Business Administration

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Hands-On Business Education for Real-World Impact

With degree options from associate to bachelor to MBA, your education will be as focused as your professional plans. Entrepreneurship, strategic leadership, finance, and health services administration – we cover important ground given the needs of our state and the world. No matter where you start, you’ll grow your knowledge as well as your prospects for success.

Pathways

Business Administration

CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS

Alaska Pacific University offers four specialized academic certificates designed to build skills in leadership, management, and investment. The options include:

  • Alaska Rural Management (Undergraduate Level)
  • Entrepreneurship & Innovation (Graduate Level)
  • Investments (Graduate Level)
  • Alaska Native Executive Leadership Program (Graduate Level)

The Alaska Rural Management Certificate builds foundational skills in management while addressing the unique challenges of rural Alaska. Designed for Tribal administrators, utility managers, and municipal leaders, it strengthens access to practical management education and supports professional growth. The certificate also serves as a pathway into the Business Administration Associate of Arts degree.

Admission Requirements: 

  • Application
  • Application Fee*
  • Official Final High School Transcript**
  • Official College Transcript(s)

*Fee waiver available for those who qualify
**If less than 24 college credits earned

Minimum GPA: 2.5 or higher – If you have a GPA lower than 2.5, there is an additional step in the admissions process, and we are happy to work with you to complete your application.

Application Deadlines: 

  • Fall: May 1 (Priority) / August 1 (Late)
  • Spring: November 1 (Priority) / December 1 (Late)
  • Summer: May 1  (Limited courses available)

Career Outcomes:

  • Community Leadership Role
  • Tribal Administrator
  • Self-Employed Business Owner
  • Business Consultant
  • State or Local Government

The Entrepreneurship & Innovation Certificate helps students understand how entrepreneurship has evolved and how to turn ideas into action. Students learn practical tools and strategies used in business development worldwide and apply them to real projects by developing a single idea throughout the program. The certificate also includes engagement with local startup events and entrepreneurial communities in Anchorage or students’ home regions, building real-world experience in innovation and business creation.

Admission Requirements: 

  • Interview
  • Resume
  • Curriculum Vitae or Resume
  • Essay
  • Letters of Recommendation
  • Official Final Transcript(s)

Application Deadlines: 

  • May 1 (Priority) / August 1 (Late)
  • Spring: November 1 (Priority) / December 1 (Late)
  • Summer: May 1 (Limited courses available)

Minimum GPA: 3.0 or higher – If you have a GPA lower than 3.0, there is an additional step in the admissions process, and we are happy to work with you to complete your application.

The Investments Certificate provides graduate-level training in investment strategies and financial markets, and can be completed independently or alongside the MBA. Students build a strong foundation in investment theory while gaining hands-on experience through a full year managing a student investment fund. Admission requirements are the same as those for the Master of Business Administration program.

Admission Requirements: 

  • Interview
  • Resume
  • Curriculum Vitae or Resume
  • Essay
  • Letters of Recommendation
  • Official Final Transcript(s)

Application Deadlines: 

  • May 1 (Priority) / August 1 (Late)
  • Spring: November 1 (Priority) / December 1 (Late)
  • Summer: May 1 (Limited courses available)

Minimum GPA: 3.0 or higher – If you have a GPA lower than 3.0, there is an additional step in the admissions process, and we are happy to work with you to complete your application.

The Alaska Native Executive Leadership Program (ANELP) is a graduate certificate designed to prepare emerging leaders for executive roles in Alaska Native corporations and today’s competitive business environment. Developed in partnership with major Alaska Native organizations, the program builds business acumen and leadership capacity through a holistic, applied approach focused on driving organizational growth and long-term success. Delivered over nine months, ANELP combines monthly in-person intensives in Anchorage with flexible online coursework and real-world assignments, and includes mentorship from sponsoring organizations to support career development. Credits may also be applied toward APU’s MBA program, offering a pathway for continued graduate study.

