New MBA program at U of S has Indigenous focus

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The list of Aboriginal business education programs offered by the University of Saskatchewan's College of Commerce will soon be expanded, with a new masters of business administration (MBA) in Indigenous management program starting up in September.

Indigenous management is one of five areas of specialization available to students in the college's revamped MBA program. The other areas of study are agribusiness, biotechnology management, health services management, and international business.

"It's a program designed for people who are already managing, or who are looking for a career in management in an Aboriginal organization or an organization that partners and works for Indigenous organizations. Or somebody who wants to become involved in economic development particularly in the First Nations context," said Warren Weir, co-ordinator of the graduate Aboriginal education program at the college.

In addition to general courses, students in the Indigenous management MBA will complete four courses specifically relating to their area of specialization-management of contemporary Aboriginal organizations, contemporary issues in Aboriginal economic/business development, Indigenous economic development, and treaty, self government, land claims and implications for management decision making. Students will also complete a research project in the area of Indigenous management during their final term of study.

In addition to the new areas of specialization, the revised MBA program also lets students complete their masters degree in 12 months rather than the two years required in the past.

The College of Commerce has been offering an MBA program for 25 years, Weir said. However, a review done four years ago showed there was a need for the program to focus on the sectors of the provincial economy where the need for trained business managers is the highest.

"So Indigenous management, agribusiness, biotechnology and health services management became important," said Weir. "And we realized too that we needed to move away from a two-year program to one-year program-because people who're working can't necessarily leave their job for a two-year period-but at the same time, strengthen the program by making it much more holistic and integrate it into the different specializations."

Weir said it is necessary for Indigenous management to be an entire specialization area because of the rapid population growth within the province's Aboriginal community.

"In a couple years, a third to one half of Saskatchewan will be First Nations and Metis, and there is a growing number of Indigenous organizations and businesses, and a growing number of Indigenous students that we need to serve better," he said.

The new MBA in Indigenous management is just the latest Aboriginal business program to be offered by the college. In partnership with the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College (SIFC), the college also offers a certificate in Indigenous business administration program, and students can also access the college's bachelor of commerce program.

For more information about the new MBA in Indigenous management, or to get an application, phone 966-8678, e-mail hanson@commerce.usask.ca, or visit the College of Commerce Web site at www.commerce.usask.ca.