Sustainability+MBA (MSUS+MBA)

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Sustainability+MBA (MSUS+MBA) Overview

This dual degree program leverages the strengths of Chatham’s Master of Sustainability and Master of Business Administration (MSUS+MBA) programs to develop sustainability leadership in business management. The MSUS + MBA positions graduates for leadership positions in sustainability across all sectors, including business, government, and NGOs. The program includes foundational coursework in business and sustainability as well as advanced work in various aspects of sustainability.
Degrees Offered
  • MSUS + MBA
Program School
Falk School of Sustainability & Environment
Application Deadline

Priority and Regular

Priority deadline for fall is February 1 (all application materials must be received by this date for first consideration of fellowships and assistantships). Regular deadline for fall term is July 1. Regular deadline for spring term is November 1.

Credits Required

57

The MSUS+MBA program may be completed in two years of full-time study.

Cost Per Credit

$987

Cost consists of program tuition (cost per credit times number of credits) as well as any applicable University and degree-specific fees.

National Recognition

Environmental Impact

The Princeton Review and the U.S. Green Building Council recognized Chatham as one of the most environmentally responsible colleges in the United States and Canada.

Explore the MSUS+MBA Degree:

Throughout the curriculum, students work on projects focused on real-world sustainability challenges, such as consultation with sustainable businesses, making business plans for sustainability businesses, or individual or group sustainability projects for businesses.

  • A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university
  • Overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.3 or better on a 4.0 scale. Applicants with less than a 3.3 who show extreme promise through other achievements may be granted conditional admission.
  • Pre-requisite courses in Financial Accounting and Business Statistics (completed prior to enrollment)
  • Completed Application Form, including submission of the following documents:
    • Curriculum vitae or resume
    • Essay - In approximately 500 words, please explain why you are interested in pursuing this degree. How will the degree impact your future personal and career goals? 
    • 2 letters of recommendation, from an academic source and/or direct work supervisor
    • Official undergraduate and graduate transcripts, sent directly by the institutions
    • Additional writing sample (optional, but encouraged)

BUS641: Sustainable Supply Chain Management

This course provides students with an understanding of how the supply chain works, how and where along the supply chain sustainability questions should be addressed/considered, and the impacts of those decisions on stakeholders further down the chain. Topics include: packaging, transportation, energy use, and waste.

BUS640: Sustainability Assessment and Reporting

An in-depth study of how to measure, track, and report on sustainability issues in a business. This course will include a study of how to create effective Social Responsibility reports and the standards currently used to measure sustainability, such as the GRI Standards. It will also teach students how to monitor and measure sustainability issues from within a business.

SUS580: Sustainable Behavior Change

This hybrid course combines classroom and online instruction with real-world application. Students learn the latest science concerning sources of environmental degradation. In teams, students apply motivational theory, collect secondary and primary data, and develop an action plan for increasing pro-environmental behaviors (PEB) in a real project.

View Full Curriculum

The combination of sustainability and management skills truly positions you to build the businesses of the future where the efficiencies of sustainability and preserving our natural resource base are going to be crucial.

—LOU LEONARD, JD, dean of the Falk School of Sustainability & Environment

Our Faculty

Faculty members are accomplished teachers, scholars, practitioners, and active leaders in the field.

Full Faculty
Ryan Utz
Ryan Utz
Assistant Professor of Water Resources

Research Experience

Explore the current faculty- and student-driven research projects and opportunities at the Falk School to see the types of experience students can gain in the program.

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Funding Opportunities

The Falk School provides numerous financial resources to our currently enrolled students, including funds available for research, unpaid internships, conference presentations, and study abroad opportunities.

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Eden Hall Campus

The University’s 388-acre Eden Hall Campus is the first campus in the world built from ground up on the principles of sustainability, where students have the tools to test, experiment, and refine practices for use in the real world. As an MSUS+MBA student, you will balance your time between the Shadyside Campus and Eden Hall.

Watch More Videos

Business Insight Blog

Read about the people, events, and opportunities of the Department of Business and Entrepreneurship in their blog.

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Masters of Sustainability+MBA

21 Fewer Credits

Chatham's MSUS+MBA combined program saves 21 credits, as opposed to completing the programs sequentially.

Save Time

With the MSUS+MBA degree, students save two years of study and enter the workforce sooner.

100%

One hundred percent of students are employed within a year of graduation.

Rethinking Downtown Pittsburgh

One of the things that Downtown Pittsburgh struggles with is that people don’t think of it as a neighborhood—"but it is," says Caitlin Fadgen, MSUS+MBA ’17. That’s one of the things she aims to change in her work with the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership (PDP).

Partnerships

Students in the MSUS+MBA program worked with Marburger Farm Dairy to assess suppliers’ practices, and to provide recommendations on how to create a more sustainable business model. Focusing on topics including animal welfare, greenhouse gas emissions, fertilization of land, and verified nutrient management programs, students produced and administered a fifty-question survey.

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Student Profile: Lindsey Mifsud, MSUS+MBA ’20

In summer 2019, Lindsey Mifsud, MSUS+MBA ’20 completed an internship with 3R Sustainability, a high-performance building consulting company. 3R tackles LEED review documentation and energy modeling; creates corporate social responsibility reports for companies; and finds solutions to an organization’s needs in regards to environmental impact reduction and resource-management. Lindsey provided effective communication for 3R in the form of social media and news releases regarding our current projects, sustainability tips, and case studies.    

Law, Explosions, Coffee, Wine, Chatham

Sandra Taylor, former SVP of Corporate Responsibility at Starbucks, joined Chatham as the new Falk Chair of Socially Responsible Business.

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Princeton Review’s Green Honor Roll

Chatham has been selected as one of only 21 universities for The Princeton Review’s Green Honor Roll, which recognizes the most environmentally responsible colleges across the United States, earning a perfect Green Rating score of 99 out of 99.