Admission Requirements: 

  • Interview
  • Resume
  • Curriculum Vitae or Resume
  • Essay
  • Letters of Recommendation
  • Official Final Transcript(s)

Application Deadlines: 

  • Fall: May 1 (Priority) / August 1 (Late)
  • Spring: November 1 (Priority) / December 1 (Late)
  • Summer: May 1  (limited courses available)

Minimum GPA: 3.0 or higher – If you have a GPA lower than 3.0, there is an additional step in the admissions process, and we are happy to work with you to complete your application.

Career Outcomes:

  • CEO Alaska Native Corporation
  • CEO Nonprofit Organization
  • Senior Executive Private Industry
  • Hospitality and Tourism
  • Small Business Ownership / Entrepreneurship
  • Senior Executive Healthcare
  • Policy Leaders in Nonprofit and For-profit Organizations

Degree Roadmap:

Leadership Course: Hands-on, experiential leadership class where students explore different leadership styles, traits, and behaviors while developing teamwork and creative problem-solving skills. Through both classroom activities and outdoor experiential learning, students examine their role within a team and build practical leadership abilities they can apply in real-world group and organizational settings.

Organizational Development: Explores how organizations plan for and manage change in a rapidly evolving world. Students examine the impact of globalization, technology, and community expectations on organizational design, while learning how leaders foster innovation, sustainability, and strategic growth. The focus is on understanding both the challenges and opportunities organizations face as they adapt and evolve.

Negotiation and Decision Making: Introduces the theory and practice of negotiation and decision-making, with a focus on how people and organizations make choices under uncertainty. Students explore negotiation strategies, decision processes, and common psychological biases that influence outcomes. Through simulations and applied exercises, they develop skills in preparation, strategy, and evaluating results in real-world negotiation and decision contexts.

ANELP PROGRAM FLYER

APPLY

Business Administration

ASSOCIATE OF ARTS

  • Designed to support career advancement and professional growth
  • Flexible year-round entry points
  • Fully online evening classes for convenience
  • Structured to allow students to balance school with work and other responsibilities
Career Opportunities
  • Tourism Professional
  • Entry-level Administrative, Financial, and Junior Supervisory Roles
  • Human Resources Assistant
  • Sales Coordinator
  • Healthcare
  • Office Manager

APU’s Associate of Arts in Business Administration provides a strong foundation in core business principles and practices while preparing students for entry-level roles and continued study in a bachelor’s program. Designed for both new students and working professionals seeking career advancement, the associate degree emphasizes hands-on, experiential learning in small, collaborative cohorts supported by faculty mentors with real-world expertise and strong professional networks.

Foundational Studies
  • Written Communication
  • Presentation & Media Literacy
  • Critical Thinking
  • Computation
  • Intellectual Traditions
  • Creative Endeavors
  • Intercultural & Spiritual Understandings
  • Biological/Physical Scientific Inquiry
  • Social/Behavioral Scientific Inquiry
  • Social Responsibility
  • Personal Responsibility
Major Studies
  • Foundations of Business
  • Financial Accounting
    Entrepreneurship
  • Marketing
  • Macroeconomics
  • Microeconomics
  • Organizational Behavior
  • Strategic Human Resource Management
  • Managerial Accounting
  • Business Law
  • Business Finance
  • Operations & Quality Management
Self-Determined Studies

Students in this program are encouraged to take courses that meet the BA requirements. Credit-by-exam, credit earned through military training, or assessment of prior learning is encouraged to meet minimum graduation requirements.

  • Application
  • Application Fee*
  • Official Final High School Transcript**
  • Official College Transcript(s)

*Fee waiver available for those who qualify
**If less than 24 college credits earned

Minimum GPA: 2.5 or higher – If you have a GPA lower than 2.5, there is an additional step in the admissions process, and we are happy to work with you to complete your application.

