Top Five Green Master Degree Programs

Top Five Green Master Degree Programs (via Solar Feeds)

In 2010, Master Degree Online.com published their list of the five of the best sustainable schools. (This list has been updated by The Green Market for 2011) 1. Antioch University of New England Antioch University’s Green MBA provides the skills for…

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Top 20 Cleantech Investors Who Are Women

Top 20 Cleantech Investors… Who Are Women (via Clean Technica)

Here’s another fun guest post from Lisa Ann Pinkerton, Founder of Women In Cleantech & Sustainability and Founder and President of Technica Communications. This one comes to us from Women in Cleantech & Sustainability: In 2011, the National…

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Environmental Jobs: Five Reputable Online Schools for Environmental Degrees

Environmental Jobs: Five Reputable Online Schools for Environmental Degrees (via U.S. Green Technology)

U.S. Green Technology specializes in connecting job seekers interested in environmental jobs to quality employers. Whether you are looking for a specific green-collar job or a position with a company with sustainable business practices, U.S. Green Technology…

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The Intrinsic Value of Sustainability in Higher Education

Intrinsic Value of Sustainability in Higher Education (via PR Newswire)

ARAMARK's Leadership Series Tackles the Role of Higher Education in Forwarding Sustainability PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- ARAMARK, a global leader delivering food, facilities and uniform services, is pleased to announce the release…

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Presidio Graduate School earned the #1 ranking for sustainability in the 2013 Business as Unusual

Presidio Graduate School Ranks At Top In Net Impact Student Survey (via PR Newswire)

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 22, 2013 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Presidio Graduate School earned the #1 ranking for sustainability in the 2013 Business as UNusual: A Student Guide to Graduate Programs published by Net Impact, a leading nonprofit that inspires a…

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New England College Master's of Science and Management-Sustainability Online

As part of our ongoing effort to identify, evaluate and publicize online degree programs in sustainability, today we will be looking at the New England College Masters of Science and Management-Sustainability Online. The New England College is an online college that awards a Master's Degree in Science and Management - Sustainability. Our information comes from a variety of sources, but all evaluations and opinions are our own.

Online College

New England College was founded in 1946 in Henniker, New Hampshire to cater to returning WWII vets going to college on the GI Bill. It's on-campus enrollment is about 1800 undergraduate students, but New England College has been a significant player on online and distance education. They claim:

The purpose of the New England College School of Graduate and Professional Studies is to remove the obstacles to educational advancement and open new pathways leading to professional development and personal enrichment. New England College is the leader in flexible, tailored on-site graduate programs offered throughout the region and through multiple delivery models.

Online Degree Programs

• Master's of Science in Management - Sustainability

Descriptions

The Master of Science in Management – Sustainability online program helps you become an agent of change through an examination of key concepts informing the triple-bottom line.  Focus on important issues in sustainability: renewable energy, natural resources, environmental law, and the roles and responsibilities corporations have in the communities where they do business. Discover innovative approaches to understand, research, and provide solutions to complex sustainability challenges.

Source:  http://online.nec.edu/lp-sustainability-a/

Pros

• Flexibility
• Cost
• Relatively quick and easy program to complete
• Easily Accepted

Cons

• As with most colleges that specialize in online offerings, you're missing out on the trappings of the classic research university. The degree itself won't mean much, unless you know what to make of it and how to explain to professional employers what you have been doing for two years. 

Cost

• Unknown

Rankings

Princeton Review College Ranking: No

Princeton Review Green Honor Roll: No

Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges: No

US News and World Reports MBA Ranking: No

Bloomberg BusinessWeek MBA Rankings: No

Financial Times Global MBA Rankings: No

The Economist Global Executive MBA Rankings: No

Wall Street Journal Business School Rankings: No

Green Report Card Ranking: No

Resources

Guide to Sustainability MBA Programs from Wikipedia

GreenerU Guide to Sustainability Rankings

Bloomberg BusinessWeek Top MBAs in Sustainability

Robert Nelson is blogger-in-chief at Dude, Sustainable!. Find us on Google+ or on Facebook.

