mountains—one of the nation’s largest hubs for outdoor recreation.
Courses
At Western, course rotations are crafted to encompass a variety of subject fields for a comprehensive education and versatile degree. For required courses and degree plans, visit the official University Catalog. Below is a general overview of courses at Western Colorado University related to this area of study.
| Code | Title | Credits | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MBA 600 | Sustainability Accounting | 3 | View |
| MBA 601 | Managerial Economics | 3 | View |
| MBA 602 | Managerial Finance | 3 | View |
| MBA 603 | Leadership, Ethics, and Organizational Behavior | 3 | View |
| MBA 604 | Business Law for the Outdoor Industry | 3 | View |
| MBA 605 | Competitive Dynamics in the Athletic and Outdoor Industry | 3 | View |
| MBA 606 | Marketing and Brand Strategy in the Outdoor Industry | 3 | View |
| MBA 607 | Strategic MGT Business Models for the Outdoor Industry | 3 | View |
| MBA 608 | Resort and Hospitality Management | 3 | View |
| MBA 609 | Sustainable Outdoor Product Development and Material Sourcing | 3 | View |
| MBA 610 | Supply Chain and Logistics in the Outdoor Industry | 3 | View |
| MBA 611 | TOPICS IN OUTDOOR INDUSTRY | 0 | View |
| MBA 613 | Natural Resource Regulation and Economics | 3 | View |
| MBA 614 | Sales and Customer Experience | 3 | View |
| MBA 615 | Sustainable Finance | 3 | View |
| MBA 691 | Capstone Project | 3 | View |
Careers
Career preparation starts your first year at Western and is the primary focus of every degree.
Visit Career Services in Library 120 or online to discover your interests, define your goals, and land the career of your dreams.
The data below is automatically collected by Burning Glass Technologies, a firm that sources job market data and provides analytics. The statistics illustrate general trends in U.S. careers, but do not precisely represent every job and salary.
Scholarships
Alumni Association Future Alumni Scholarship
The Alumni Association Scholarship is a one-time scholarship of $1,000 and is applicable for the student’s junior or senior year at Western.
Any child or grandchild of an alumni is eligible to receive the Future Alumni Scholarship.
- This is a one-time non-renewable scholarship of $1,000.
- Only one Future Alumni Scholarship will be awarded per academic year.
- GPA must be 3.2 or above (college).
Due date has been extended to April 15 for 2021. An Alumni selection committee, appointed by the Alumni Advisory Board, will review applicants and select awardee by June 1.
Alumni Legacy Scholarship
The Alumni Legacy Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western (incoming freshman or new transfer students are eligible).
Do you have a son or daughter looking at college? Have they considered attending Western? As an alumni, your son, daughter and/or grandchildren are eligible for certain benefits distributed through this scholarship, as follows:
- This is a one-time scholarship of $1,000.
- Nominee must be an incoming freshman or new transfer.
- The cost of orientation is reduced by half (a $45 value).
- The admission application fee is waived (a $30 value).
- GPA must be 2.5 or above (high school or college of transfer).
The applicant must fill out the application form found here (click). Application forms are accepted year-round. If the applicant meets the GPA guidelines, the scholarship will be awarded.
Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship
The Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western. This scholarship is not available to midyear transfers or students beginning in the spring semester.
Are you an alumni or employee of Western and know a prospective (or incoming) student who would be a great fit at Western? A recommendation from alumni and employees can support any new student and provide them a $500 scholarship their first year. (Western employees may not recommend a spouse or dependent receiving tuition benefits).
- Any Western alumni/employee may nominate only one student per academic year to receive the $500 scholarship (distributed $250 per semester).
- The scholarship is good for the first year only and is non-renewable.
- The recommended student must be a full-time undergraduate student, attending Western for the first time.
The applicant must fill out the application form found here. The nominating alumni/employee must fill out the application form and submit the required documents by June 1. The recommended student must meet university admissions acceptance standards and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The Presidential Promise is guaranteed to students who have received a scholarship through the Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) and/or GearUp—and are eligible for a Pell Grant.
For students who meet these criteria, Western will cover the cost of tuition and fees through the combination of federal, state and institutional aid. For more information on the Presidential Promise, visit our scholarships page.
Description
The Western Presidential Honors Scholarships, established by the Jack and Marilyn MacAllister Foundation shall be an elite class of scholarships awarded to Western’s highest achieving and most deserving students, celebrating the ideals of academic excellence and service to the campus and community. Recipients of the Scholarships will be members of the Western Colorado University Honors Program.
There are eight Presidential Honors Scholarships of $2500 each. Each year two new Presidential Honors Scholarships will be awarded to two incoming freshmen.
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) or Central Plains (CP) tuition represents a substantial savings relative to normal, out-of-state tuition. Students eligible for the WUE or CP program will be charged 150% of Western’s total in-state tuition. For 2018-19, total in-state tuition was $8,934. WUE/CP tuition was $13,401. The WUE/CP discount is valued at $4,695.
For more information about the WUE and CP geography-based programs, visit Western’s Tuition Discount Programs Page.
Immediately upon acceptance at Western, every student is considered for a merit scholarship worth between $2,500-$4,500 per year for in-state students and $8,000-$10,000 for out-of-state students. The amount is based on the student’s GPA and ACT/SAT scores. Visit our Net Price Calculator at western.edu/cost to determine whether you qualify for a merit scholarship.
For more information about merit scholarships at Western, visit our scholarships page.
Degree Details
Graduate in just 5 years with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree
- B.A. in Business Administration: A versatile degree that covers all corners of the business world—from marketing and sales to resort management and entrepreneurship.
- B.A. in Environment & Sustainability: A timely and solution-focused degree that prepares students to become industry leaders who promote corporate sustainability.
- B.A. in Recreation & Outdoor Education: A experiential degree focused on familiarizing students with the hands-on aspect of the outdoor industry and helping them learn how to build rapport with a diverse variety of consumers and clients
- Outdoor Industry MBA: A rigorous, online graduate degree with traditional MBA coursework and specialized courses for the product and service side of the outdoor industry.
A booming industry
Students pursuing an MBA in outdoor business administration are the future of an industry that is establishing itself as an economic force.
Get Involved
Expand your community and your network.
There are so many ways that you can maximize your educational experience at Western. Take advantage of these opportunities to advance your career.
- Career Fairs: Connect with future employers during the various career fairs in the School of Business and around Colorado.
- ICELab: The Innovation + Creativity + Entrepreneurship (ICE) Lab on upper campus is a space that provides startups and expanding businesses with the materials and support needed to succeed.
- Office of Career Success: Business students have a department-specific career services professional.
- Study Abroad: Experience Harlaxton College in the English Midlands.
A one-of-a-kind experience
Western’s Outdoor Industry MBA program, the first and only outdoor-focused MBA program in the country, teaches courses in marketing and brand strategy, leadership, bringing socially responsible products to market and understanding and integrating inclusivity in the workplace.
News & Research
Additional Resources
Department Information
School of Business
Dean
Peter Sherman, Ph.D.Dean of School of Business
Executive Assistant
Christina SorensenExecutive Assistant
Graduate Program Coordinator
Jordan L’HeureuxProgram Coordinator, Outdoor Industry MBA
Contact Information
Campus Location
Western Colorado University
Borick Business Building 223
1 Western Way
Gunnison, CO 81231