APPLY FLYER

Business Administration

BACHELOR OF ARTS

  • Emphasis on relevant, project-based and place-based learning
  • Online and evening accelerated course format for flexibility
  • Designed to help students balance school with work and other responsibilities
  • Experienced faculty mentors with real-world expertise
  • Personalized support and access to professional networks for career development

This degree is designed for experienced professionals across a wide range of fields who need a degree to advance their careers. The IACBE-accredited program emphasizes hands-on, experiential learning in leadership, ethics, organizational change, communication, human resources, quality improvement, and accounting, with skills that are immediately applicable in the workplace. Small cohorts foster collaborative learning and discussion, and students can choose an emphasis in either nonprofit or healthcare management.

Career Opportunities
  • Accounting and Finance
  • Hospitality and Tourism
  • Small Business Ownership / Entrepreneurship
  • Nonprofit Organizations
  • Graduate School

Health Care Management
A Business Administration degree with an emphasis in Health Care Management provides a strong understanding of the core business functions needed to manage and deliver services in health-related organizations.

Accounting and Finance
The Accounting and Finance minor helps both business and non-business students develop essential accounting and finance skills for careers in business, public agencies, and nonprofit organizations, and can also support preparation for professional certifications such as Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or FINRA Series 7 Financial Services Representative.

Accounting and Finance
The Accounting and Finance minor helps both business and non-business students build essential financial and accounting skills applicable to careers in business, public agencies, and nonprofit organizations.

Business Administration
The Business Administration minor is designed for non-business majors who want to develop in-demand business skills for roles in the private sector, public agencies, and nonprofit organizations.

Health Care Management
The Health Care Management minor provides non-business majors with foundational skills for health care and human services management, preparing them for roles in healthcare systems, businesses, and nonprofit organizations.

Foundational Studies
  • Written Communication
  • Presentation & Media Literacy
  • Critical Thinking
  • Computation
    Intellectual Traditions
  • Creative Endeavors
  • Intercultural & Spiritual Understandings
  • Biological/Physical Scientific Inquiry
  • Social/Behavioral Scientific Inquiry
  • Social Responsibility
  • Personal Responsibility
Major Studies
  • Foundations of Business
  • Financial Accounting
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Marketing
  • Macroeconomics
  • Microeconomics
  • Organizational Behavior
  • Strategic Human Resource Management
  • Managerial Accounting
  • Business Law
  • Business Finance
  • Operations & Quality Management
Self-Determined Studies

Students in the BA program are encouraged to select an emphasis in either Nonprofit Management or Healthcare Management. The program also supports flexible pathways to graduation, including credit-by-exam, military training credits, and prior learning assessment to help students meet degree requirements.

  • Application
  • Application Fee*
  • Official Final High School Transcript**
  • Official College Transcript(s)

*Fee waiver available for those who qualify
**If less than 24 college credits earned

Minimum GPA: 2.5 or higher – If you have a GPA lower than 2.5, there is an additional step in the admissions process, and we are happy to work with you to complete your application.

APPLY FLYER

Business Administration

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

  • Develops a broad understanding of successful business operations
  • Online and evening accelerated course format for flexibility
  • Builds critical leadership skills for today’s complex and dynamic business world
  • Guided by faculty mentors and industry leaders with diverse real-world experience
  • Emphasizes collaboration on place-based, real-world projects

Busy working adults pursuing an MBA at APU find a career-enhancing, cost-effective program designed to support work-life balance. The program builds mastery of core business concepts through the integration of classroom learning with relevant, hands-on application in the workplace. Close faculty mentoring and collaborative learning within small cohorts of professional peers further support students as they invest in their future.

Career Opportunities
  • Accounting and Finance
  • Hospitality and Tourism
  • Small Business Ownership / Entrepreneurship
  • Nonprofit Organizations
  • Healthcare
  • Corporate Managers and Executives
  • Policy Leaders in Nonprofit and For-profit Organizations

Finance
The MBA with a Concentration in Finance combines the breadth of the MBA with in-depth study of financial careers, including securities markets, capital raising, valuation, and portfolio and investment theory.

