MAST begins each fall with an intense on-campus session at Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS. We introduce you to the faculty, your classmates, and the program content. We begin with management and anaylsis then add strategic thinking into the mix. Where do you want your business to be at the end of the program? in five year? How do you want to grow and outperform your peers? What trends are coming that you need to prepare for to succeed instead of stumbling? All of these areas and more begin our MAST program.

Participants then head home to begin working on the distance learning portion of MAST. (Find out more about distance learning here.) Working through modules ranging from Land ownership and leasing to marketing and risk management, participants are able to pull their businesses into the context of the program content. Examining whether to buy or lease land is the best choice given their situation and geography; which type of crop insurance will protect them and give them the most benefits; whether they need to hire help or how to better manage the employees they do have. In all, participants work through eight modules including: Land Ownership and Leasing, Machinery Ownership and Leasing, Financial Analysis, Human Resources, Tax Management and Policy, Risk Management, Marketing, and the Optional Module.

Throughout the distance portion of the program, faculty are available to answer questions or help participants explore different areas that might help their business succeed. In addition, if you should have any questions about the technology or your computer, technology assistance is available.