There is broad agreement that human activities are changing the global climate and future consequences are potentially disastrous. Businesses and other organizations recognize there are risks associated with environmental and social challenges—but also potential benefits. The concept of sustainability is central to organizational efforts that respond to environmental and social concerns in ways that maximize competitive advantages. TheCertificateofAdvancedStudyinSustainableEnterprise(CASSE)isofferedbytheSustainableEnterprisePartnership(SEP),acollaborationamongSyracuseUniversity’sMartinJ.WhitmanSchoolofManagementandCollegeofEngineeringandComputerScience,theStateUniversityofNewYork–CollegeofEnvironmentalScienceandForestry(SUNY-ESF),andtheSyracuseCenterofExcellenceinEnvironmentalandEnergySystems.TheCASSEengagesgraduatestudentsfromacrossSyracuseUniversityandSUNY-ESF,preparingprofessionalswhounderstandtheeconomic,environmental,technicalandsocialdimensionsofsustainable enterprise.
THE CASE FOR CASSEFewU.S.businessormanagementschoolspartnerwithscienceand/orengineeringschoolstodeliversustainability-relatedcurricula,researchandoutreach.Fewerstillintegratebusiness,policy,scienceandpracticeinthesepursuits.CASSEgraduatesaredisciplinaryexperts—inenvironmentalscience,constructionmanagement,orenvironmentalstudies,forexample—whoalsounderstandtherelevanceofsustainabilitytotheirfieldsandarereadytodevelopinnovativeapproachestocomplexenvironmentalandsocialrisksandopportunities.TheCASSEcorefacultycollaborativelydevelopanddelivertherequiredcourses,whilepreparing you to develop innovative and adaptive approaches to complex environmental and social risks.
SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS ARE NEEDED FOR A FINITE WORLDSUPPLEMENT YOUR AREA OF EXPERTISE WITH A KNOWLEDGE OF SUSTAINABILITY
“TheCASSEprogramrefinedmyabilitytoanalyzethetriplebottomlineimpactsofsustainabilitymanagementandpolicydecisionmaking.Inmycurrentrole,theseanalyticalskillscontributetoeffectiveprojectmanagementandtheidentificationofoperationalefficiencies.IwasdrawntotheCASSEprogrambecauseitenrichedmy environmental studies and public administration degrees by allowing for deeper exploration of key management issues within a sustainability context.”
Carolyn Ramsden ’11 MS (ESF), MPA (MAX), CASSEProject Coordinator, DNV KEMA Energy & Sustainability
Acollaborationamong:SyracuseUniversity–WhitmanSchoolofManagement,CollegeofEngineeringandComputerScience
StateUniversityofNewYork–CollegeofEnvironmentalScienceandForestry
SyracuseCenterofExcellenceinEnvironmentalandEnergySystems
CONTACT INFORMATIONTodd Moss, Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship, Whitman School of Management, Syracuse University 315.443.9215 | [email protected]
Sharon Moran, Associate Professor, SUNY-ESF 315.470.6690 | [email protected]
[email protected] | partnersforsustainability.org
Certificatecandidatesmustarticulatearationaleandfocustosupporttheselectionofelectives.Studentsmayselectelectivesfromtheirhomeschool/college,whichtheymayhavetakenasprerequisites to satisfy other requirements; these electives may also be counted toward another programorconcentration.Inadditiontothesecourserequirements,astudentmustattainatleastaBincoursestakentofulfillthecertificaterequirementsandacumulativeGPAofatleast3.0toearntheCASSE.
“Nowadaystherearebroadopportunitiesforcompaniesinthesustainabilityfield.TheCASSEprogramprovidestoolstodetermine and analyze the variables that affect businesses and to create a business strategy in a triple bottom context.”
Lina Carmago ’14 MS (ESF), CASSE Global Reporting Initiative, Focal Point Coordinator, Colombia & Latin America
CURRICULUMOurCASSEisopentoallcurrentlymatriculatedgraduatestudentsatSyracuseUniversityandSUNY-ESF.Certificatecandidatesarerequiredtocompletefivecourses—threecorecoursesandtwoelectives(15totalcredits):
> BUA/ECS650/EST696: MANAGING SUSTAINABILITY: PURPOSE, PRINCIPLES, AND PRACTICE (3credits) ◦ offeredeveryspring ◦ availableasastand-aloneelective,aswellasaCASSEcorecourse
> BUA/ECS651: STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT AND THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT (3credits) ◦ offeredthroughanacceleratedformatinlateAugust ◦ availabletoallstudentswhohavesuccessfullycompetedBUA/ECS650,orbyinstructor permission,whetherornottheyintendtocompletetheCASSE
> BUA/ECS759/EST796: SUSTAINABILITY-DRIVEN ENTERPRISE (3credits) ◦ offeredeveryspring ◦ prerequisites:BUA/ECS650,BUA/ECS651,firstCASSEelective;secondelectivemaybetaken concurrentlywithBUA/ECS759
CAREER OPPORTUNITIESCASSEgraduateshaveenhancedcareeropportunitiesbasedonsubstantiveexpertiseandexperience working in interdisciplinary teams. Infact,students,alumsandemployersreportthatthisexperienceisasignificantdifferentiatorinsecuringinternshipsandpermanentpositions.
“Beingpartofamulti-disciplinaryclasswithengineers,accountants,environmentalistsandMBAstudentshastaughtmetoapproachsustainabilityfromenvironmental,socialandeconomicperspectives.LearninghowtocalculateNPVandIRRisasimportantassavingtheenvironmentandCASSEhastaughtmeexactlythatandmuchmore.IcreditCASSEforpreparingmeformyfirstjobandIhopetouseallthatI’velearnedthroughoutmycareer.”
Aayushi Patel ’14 MS (ESF), CASSE EDF Climate Core Fellow
