College of Business

Dean: Sam Beldona, Ph.D.

Associate Dean:  Iris Buder, Ph.D. 

Department of Accounting and Information Systems

Chair and Associate Professor: Justin Wood

Professors: Thomas Ottaway

Associate Professors: Erik Boyle, Bob Houghton, Justin Wood

Assistant Professors: Yaxuan (Ashley) Li, Kristen Thompson

Clinical Professors: Dave Bagley, Jerry Leffler

Clinical Associate Professor: Brody Fitch

Clinical Assistant Professor: Tim Anderson

Department of Economics & Finance

Chair and Professor:  Karl Geisler

Professors: Iris Buder, Steven Byers, Karl Geisler, Tesa Stegner

Assistant Professors: Chris Chatwin, Paul Obermann, Jennifer Liang

Department of Management & Marketing

Chair and Professor: Neil Tocher

Professors: Alex Bolinger, Tyler Burch, Gregory Murphy

Associate Professors: Yan Chen, Nicole Hanson, Alex Rose, Jeff Street

Assistant Professors: Haley Hardman

Clinical Associate Professor: Julie Frischmann

Clinical Assistant Professor: Nikole Layton, Annik Martin

Program of Healthcare Administration

Chair and Professor: Neil Tocher

MHA Program Director: Iris Buder

Professors: Ruiling Guo 

Assistant Professor: Sonali Salunkhe

Clinical Associate Professor: Joshua Thompson

Executive in Residence & Clinical Assistant Professor: Douglas Crabtree

Program of Human Resource Development

Professors: Robin Lindbeck; Rob Lion

Assistant Professors: Ajit Bhattarai

Clinical Assistant Professor: Tracy Gibson
Master of AccountancyDegreeM.Acc.
Master of Business AdministrationDegreeM.B.A.
Master of Healthcare AdministrationDegreeM.H.A.
M.S. in Human Resource Development*DegreeM.S.
Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Administration for DNPsCertificateCertificate
Graduate Certificate in Organizational Leadership *CertificateCertificate
Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Development (HRD)*CertificateCertificate
MBA and PharmD Dual DegreeDegreeMBA/PharmD

*While these programs are NOT accredited by AACSB, they are under the umbrella university regional accreditation of all programs with NWCCU. 

Master of Business Administration


The Master of Business Administration (MBA) program at Idaho State University’s College of Business equips students with the advanced knowledge and skills needed to lead in today’s complex and dynamic business environment. Open to students from all academic backgrounds, the program blends rigorous coursework with practical application to foster well-rounded, ethical, and strategic business professionals. The MBA program is accredited by AACSB International, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business

The MBA program at Idaho State University is structured in three parts: foundational coursework (MBA-Core I), advanced integrative coursework (MBA-Core II), and a set of elective or emphasis-area courses. The MBA-Core I courses build essential knowledge in areas such as Accounting, Economics, Finance, Marketing, Management, Operations, and Statistics. Students with an undergraduate degree in business may qualify for waivers of MBA-Core I courses. The MBA-Core II component consists of seven required courses that emphasize cross-functional integration and strategic application of business principles. Following this core, students complete an additional nine credit hours of graduate-level coursework, either as electives or within a chosen emphasis area. 

Students can pursue a general MBA or select from specialized emphasis areas in Accounting, Athletic Administration, Economics, Finance, Project Management, Professional Sales, Public Administration, and Marketing. The general MBA provides broad-based preparation for managerial roles across sectors, while emphasis areas offer targeted expertise for students pursuing specific career paths. The MBA program features experienced faculty and flexible delivery options designed to accommodate working professionals and full-time students alike. Whether preparing for career advancement, a leadership transition, or entry into a new industry, graduates of the MBA program at Idaho State University leave equipped with the strategic insight and practical tools to thrive in today’s business world.

Program Goals:
1. Enhance Communication and Collaboration Skills
Develop students’ ability to communicate effectively in oral, written, and data-driven formats while fostering strong collaboration and teamwork skills.
2. Cultivate Analytical and Decision-Making Abilities
Equip students with critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical tools necessary for sound decision-making in complex business environments.
3. Build Competence in Strategic, Ethical, and Negotiation Practices
Ensure students gain a solid foundation in strategy, negotiation, and ethical reasoning to navigate leadership roles with integrity.
4. Develop Proficiency in Finance and Marketing Disciplines
Prepare students to apply key concepts and techniques in finance and marketing to drive business success across diverse organizational settings.

Student Learning Outcomes: 

1. Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively and professionally through oral presentations, written documents, and collaborative teamwork in response to business cases, scenarios, or simulations.

2. Students will demonstrate the ability to critically analyze complex business problems, apply theoretical frameworks, and use problem-solving and decision-making tools to develop sound, evidence-based solutions.

3. Students will apply strategic, negotiation, and ethical frameworks to analyze business cases and develop informed, principled approaches to organizational challenges.

4. Students will be able to analyze business cases and financial documents to identify relevant data, apply appropriate financial and marketing concepts, and recommend informed courses of action.

Master of Accountancy

The Masters of Accountancy (MAcc) equips students with critical thinking and communication skills and assists them in taking and passing the  Certified Public Accountancy (CPA) exam. The MAcc program also supports accounting career development with exposure to accounting standards research, AI applications, fraud examination, and casework that exposes students to various tasks that they may perform as they enter into their professional careers. 

Student Learning Outcomes:
Graduates of the MAcc program will:
1. Think critically about complex problems.
Employ FIRAC (Facts, Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion) to the analysis of complex cases based on real life experiences.
2. Communicate appropriately and effectively.
Present analysis of cases in writing and in person.
3. Exceed the national pass rate for the CPA exam.
Students will take four classes that focus primarily on each of the four CPA exams, schedule and take the exams, and self-report their grades to the program. 