Health Services Administration
The MBA with a Concentration in Health Services Administration builds on the MBA core with specialized coursework in finance, policy, ethics, law, healthcare systems, and strategic management, while exploring emerging local and global healthcare issues with an emphasis on Alaska’s unique context.

  • Application
  • Application Fee
  • Official Transcripts
  • Essay
  • Resume
  • Letters of Recommendation
  • Interview

*Fee waiver available for those who qualify.
**If less than 24 college credits earned.

Minimum GPA: 3.0 or higher – Applicants with a GPA lower than 3.0 may be considered upon review by the graduate Program Director and or Graduate Studies Committee.

APPLY FLYER

Executive MBA in Strategic Leadership, EMBA SL

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

  • Enhances and advances critical leadership skills for guiding organizations in a changing environment
  • Focuses on shaping effective leadership in complex, evolving business contexts
  • Built upon a strong MBA core curriculum
  • Develops leaders who can design and implement sustainable, strategic solutions

Busy working adults pursuing an MBA at APU find a career-enhancing, cost-effective program designed to support work-life balance. The program builds mastery of core business concepts through the integration of classroom learning with relevant, hands-on application in the workplace. Close faculty mentoring and collaborative learning within small cohorts of professional peers further support students as they invest in their future.

Career Opportunities
  • Builds a broad range of managerial skills including accounting, finance, marketing, management, and law
  • Develops understanding of how core business functions operate within organizations, including telecommunications firms and other industries
  • Focuses on integrating key business areas within different business models
  • Provides exposure to and analysis of strategic options, including financial, technical, value chain, marketing, and organizational dimensions
  • Emphasizes ethical decision-making and understanding the boundaries of responsible management
  • Strengthens communication skills, quantitative literacy, and teamwork and leadership abilities
  • Accounting and Finance
  • Hospitality and Tourism
  • Small Business Ownership / Entrepreneurship
  • Nonprofit Organizations
  • Healthcare
  • Corporate Managers and Executives
  • Policy Leaders in Nonprofit and For-profit Organizations

Finance
The MBA with a Concentration in Finance combines the breadth of the MBA with in-depth study of financial careers, including securities markets, capital raising, valuation, and portfolio and investment theory.


Health Services Administration
The MBA with a Concentration in Health Services Administration builds on the MBA core with specialized coursework in finance, policy, ethics, law, healthcare systems, and strategic management, while exploring emerging local and global healthcare issues with an emphasis on Alaska’s unique context.

  • Application
  • Application Fee
  • Official Transcripts
  • Essay
  • Resume
  • Letters of Recommendation
  • Interview

*Fee waiver available for those who qualify.
**If less than 24 college credits earned.

Minimum GPA: 3.0 or higher – Applicants with a GPA lower than 3.0 may be considered upon review by the graduate Program Director and or Graduate Studies Committee.

APPLY FLYER

Business Administration

Dual MBA-JD Program

  • Dual graduate degree program combining a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Juris Doctor (JD) that’s structured in a coordinated and accelerated format
  • Ideal for students with strengths in writing, analysis, business, and law
  • Builds a strong understanding of business environments, legal practice, and policy development
  • Students complete both degrees sequentially, not simultaneously (MBA typically completed first, followed by JD)

During the MBA portion of the program, students study key areas such as leadership, human resources and employment law, business ethics, financial statement analysis, data science, managerial economics, and corporate finance. The focus is on developing strategic, data-informed decision-making skills, strengthening leadership abilities, and learning alongside a cohort of professional peers.

During the JD portion of the program, students prepare for legal practice through coursework in torts, criminal law, contracts, constitutional law, property, and family law, with a strong emphasis on Bar exam preparation. Elective options such as American Indian Tribal Law and Tribal Court Practice also help prepare graduates to serve Alaska’s diverse communities.

An MBA-JD bridges gaps between business and law schools.

