Welcome to the University of Montana’s Experiential Learning Program

Through classes at the School of Business, companies in western Montana can get business assistance from student teams that prepare:

• Feasibility Studies

• Business Plans

• Business Research Projects

• Marketing Plans

• Communication Plans

How The Program Works

Through this program, western Montana businesses apply for assistance from a student team to prepare one of the above projects.  Undergraduate juniors and seniors teams work in teams of up to 4 people in a classroom setting or under the direct supervision of a faculty instructor.  All information is held in strict confidence. 

Projects are done within the semester and comply with the semester schedule.

Course Information

The following courses offer students projects to businesses in Western Montana:

Marketing Management (MKTG461)

Marketing Plans for Local Business and Non-profit Organizations

Senior marketing majors work with a local business or non-profit organization to develop a one-year comprehensive marketing plan. Students perform an in-depth assessment of the current status of the organization and its environment. Special attention is given to the market: students will engage in primary market research, such as customer interviews and competitor observation, in order to identify the factors that drive customer value and buying behavior and the competitive advantages and disadvantages of the organization. Based on the assessment of the organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, the students will recommend a set of objectives (e.g., customer awareness, traffic, and sales), target market segments, and the appropriate brand/product positioning for the respective segments. Finally, students will make specific recommendations for product/service design and store environment/layout (where applicable), pricing, distribution (where appropriate) and promotion.  While students are required to develop the set of promotional activities up to the concept, many students will also design sample promotional materials such as ads and flyers. The recommend promotional activities will be within the marketing budget of the organization.

Marketing Research (MKTG366)

Market Research Projects

The focus of this course is to expose students to a wide variety of methods by which data for making business and marketing decisions can be obtained, including written data searches, focus groups, interviews, observation, surveys and experiments. Students will learn the terminology and principles related to each of those methodologies, including their advantages and limitations and what methods are most appropriate for addressing a variety of marketing research problems. Students will also learn how to design questionnaires and scripts, develop a sampling plan, and conduct basic statistical analysis of primary data.

A marketing research project is best directed towards a very specific marketing problem, which could involve anything related to positioning, product development, pricing, distribution, or promotion (advertising, public relations, sales promotions, events). Marketing research projects identify the specific information needed in order to resolve the marketing problem in question, determine the best methodologies to acquire that information, collect and analyze the relevant data, and present findings and conclusions related to the project.

Marketing Communications (MKTG363)

Communication Plans

In Marketing Communications, students identify and understand the different purposes, advantages & disadvantages, and elements of a variety of marketing communications vehicles, including advertising, public relations, promotions, and sponsorship. Additionally, students learn how marketing communications tools and strategy integrate with previous learning on marketing principles, marketing strategy and consumer behavior. The ultimate goal of this class is for students to develop concrete, applicable tools and skills that are frequently used in the marketing communications industry.

Small Business Institute (MGMT445)

Feasibility Studies

Business Plans

Marketing Plans

In this program, students work in specific functional areas such as marketing, finance, accounting, management, computer applications, plus any area upon which clients and students agree.  Early in the semester, students submit a proposal to the client detailing the agreed upon scope of work; at the end of the semester, students give a final plan and presentation to the client.  The student's only work during the semester is the consulting project; there are no classes, exams or other coursework.  Student teams meet with their instructor on an individual team basis weekly.

Feasibility and business plans may include a comprehensive description of the issues that need to be considered when starting and/or growing a business, including:

·         Overall Strategy

·         Industry Characteristics

·         Competitor and Customer Characteristics

·         Marketing Strategy

·         Management Team

·         Overall Schedule

·         Critical Risks

·         Operational Plan

·         Financial Plan

Additional Projects

Additional types of projects and plans are available through individual courses at UM.

Contact Info

For additional information, please call Heather Breckenridge at 243-6072 or email Heather at heather.breckenridge@business.umt.edu.

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