Master of Healthcare Administration 

The Master of Health Care Administration (MHA) program at Idaho State University prepares early and mid-career professionals, in Idaho and beyond, with the foundational, conceptual, technical, and human relations skills needed to assume increasingly responsible leadership roles in the healthcare industry. In alignment with the university’s healthcare mission and regional healthcare needs, the program emphasizes service to rural and underserved communities and equips graduates to address the unique challenges of healthcare delivery in these settings.

Program Goals:

Goal 1: Provide a high-quality comprehensive education for MHA students.
· The MHA program will maintain a systematic three-year curriculum review process with the HCA/MHA Advisory Board to ensure ongoing alignment with CAHME content areas, healthcare industry standards, and evolving trends.
· The program will implement and sustain a comprehensive competency assessment system that provides annual aggregate reporting of student performance across all ACHE domains to inform curricular improvement.
· All HCA/MHA Scholarly Academic (SA) faculty will sustain AACSB qualification through continued scholarly contributions.
· All HCA/MHA core faculty will participate annually in at least one professional development or service activity related to healthcare to bring real-world context into the classroom.
 
Goal 2: Develop culturally-competent healthcare administrators by supporting practical education.
· All MHA students will engage in at least one professional development activity per semester to enhance leadership skills, cultural competence, and professional readiness.
· The MHA program will ensure students have access to internship, residency, or consulting experiences that provide exposure to different healthcare systems, populations, and organizational contexts.
 
Goal 3: Promote applied learning, professional engagement, and service in the healthcare field.
· The MHA program will provide structured opportunities for applied learning through internships, residencies, and consulting engagements that strengthen students’ ability to apply classroom knowledge in professional settings.
· All core faculty will demonstrate ongoing professional engagement through service activities within the healthcare field, integrating these experiences into student learning.
· The program will foster professional growth and networking through a structured mentorship program.
 
Goal 4: Ensure program accessibility, continuous improvement, and student success.
· The program will use competency assessment results to drive continuous improvement, ensuring that instructional methods and curriculum design support measurable student learning outcomes.
· The MHA program will monitor accessibility and equity through annual review of enrollment, retention, and delivery modality data.
· The structured mentorship program will be maintained as a core student success initiative, supporting retention, professional development, and post-graduation outcomes.
· The MHA program will identify and evaluate emerging areas of need in healthcare management to guide the development of new curricular concentrations or certificates that enhance accessibility and workforce relevance.

Student Learning Outcomes: 
Upon successful completion of the Master of Healthcare Administration, students will be able to:
1. Identify and describe the MHA program competency framework and explain how these competencies will be developed and assessed throughout the program.
2. Analyze healthcare financing and insurance models, including public and private reimbursement systems, to evaluate their impact on patients, organizations, care delivery, clinical and managerial quality, and overall health system performance.
3. Apply principles of healthcare economics and policy to assess the effects of regulatory environments, policy changes, and market dynamics on healthcare delivery.
4. Demonstrate financial management skills by interpreting healthcare financial data, managing budgets, and applying reimbursement and pricing strategies to guide organizational decisions.
5. Apply health services management practices in mission, planning, structure, and workforce motivation to strengthen teams and achieve organizational goals that improve patient care.
6. Employ negotiation and decision-making strategies to resolve conflicts, build consensus, and guide organizational initiatives.
7. Integrate concepts of strategic management by conducting internal and external analyses, formulating and implementing strategies, and evaluating issues of governance, ethics, and global competitiveness.
8. Examine current issues and trends in rural healthcare and assess their implications for access, quality, and health outcomes.
9. Synthesize administrative and clinical knowledge through a residency experience that applies learned competencies to real-world challenges in healthcare leadership.
10. Apply legal and ethical principles to real-world scenarios through case study analysis and research on contemporary issues in healthcare.
11. Critically analyze contemporary issues and challenges in the healthcare industry, including the impact of technology, the changing roles of healthcare professionals, and the demands of quality improvement.
12. Analyze issues and challenges in healthcare leadership and governance by evaluating the responsibilities and delegated authorities of governing boards, executive management, and medical staff.
13. Evaluate the structure, development, and future trends of the long-term care system by analyzing its segments, legal and regulatory environment, delivery models, and the leadership and cultural requirements unique to long-term care settings.
14. Apply data analytics techniques including modeling, predictive analytics, data mining, and data preparation to case-based projects and communicate results through executive summaries that support business decision making.

Master of Science in Human Resource Development*

The Master of Science in Human Resource Development (MS HRD) in the College of Education at Idaho State University prepares organizational learning and performance professionals with high-demand management expertise in the human resource development discipline principles and practices of learning and development, performance improvement, strategic planning, and leadership. The curriculum of this 30-credit master's is delivered fully online and can be completed in 12 months. The project-based coursework and research component address workplace problems with innovative, evidence-based HRD solutions. The Master of Science in Human Resource Development is designed to strengthen the student’s understanding, knowledge, and skills in three major areas–

  1. MS HRD Course Requirements

  2. HRD Studies or Career and Technical Studies

  3. Research Studies

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for the MS HRD are:

SLO #1: Knowledge of Core Theory in HRD
SLO #2: Comprehension of HRD Strategy and Scholarly Practice
SLO #3: Application of Critical Thinking and Analysis

Emphasized areas within the HRD discipline are:

  • Human performance improvement

  • Learning effectiveness

  • Leadership and change

  • Organizational development