Oregon State University - Online Colleges with Degrees in Sustainability

As part of our ongoing effort to identify, evaluate and publicize online degree programs in sustainability, today we will be looking at Oregon State University E-Campus. Oregon State University E-Campus is an online college that awards a degrees and certificates in Sustainable Natural Resources. Our information comes from a variety of sources, but all evaluations and opinions are our own.

Online College

The Oregon State University E-Campus is OSU's distance and extension learning program. OSU is based in Corvallis, Oregon and all E-Campus students receive the same transcript and same diploma as an on-campus attendee. Oregon State is part of the University of Oregon System, and as a Pac-12 Conference member, adheres to the same rigorous academic standards as the other Pac-12 state schools based in California, Washington, Arizona and more.

OSU Ecampus is consistently ranked among the nation's best providers of online education for the quality and strength of our programs. In each of the last four years, Ecampus has been ranked in the top 25 nationally by several independent companies –including 12th for the 2013-14 school year by SuperScholar, which bases its rankings on "degree selection diversity … market credibility and prestige, academic quality, student support, and student satisfaction."

Online Degree Programs

• Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Natural Resource Management (18 Credit)

Descriptions

From their website:

Now you can earn a graduate certificate in Sustainable Natural Resources from Oregon State University, a research institution renowned for its expertise in natural resources. This 18-credit online certificate is designed for all students, especially company, industry or agency employees who desire training in solving complex sustainability problems.

Students complete an integrated course of study in a dynamic learning community, under the mentorship of professionals, to design workable solutions for complex natural resource issues of local, state, regional, national and international importance.

Source: http://ecampus.oregonstate.edu/online-degrees/graduate/sustainability/

Pros

The Oregon State University's Department of Forestry, the sponsor of this certificate program, is ranked 8th in the world in an international survey of over 3,000 colleges. Oregon is also geographically positioned to benefit from their proximity to the Pacific Ocean, the Cascade Mountain Range and the Willamette Valley agricultural region.

Cons

Students looking for a degree in energy or corporate sustainability may want to look elsewhere, as this program deals almost exclusively with Natural Resource Management with sustainability as the backdrop. This will, of course, help you to break into a number of fields in which natural resource management is an issue, but may not help as much as, say, the Penn State or University of Denver programs in the private sector.

Cost

• Cost per Credit: $512
• Approximate Cost of Program: $9200

Rankings

Princeton Review College Ranking: 

Princeton Review Green Honor Roll: No

Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges: Yes

US News and World Reports MBA Ranking: No

Bloomberg BusinessWeek MBA Rankings: No

Financial Times Global MBA Rankings: No

The Economist Global Executive MBA Rankings: No

Wall Street Journal Business School Rankings: No

Green Report Card Ranking: B+
Sierra Magazine Cool School List: No

Resources

Guide to Sustainability MBA Programs from Wikipedia

GreenerU Guide to Sustainability Rankings

Bloomberg BusinessWeek Top MBAs in Sustainability

Robert Nelson is blogger-in-chief at Dude, Sustainable!. Find us on Google+ or on Facebook.

Harvard Extension School - Online Degrees in Sustainability

As part of our ongoing effort to identify, evaluate and publicize online degree programs in sustainability, today we will be looking at the Harvard Extension School Sustainability and Environmental Management Graduate Degree Programs. The Harvard Extension School is an online college that awards two graduate degrees in Sustainability and Environmental Management: A Master's in Ecosystems or a Master's in Sustainability. Our information comes from a variety of sources, but all evaluations and opinions are our own.

Online College

The Harvard Extension School is Harvard University's Professional and Continuing Education Program. It has a number of online offerings, but differs from other online colleges in that it has an on-campus requirement, albeit a small one. Students are required to take at least one of their courses in person at the Cambridge, Mass. Campus.

Online Degree Programs

The Extension School offers two related Master's Degrees that can be earned through online coursework. The first, a Master's in Sustainability and Environmental Management with an Ecosystems Concentration "focuses on the stewardship of natural assets and the handling of contaminants." The second, a sustainability concentration, "focuses on developing practices that conserve resources for future generations."

