Sustainability in Business, Certificate

The Sustainability in Business certificate is targeted to graduate students at USC (primarily in the Moore School of Business). Students pursuing any graduate degree can add the 12 credit hour certificate on to their program of study. The certificate in sustainability will enhance the University’s relevance, reach, and impact on the state’s citizens by enhancing the career opportunities and professional development of students. In addition, certificate holders will help businesses and other institutions implement sustainable business practices in South Carolina and beyond. This should enhance their ability to effect positive environmental and social change in business in our state and region. Additionally, it will help the Moore School fill a competitive gap in the curriculum and help advance the reputation as a leader in business education.

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.

Admissions

The Sustainability in Business Certificate will be open to all graduate students at USC (primarily graduate students in the Moore School of Business).

Candidates who possess the following credentials may generally consider themselves competitive for admission to the Graduate Sustainability in Business Certificate.

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all coursework completed beyond high school.
A basic understanding of business concepts.
A professional background in business, engineering, environmental science, law, public health, or sustainability is beneficial but not required.
For international applicants, a TOEFL score of 95 or higher, or an IELTS score of 7.0 or higher.

Each application is evaluated by the admissions committee, which makes an official recommendation to the Graduate School. The Graduate School makes the final decision and notifies the applicant of the decision.