As more businesses look to become environmentally friendly, Bard College in New York will soon offer a new master of business administration (MBA) in sustainability program for students looking to add a speciality degree in "green" practices on their resume. The school said the 2-year program, set to get underway next fall, is being developed in partnership with the Bard Center for Environmental Policy (CEP) and the Levey Economics Institute of Bard College, which is a nonpartisan economic policy research organization. Eban Goodstein, Bard CEP and director of the new program, said the unique degree will provide a solid background in core business principles, as well as key sustainability strategies that will impact the way companies do business in the future. "It’s not something we would have imagined as recently as four years ago. Sustainability is mainstream, and increasingly a key factor in corporate strategy," Goodstein added. " It’s time for business education to catch up." First year students in the program will also participate in yearlong sustainability consultancies with area businesses, government agencies and nonprofit organizations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that job opportunities for business management consultants and analysts are expected to grow by 24 percent through the end of the decade. |