Career Opportunities
  • In-House Legal Counsels
  • Risk-Management Directors
  • CEO
  • Attorney
  • Public Policy Director
  • Financial Manager
  • Business and Legal Industries

The MBA-JD is a dual degree program with separate admissions processes, meaning candidates must apply independently to each institution. Each program also has its own admission requirements and application timelines.

APU REQUIREMENTS
Apply directly to APU:

  • A current resume
  • Two letters of recommendation dated within the past year
  • Completion of an admissions interview with program area faculty
  • 500-800 word essay addressing personal and professional goals related to the MBA
  • Transcripts – looking for accounting, economics, math through algebra and stats, and management (this can be achieved in other ways)

APU ADMISSIONS TIMELINE
APU has rolling admissions and there is no set deadline. Applications accepted in Fall, Spring and Summer.

SEATTLE U REQUIREMENTS
To apply, you must submit the following through the Law School Admission Council:

  • Completed online application
  • LSAT or GRE General Test score
  • Two-page personal statement
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Character and fitness disclosures, if any
  • Official undergraduate transcripts – looking for the ability to complete a rigorous academic program

SEATTLE U ADMISSIONS TIMELINE

  • September 1 – We begin accepting applications for the following year’s entering class
  • January 1 – Deadline for Access Admission Program consideration
  • March 1 – Priority application deadline
  • July 1 – Final application deadline
APPLY FLYER

ANELP

Graduate Certificate

  • Graduate certificate designed to prepare emerging leaders for executive roles in Alaska Native corporations and modern business environments
  • Builds business acumen and leadership capacity through a holistic, applied learning approach
  • Nine-month program with monthly in-person intensives in Anchorage
  • Includes flexible online coursework and real-world assignments
  • Provides mentorship from sponsoring organizations for career development
  • Credits may be applied toward APU’s MBA program for continued graduate study

In addition to the graduate certificate in Alaska Native Executive Leadership, students may choose to enroll in Alaska Pacific University’s traditional MBA program. Credits earned through ANELP can be applied toward the MBA, allowing students to complete up to one-quarter of their MBA requirements through the program.

ANELP provides in-depth knowledge of key business areas through a structured nine-month curriculum, with each of the nine modules spanning one month. The program combines two days of in-person instruction at Alaska Pacific University with flexible pre- and post-assignments that can be completed remotely from anywhere. Each participant is also paired with a mentor from their sponsoring organization to support career development, goal setting, and long-term professional growth.

Required Courses:

  • MBA 55000 – Tools for Success
  • MBA 60910 – ANCSA History and Context
  • MBA 60920 – Leadership Styles and Effective Communication
  • MBA 60930 – Leading Your Human Resources
  • MBA 60940 – Developing High Performing Organizations
  • MBA 60950 – Budgeting and Planning for Sustainability and Growth
  • MBA 60960 – Federal Government Contracting
  • MBA 60970 – Evaluating Options: Valuation, Risk Management & Diversification
  • MBA 60980 – Strategy Development and Implementation
  • MBA 60990 – Working Effectively with Boards of Directors

Individuals identified as high potential leaders by an Alaska Native Corporation or other organization may apply for admission to the ANELP program. To gain program admission, applicants must meet the minimum qualifications, submit the online application for ANELP, admission documents, and signed Executive Sponsorship and Financial Agreement forms.

Successful applicants will have the following qualifications:

  • An executive referral and corporate endorsement
  • Commitment to attend all sessions and successfully complete all modules
  • Minimum of three years of managerial-level or above work experience
  • Currently holds a leadership position
  • A bachelor’s degree or 10 years of progressive work experience
  • Strong oral and written presentation skills
  • Identified potential to meaningfully contribute to the Alaska Native community
APPLY FLYER

Accreditation

The Institute of Business and Public Policy at Alaska Pacific University has received specialized accreditation for its business programs through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE).

IACBE ACCREDITED PROGRAMS PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT 2024-2025

IACBE World Headquarters
11960 Quivira Road, Suite 300
Overland Park, KS 66213

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