Sustainability Skills for Business Leaders
Future-Proof Your Career with
Flexible, Online Sustainable Business Courses
Enhance your impact and future-proof your career with Unity Environmental University’s specialized courses and degrees in sustainable business. Designed with Education Where You Are in mind, our programs are fully asynchronous, allowing you to learn on your schedule. Choose from accelerated 5-week courses at the bachelor’s level or 8-week courses at the graduate level, running year-round, to reach your goals on a schedule that works for you.
In each course—from Behavioral Economics to Impact Investment for a Sustainable World—you’ll gain practical skills and insights highly valued by employers committed to sustainability, from Behavioral Economics and Leading Sustainable Change to Organizational Behavior and Impact Investment for a Sustainable World. Our innovative course projects give you opportunities to apply complex skills in real-world scenarios, building expertise that will enable you to make valuable contributions to achieving corporate sustainability goals.
Stand out with digital badges earned in key graduate courses, making your achievements and specialized skills easily recognizable to employers who prioritize sustainable growth and innovation. Start building your future with Unity Environmental University—where flexible, impactful learning meets the demands of today’s sustainable business landscape.
Master’s Level Courses
Prerequisites: 90 credits at the bachelor’s level, including at least 12 credits at the 300-level or above.
Dates Offered:
January 6, 2025 — March 2, 2025
SUST 515 Leading Sustainable Change
Drawing on contemporary leadership theories, this course emphasizes the development of personal effectiveness and the strategic leadership capabilities essential for fostering sustainable change. Students will engage in a comprehensive exploration of sustainability leadership, from foundational principles to strategic planning and effective engagement with interested and affected parties. By the end of the course, students will have developed a Personal Leadership Plan that not only reflects their growth as sustainability leaders but also equips them with the tools and mindset needed to implement effective and lasting change in their organizations.
Credits: 3
Earn Digital Badges!
PSYC 505 Behavioral Economics: Understanding What Shapes Decision-Making
Behavioral economics, a fairly new subfield of economics, uses concepts and tools from psychology and economics to understand human decision-making. In this course, students will learn how cognitive, emotional, social, and cultural factors can impact decision-making and explain why decisions are often not rational, consistent, or, as predicted by traditional economic models, self-serving. Students will study how insights from behavioral economics have been used to promote pro-environmental and/or sustainable behavior.
Credits: 3
SUST 525 Making the Invisible Visible: The ESG Proposition
The environment, social, governance (ESG) framework is a powerful tool for shaping sustainable business practices and investment decisions. ESG reporting has become a mechanism for supporting sustainable investment and catalyzing the adoption of sustainable business practices. This course will introduce learners to the three dimensions of the ESG framework and strategies for gathering and reporting data about each. Learners will analyze sample ESG propositions and develop a proposition for a specific business or organization.
Credits: 3
Earn Digital Badges!
SBUS 503 Organizational Behavior and Change Management Strategies
This course provides an in-depth exploration of organizational behavior and change management with a focus on sustainability. It examines the dynamics of organizational structures and cultures and how leaders can effectively implement and manage change toward sustainability. Students will learn strategic approaches to influencing behavior across all levels of an organization to foster environmental, social, and governance. Through a combination of theoretical frameworks, case studies, and practical simulations, participants will gain the skills necessary to become effective change agents in various organizational settings.
Credits: 3
Earn Digital Badges!
Bachelor’s Level Courses
Dates Offered:
January 13, 2025 — February 16, 2025
MGMT 201 Corporate Sustainability: Frameworks and Standards
This course examines multiple methods to assess environmental risks and develop sustainable solutions for business. It is designed to empower students with the skills and knowledge needed to lead corporate sustainability initiatives effectively, ensuring businesses contribute positively to the environment and society, while maximizing value. Participants will explore prominent sustainability frameworks such as the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and Environmental Management Systems. Through a combination of theoretical insights, case studies, and practical applications, students will develop a comprehensive understanding of how corporations hold themselves accountable against external benchmarks by integrating sustainability into their core strategies.
Credits: 3
Earn Digital Badges!
Dates Offered:
February 24, 2025 — March 30, 2025
April 7, 2025 — May 11, 2025
FINC 401 Impact Investment for a Sustainable World
This course is designed to equip students with the knowledge and practical skills necessary to engage in impact investment strategies that contribute to building a more sustainable world. The project-based course combines theoretical frameworks with real-world applications, providing students with a comprehensive understanding of impact investing and its role in addressing global challenges. Through case studies and projects, students will explore the intersection of finance, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: College algebra or higher level math course.
Earn Digital Badges!
Check Out Our Related Degree Programs
Climate-Ready Business
Sustainable Master of Business Administration
This program integrates sustainability leadership, environmental economics, and renewable energy systems, preparing you to navigate the complexities of global climate agreements and policy. Learn to lead in climate adaptation, influence climate policy and governance, and implement sustainability practices.
Sustainable Business Management
Bachelor of Science
Unity Environmental University’s BS in Sustainable Business Management will prepare students to be innovative sustainability business leaders. This program will provide practical expertise and professional skills to students interested in a profession that advances the sustainable business movement.