March 23-24, 2000

ITEM 106-2707-R0300 Authorization to Offer a Minor of Business Geographics; Montana State University-Billings

THAT: The Board of Regents of Higher Education authorizes Montana State University-Billings to award a Minor in Business Geographics.

EXPLANATION: In requesting authorization to offer a minor in Business Geographics, Montana State University-Billings is responding to a growing need in the business marketplace for people trained in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). This interdisciplinary minor includes courses from Geography, Marketing, and Management Information Systems. The College of Business will administratively house the program.

The proposed minor consists of an interdisciplinary curriculum designed to better prepare graduates for the business environment into which they will be graduating. The minor is intended to primarily service students majoring in Business Administration with emphases in Management Information Systems or Marketing and will serve to enhance their career opportunities in business. Students will be attracted to the program because of the expanded career opportunities and because it is the only business geographics program in this region.

The proposed Business Geographics program is a 20 credit minor. We currently offer all but one of the courses proposed in the curriculum. The cost of developing and delivering the one new course is minimal. Students have sufficient academic resources (library, hardware, software, and databases) currently available at MSU-Billings to complete the minor. The program will use existing facilities, faculty, staff and equipment.

Proposed starting date: Fall 2000

ATTACHMENT: Program Proposal