Why Study Sustainability in Business
Taught by faculty from across the Darla Moore School of Business, College of Arts and Sciences and School of Earth, Ocean and Environment, the Sustainability in Business Certificate (CSIB) is offered for individuals who seek the ability to effect positive environmental and social change in business. It is designed to facilitate a broad, multi-disciplinary discussion of how we can better understand and manage the large-scale environmental, economics and social systems that will shape the collective well-being of today's and future generations. This multi-disciplinary approach allows students to apply elective areas that will best enhance their career focus.
The majority of company CEOs have identified sustainability as a top priority for their businesses. As an organizational priority, sustainability has implications for all functional areas of business including strategy development, human resources, product development, operations and supply chain, risk assessments, market identification, communications, financing, investor relations, auditing and reporting, to name a few.
This 12-credit hour certificate allows students to deepen their understanding of the key environmental, social, economic and governance issues facing society today. Through the program, students will learn about business challenges, risks and opportunities related to sustainability. Taking a multiple stakeholder approach, the certificate will give students the skills they need to critically analyze trade-offs and develop effective sustainability strategies.
Academic Requirements
The Sustainability in Business Certificate is pursued concurrently with other graduate programs at the Darla Moore School of Business and USC-Columbia and requires four courses (12 credit hours).
Students must complete two required core courses and choose two additional electives with a focus on issues related to one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Understand the basics of climate change, the key problems facing society today.
- Understand the impact businesses have on environmental, social and economic development.
- Analyze sustainability opportunities and risk.
- Recognize the trade-offs that exist when implementing sustainability strategy.
- Apply systems-level thinking to business decisions.
- Develop effective strategies and innovations to implement sustainability initiatives and impact change.
- Analyze and address multiple stakeholder needs.
- Assess sustainability performance using relevant metrics.
- Communicate sustainability performance.
Required Courses (6 credits)
- MKGT 711: Business, Markets & Sustainability*
- IBUS 738: International Business & Sustainable Development*
*Course available in PMBA/evening format
Electives (6 credits)
Choose two electives from an approved list determined before the beginning of each academic year by the Certificate Electives Approval Committee at the Darla Moore School of Business and published on the program website.
- ECON 500: Urban Economics
- ECON 505: International Development Economics
- ECON 548/ENVR 548: Environmental Economics
- ECON 509: Economics of Sustainable Development
- MGMT 733: Strategic Management of Technology and Innovation**
- MGSC 774: Sustainable Operations and Supply Chain*
- Prerequisites: C or better in MGSC 791 or DMSB 718
- MGMT 776: Strategic Innovation Planning and Processes**
- IBUS 704: Comparative Corporate Governance*
- IBUS 733: East/West Business in the Era of Geopolitical Conflict
- IBUS 740: Data Analytics for International Business
- IBUS 742: Organizational Misconduct*
- IBUS 743: Organizational Misconduct and Global Corruption
*Course available in PMBA/evening format
**Course consists of four in-person Saturday sessions during the 7-week term
ENVIRONMENT/ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCE
- ENVR 533: Sustainability projects
- ENVR 534: Water and sanitation in global perspective
- ENHS 660: Concepts of environmental health science
GEOGRAPHY
- GEOG 516: Coastal Zone Management
- GEOG 569: Environment and development
- GEOG 566: Social Aspects of Environmental Planning and Management
- GEOG 570: Geography of Public Land and Water Policy
Who Should Apply
This program is open to all currently enrolled Moore School graduate students.
How to Apply
Current Moore School Graduate Students
Current graduate students need to complete a concurrent enrollment form. Contact your program director with any questions.