Source: http://www.extension.harvard.edu/degrees-certificates/sustainability-environmental-management

Descriptions

The Harvard Extension Schools Graduate Program in Sustainability and Environmental Management is different from, say, similar programs at Penn State or the University of Denver in that it does not focus strictly on energy (one might speculate that their endowment does not come largely from the energy companies themselves). Instead, the Harvard program focuses upon "critical environmental factors affecting air, water, climate, sustainability, and ecosystems." That is to say, it is much more a modernized graduate degree in environmental science aimed at treating the generalized, scientific relationship between human beings and their environment. Graduates are primed for careers in environmental law, sustainable architecture, corporate sustainability, university research and green consultancy.

Pros

Harvard University is consistently ranked as one of the world's top 3 universities by almost every publication imaginable. You have access to Harvard resources, including award winning faculty and facilities, as well as access to the greater-Boston area academic network. A degree from Harvard university opens doors.

The degree is awarded by Harvard University. It is the Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies in the field of sustainability and environmental management with a concentration in ecosystems or sustainability.

Source: http://www.extension.harvard.edu/degrees-certificates/sustainability-environmental-management

Cons

Not many, but as with all things Harvard, sometimes cost can be a prohibitive factor. Their on-campus requirement also shuts the door to those who won't be able to comply.

Cost

• $2,000 per course
• Approximately $20,000 to complete with a thesis
• Approximately $24,000 to complete with a capstone

Rankings

Princeton Review College Ranking: #1

Princeton Review Green Honor Roll: No

Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges: Yes

US News and World Reports MBA Ranking: #1

Bloomberg BusinessWeek MBA Rankings: #2

Financial Times Global MBA Rankings: #1

The Economist Global Executive MBA Rankings: No

Wall Street Journal Business School Rankings: 

Green Report Card Ranking: A-

Resources

Guide to Sustainability MBA Programs from Wikipedia

GreenerU Guide to Sustainability Rankings

Bloomberg BusinessWeek Top MBAs in Sustainability

Robert Nelson is blogger-in-chief at Dude, Sustainable!. Find us on Google+ or on Facebook.

University of Denver University College - Online Degrees in Sustainability

As part of our ongoing effort to identify, evaluate and publicize online degree programs in sustainability, today we will be looking at the The University of Denver University College of Professional and Continuing Studies. The University of Denver University College is an online college that awards a Masters in Energy and Sustainability. Our information comes from a variety of sources, but all evaluations and opinions are our own.

Online College

The University of Denver University College is the University of Denver's Professional and Continuing Studies Program targeted towards working adults. The University of Denver itself is the oldest private college in the Rocky Mountain Region of the United States, and focuses on graduate degrees. Indeed, graduate students outnumber undergraduate students, the count being 6k graduate and 5k undergraduate.

Online Degree Programs

• Masters in Energy and Sustainability (48 credits)
• Certificate in Energy and Sustainability (24 credits)

Descriptions

The Master's and Certificate Program in Energy and Sustainability at the University of Denver University College are geared, as the name suggests, to preparing students to enter the growing energy industry. Introductory courses introduce students to energy systems and energy policy, while upper-level courses guide the student towards a more diversified offering in environmental systems and sustainability planning. Sustainability systems, for example:

"must be considered and developed in the areas of growth, transportation, energy, policy, and business models in order to head off looming environmental, political, and humanitarian problems. This will be accomplished through a comprehensive study of sustainability in the areas of economic development, green building, land use, transportation, and water resources."

Students will be expected to:

• Demonstrate a solid understanding of how non−renewable and renewable energy sources are developed, used, regulated, and financed


• Articulate a strong working knowledge of sustainability concepts


• Show an understanding of trends and issues in areas of traffic management, climate science, water supplies, and green buildings


• Develop plans for the integration of sustainable practices into products, business and marketing plans, environmental policies, and organizational processes


• Build finance−schemes and marketing strategies for their plans so they can be presented to an organization leader as an executable idea
• As well as develop a strong understanding of environmental management.

Source: http://universitycollege.du.edu/epm/degree/masters/energy-and-sustainability-online/degreeid/369#overview

Pros

Environmental and Sustainability Policy Planning is a rapidly growing field, and the choice between a Master's and Certificate Program allows the student to choose the proper amount of schooling necessary for their career advancement and continuing education at a cost that is far from prohibitive.

Cons

The University of Denver, although well-known in the Rocky Mountain region, is a relative lightweight compared to East, West and Midwest giants who offer similar degrees. It is also a relative unknown in the major ranking indices.

