Certificate Proposal - Sustainability Entrepreneurship 

The proposed certification program will consist of a set of three courses tailored to address sustainability, environmental issues, and entrepreneurship with a strong emphasis on climate change. It is a new offering that aims to expand and improve the existing technology entrepreneurship focused curriculum. This program will include a combination of existing courses with new additions specifically designed for the certification.

There are three pillars of the course contents: sustainable entrepreneurship (such as sustainable business model, corporate social responsibility, and ESG investing), clean technology innovation and commercialization, and sustainable business practicum. Students will have the option to complete the concentration alongside their regular MBA studies or as a separate certification program. This program is unique in its experiential and participatory framework in collaboration with both SBU internal and external stakeholders. Students will develop an in-depth understanding about sustainability and entrepreneurship with ample opportunities to interact with SBU faculty across disciplines and learn about the emerging science and technologies that have a strong sustainability focus and lasting impacts on society and the environment. Furthermore, students would gain valuable experiential learning experiences by engaging and collaborating with external stakeholders via our sustainable business practicum. This practicum would also contribute to the I&E ecosystem by connecting students with sustainable business owners with diverse backgrounds. They would learn about the latest sustainability practices and work jointly with faculty mentors and business owners to analyze and create practical solutions for sustainable business issues. This program would foster a significant partnership with regional stakeholders to provide students with real-world experience that would result in internships and employment. Our program aims to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion by fostering an inclusive and diverse community interested in sustainable entrepreneurship and climate action and ensure underrepresented, underestimated, and under-resourced students and stakeholders are actively engaged throughout our program.