Certificate in sustainable enterprise available to all SU, SUNY-ESF graduate students

The Sustainable Enterprise Partnership (SEP) encourages SU and SUNY-ESF graduate students to plan now to earn an advanced credential in sustainability. 

Developed through a unique cross-institutional collaboration, the Certificate of Advanced Study in Sustainable Enterprise (CASSE) integrates business, science, engineering, policy and practice, and emphasizes transdisciplinary collaboration. The CASSE curriculum is delivered by expert faculty and researchers from the Whitman School of Management, SUNY-ESF, L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science, Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems and leading sustainable enterprise authorities. 

The concept of sustainability is central to organizational efforts to respond to environmental and social concerns in ways that maximize competitive advantage. Thus, there is great demand for professionals who are skilled in sustainability issues and understand the economic, environmental, technical and social dimensions of phenomena such as climate change, volatile energy prices and explosive growth in developing economies.  Indeed, the Wall Street Journal recently reported on a study showing that the number of online job postings containing the word “sustainability” has quadrupled in the past two years.

Admission to the CASSE program is available to all currently matriculated graduate students at Syracuse University and SUNY-ESF.  The CASSE is designed to be relevant and accessible to a wide range of disciplines. 

CASSE candidates are required to complete five courses: three core courses and two electives.  The core courses are: 

• Managing Sustainability: Purpose, Principles and Practice
• Strategic Management and the Natural Environment
• Sustainability-Driven Enterprise  

Managing Sustainability: Purpose, Principles and Practice (BUA/ECS/FNR 650) is team-taught by the SEP core faculty and will be offered in the Spring 2012 semester. This course is the entry point for CASSE candidates, and also may be taken as a stand-alone elective. 

The Aspen Institute’s 2011-12 Beyond Grey Pinstripes (BGP) report ranked Whitman’s MBA program among the top in the world for integrating environmental and social stewardship into graduate business education.  The CASSE is the foundation of this Global 100 ranking, and reflects the strength of the SEP’s partner institutions. 

For additional information on the CASSE, visit http://partnersforsustainability.org, or email Elet Callahan, SEP Faculty Director, at escallah@syr.edu.