Cost

• Master's in Energy and Sustainability ($26k)
• Certificate in Energy and Sustainability ($13k)

Rankings

Princeton Review College Ranking: ?

Princeton Review Green Honor Roll: N/A 

Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges: Yes

US News and World Reports MBA Ranking: Unranked

Bloomberg BusinessWeek MBA Rankings: Unranked

Financial Times Global MBA Rankings: Unranked

The Economist Global Executive MBA Rankings: Unranked

Wall Street Journal Business School Rankings: Unranked

Green Report Card Ranking: A-

Resources

Guide to Sustainability MBA Programs from Wikipedia

GreenerU Guide to Sustainability Rankings

Bloomberg BusinessWeek Top MBAs in Sustainability

Testimonials

Robert Nelson is blogger-in-chief at Dude, Sustainable!. Find us on Google+ or on Facebook.

Top Tips to Find the Right Accredited Online Degree Program

DegreeRetreat.com Lists Top Tips to Find the Right Accredited Online Degree Programs (via SBWire)

DegreeRetreat.com has put together a few tips to help students find the best accredited online degree programs. Deerfield Beach, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/07/2013 -- DegreeRetreat.com offers top tips to find the most popular accredited online courses. Students…

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Penn State World Campus - Online Degree in Sustainability

As part of our ongoing effort to identify, evaluate and publicize online degree programs in sustainability, today we will be looking at the Penn State World Campus Online. The Penn State World Campus Online  is an online college that awards a Bachelors of Arts in Energy and Sustainability Policy. Our information comes from a variety of sources, but all evaluations and opinions are our own.

Online College

Penn State World Campus Online - The Penn State World Campus Online Program is a set of online degree programs offered by the Pennsylvania State University. The admissions site states that all graduates from this degree program will earn a diploma from the Pennsylvania State University, the same as if they had attended the flagship campus at State College.

Online Degree Programs

• Bachelors of Arts in Energy and Sustainability (120 Credits)

Descriptions

The Penn State World Campus Bachelors of Arts in Energy and Sustainability is, as its name suggests, heavily focused upon energy policy with a particular emphasis on renewables. The focus is presumably the product of collaboration with private experts and donors from within the energy industry, and the program claims to have been designed by "an advisory board of energy industry experts and Penn State faculty." The thrust of the program is to prepare students for success in energy careers in the governmental, private and non-governmental sectors focusing heavily upon international energy policy. The faculty hail mostly from the Penn State flagship campus, but also from a number of Penn State's other campuses including Hazleton, and most call the departments of geography and business their home.

Pros

Energy is an extraordinarily important and stable industry, so a degree with an energy-specific focus will prepare the job-seeker for a number of options within the various fields suggested by the term energy. The degree, as awarded by Penn State, doesn't distinguish between online and in-person completion, so the graduate will receive all the benefits of having attended a prestigious university such as Penn State without the campus commitment.

Cons

As opposed to, say, the University of Wisconsin, Penn State is not as prestigious a name. Only bachelors offered in this field...no masters or MBA programs.

Cost

$518/$559 Per Credit Over 120 Credits

Rankings

Princeton Review College Ranking: 

Princeton Review Green Honor Roll: No

Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges: Yes

US News and World Reports MBA Ranking: N/A

Bloomberg BusinessWeek MBA Rankings: N/A

Financial Times Global MBA Rankings: N/A

The Economist Global Executive MBA Rankings: N/A

Wall Street Journal Business School Rankings: N/A

Green Report Card Ranking: B+

Resources

Guide to Sustainability MBA Programs from Wikipedia

GreenerU Guide to Sustainability Rankings

Bloomberg BusinessWeek Top MBAs in Sustainability

Robert Nelson is blogger-in-chief at Dude, Sustainable!. Find us on Google+ or on Facebook.

University of Wisconsin - Online Degrees in Sustainability

As part of our ongoing effort to identify, evaluate and publicize online degree programs in sustainability, today we will be looking at the University of Wisconsin. Our information comes from a variety of sources, but all evaluations and opinions are our own.

