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MS Sustainability Management, AU

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MS Sustainability Management Take the next step in your sustainability career today.

If you've got a passion for sustainability and desire to affect change, Kogod's Master of Science in Sustainability Management (MSSM) program is for you. The MSSM trains you as an innovator and an implementer, offering a business-based curriculum integrated with social science, public policy and international issues.

Graduates are equipped to analyze organizational problems in their environmental context and produce economic, ecological, and socially responsible solutions. Recent graduates of the program have found employment across the public, private and non-profit sectors.

 

AU's LEED certified campus provides opportunities to practice sustainability.

An Interdisciplinary and Specialized Program

The program's interdisciplinary structure provides a multi-faceted and nuanced understanding of the field. The coursework and curriculum integrate future-oriented business education with environmental and social science, public policy, and international issues. You may also take classes in different schools on campus, offering additional opportunities for enrichment.

The MSSM is the only program in the DC metro area that is available from a business school. In conjunction with an in-depth interdisciplinary study of sustainability theories and practices, students are exposed to modern managerial techniques that are applicable to a sustainable business practices.

The MSSM curriculum focuses on:

  • Risk Assessment
  • Life Cycle
  • Lean Supply Chain
  • Firm Excellence
  • Innovation

Interested in learning more about the Master’s Degree in Sustainability Management?


We Know Success

Top Employers
  • Avendra
  • Avila and Associates
  • Clasp
  • DC Department of General Services
  • Inspirational Retic

Joshua Kaplan, MSSM '14

Sustainability Management

The MSSM program is well-positioned to create the next generation of leaders.

Attending Kogod was a crucial step in my career. It helped me tear down a common misconception: that business and environmental sustainability must always be at odds. The MS in Sustainability Management program made this possible with its interdisciplinary nature, the experience and connections of the faculty, the opportunities in DC, and the chance to learn with a diverse, ambitious, and passionate set of peers.

Learn more about Joshua's experience »

Stephanie Piperno, MSSM’ 17

Sustainability Management

Experiential opportunities bridge classroom learning to the real world.

Stephanie Piperno, MSSM’ 17, learned a lot on her first trip to Copenhagen. She learned about—and visited—countless sustainability-focused organizations in the city. She learned about Copenhagen’s commitment to environmentally friendly transportation. Most of all, Piperno learned that sustainability is not just a passion. It’s a philosophy — both in life, and in business.

Learn more about Stephanie's experience »

Get The Experience That Matters

Kogod students apply classroom knowledge to improve living conditions at-home and abroad.

MSSM students embark on a global trip each year to learn about sustainable practices in developing countries.

This international experience offers you the chance to learn about sustainability in different cultures, better equipping you to solve today's most challenging sustainability problems. In the past, students have traveled to Coppenhagen, Denmark, and Malmo, Sweden. Graduate students emerge from this experience ready to lead green projects abroad.

While studying at the Kogod School of Business, you'll also enjoy the benefits of AU's AASHE-certified green campus. American University's Office of Sustainability holds an active presence on campus, encouraging a culture of sustainability throughout the student body. Enrolled students can find work and volunteer experience that help meet American University's goal of "acting on our values of social responsibility, service [and] an active pursuit of sustainability."

MSSM Overview

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Integrating business education with environmental science and public policy.

Frequently Asked Questions

The MSSM is a 30 credit-hour program that can be completed either full-time or part-time. Full-time students can finish within one year; part-time students can finish in five semesters.

Nine of the thirty required credit hours are electives. Students may choose from one of four elective tracks: Sustainability Executive; Sustainability Entrepreneur; Sustainability Consultant; or Sustainability Policy/Communications Executive.

From 2013 through 2016, approximately 40% of the student body completed the program part-time. Sixty-six percent were female, and nearly a quarter international.

Still have questions?

Send us an email: kogodgrad@american.edu