Graduate Certificate in Sustainability Leadership

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541-552-6708
Steve Schein, Coordinator

The Graduate Certificate in Sustainability Leadership is an interdisciplinary program designed to prepare individuals for leadership roles in organizations committed to sustainable practices. The program is designed to give students a robust foundational understanding in the three E’s of sustainability: Economy, Environment, and Equity, also known as the Triple Bottom Line. It provides students with a broad understanding of all of the major applied areas of sustainable organizational leadership including alternative transportation, waste reduction, renewable energy, green building, corporate social responsibility, fair trade, localization, community finance, and other emerging sustainable business practices. Other emerging sustainable business practices will also be studied as this vital and dynamic field continues to evolve.

Students who complete the certificate will have a strong grasp of what sustainability means, how it is achieved, and the forces that discourage sustainable practices. This understanding will enhance their ability to serve as effective leaders in both small and large corporations, nonprofit organizations, and the public sector throughout the region, state, and country. Students will have opportunities to work on real-world projects in the many fields of sustainability and explore how their personal values and future goals relate to their practice of sustainable organizational leadership.

The program requires the completion of 31 credits consisting of six required core courses and two elective courses from a variety of subject areas. All courses taken for the certificate must be completed with a grade of B or better and a minimum 3.0 GPA.

Requirements for the Certificate

Core Requirements

(23 credits)

ES 520 - Sustainability and Natural Resources4 credits
ES 521 - Ecological Economics and Sustainable Development 4 credits
MM 513 - Strategic Management 3 credits
MM 583 - Sustainable Organizational Leadership 4 credits
MM 590 - Case Studies in Corporate Sustainability 4 credits

Electives

(8 credits)

BI 538 - Conservation Biology 3 credits
GEOG 537 - Conservation in the United States 4 credits
GEOG 539 - Land Use Planning 4 credits
GEOG 582 - Climatology 4 credits
HST 521 - Environmental History 4 credits
MM 509 - Practicum Credits to be arranged (no more than 6 credits may
MM 514 - Practical Research, Analysis, and Decision Making 3 credits
MM 598 - Capstone Project 3 credits

Program Integration with Master in Management Curriculum

The Graduate Certificate in Sustainability Leadership can be taken as part of SOU’s Master in Management (MiM) program. This 45-credit advanced degree consists of core and elective courses taught primarily in Medford in the evenings and on occasional weekends.

Courses taken for this certificate program count toward elective credits in the MiM program. Those earning a Certificate in Sustainability Leadership in addition to completing the requirements for the MiM program will take an additional 6 credits beyond the 45 credits required for MiM. Please see Master in Management for further information.