School

The University of Wisconsin is, perhaps, the most visible and most prestigious of the land grant colleges. With their flagship campus, the University of Wisconsin at Madison, the system comprises dozens of colleges scattered throughout the state and more recently, the internet. The system enrolls more than 180k students and employs more than 32k faculty and staff and includes two doctoral research universities, eleven comprehensive universities, thirteen freshman-sophomore colleges and the statewide University of Wisconsin-Extension, through which their degree and certificate programs  in sustainability are run.

Degree Programs

• Bachelors (21 courses, 63 credits)
• Certificate Programs
• Masters (14 courses)

Descriptions

The Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Management is a fully accredited bachelor degree completion program. The program was approved by the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents,^[2] and is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.^[3] The curriculum was developed in cooperation with companies that are leading the way in sustainability, including Johnson Controls, Ford Motor Company, Eastman Kodak, Quad Graphics, FedEx, SC Johnson, Kohl’s Department Stores, Veolia Environmental Services, and Modine Manufacturing.^[4] UW–Extension also worked with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and other government agencies, along with faculty from the four UW campuses, to build the curriculum.^[5]

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Wisconsin_Sustainable_Management

Pros

You get the value and the prestige of a degree from the University of Wisconsin System, as well as a wide-ranging set of courses from which to choose.

Cons

The University of Wisconsin Sustainable Management Degree was not ranked in the top 10 of its category from Bloomberg BusinessWeek.

From the Website

"It’s no secret our world and business environments are always changing. More than ever, sustainability is key to giving you a competitive edge in today’s economy—financially, environmentally, and socially. For this reason, the University of Wisconsin Sustainable Management programs are thoughtfully designed with input from twenty-first-century businesses across the United States. Curriculum is hands-on. Real-world problems are faced head-on. And you learn to develop triple bottom line businesses that balance profitability with the needs of the environment and the wider communities in which we live."

From: http://sustain.wisconsin.edu/about-sustainable-management/

Rankings

Princeton Review College Ranking: #7 (UW Madison)

Princeton Review Green Honor Roll: Yes (UW Stephens Point, UW Oshkosh)

Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges: Yes

US News and World Reports MBA Ranking: #34 (UW Madison)

Bloomberg BusinessWeek MBA Rankings: No

Financial Times Global MBA Rankings: #91 (UW Madison)

The Economist Global Executive MBA Rankings: #55 (UW Madison)

Wall Street Journal Business School Rankings: ?

Green Report Card Ranking: A Grade

Resources

Guide to Sustainability MBA Programs from Wikipedia

GreenerU Guide to Sustainability Rankings

Bloomberg BusinessWeek Top MBAs in Sustainability

Robert Nelson is blogger-in-chief at Dude, Sustainable!. Find us on Google+ or on Facebook.

Online Degrees in Sustainability - What to Do?

Online Degrees in Sustainability - What to Do? (via Dude, Sustainable!)

The face of American education is rapidly changing. Traditional four year colleges are becoming increasingly unaffordable for the middle classes, while the ranks and diversity of online degrees are swelling. Many of us who work from home, or even those…

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Online Degrees in Sustainability

Hi, and welcome to this brand new blog. On this site, we intend to discuss degree programs in sustainability, specifically ones that can be taken online. The world of higher education is changing, and an online degree is no longer a joke. Even the world's top universities, the Harvards, Stanfords and Berkeley's of the world are shifting their educational focus from the traditional, in-class model to a more diversified set of offerings with a heavy online component. Furthermore, degrees from the like of Phoenix and DeVry are no longer considered mere sheets of paper. Local colleges have become international, and international universities can now be local in any part of the world.

In this blog, we intend to periodically review degree programs in sustainability, specifically focusing on your options for online degrees. Whether it be strictly related to sustainability, or whether it be tangential like an MBA program, computer science degree or civil engineering degree to name a few, we intend to get to the heart of the matter through investigation and explication. Our sense of corporate social responsibility has informed our desire to be a resource and run a socially responsible business our of our home-based office. Nowhere is this more important than the mounting debate over sustainable development and climate change. Degree programs in sustainability aim to educate the next generation of social advocates, and we want to be on the front lines. Be socially responsible! Robert Nelson is blogger-in-chief at Dude, Sustainable!. Find us on Google+ or on Facebook.