#4

Better World MBA Program Nationwide by Corporate Knights

16

Months to complete

71

Number of countries represented by students

The Impact MBA at CSU’s College of Business demonstrates that business can be a force for good. This STEM-designated sustainable business MBA program prepares students to implement and manage sustainability initiatives within firms and create lasting organizational change. 

Market pressure, investor expectations, new SEC guidelines and other business and environmental forces have converged to make sustainability and social responsibility a part of every role and workplace. Industry stakeholders see the importance of graduates that understand environmental, social and governance (ESG) applications within business and the day-to-day implementation of sustainability initiatives in organizations. 

As organizations look to create sustainable solutions across every aspect of their business, the demand for professionals with the knowledge, skills and mindset to solve complex problems using a social, economic and environmental framework will continue to grow.

The world is changing, and the Impact MBA prepares you to help lead that change. Become a leader in sustainable business practices and join the Impact MBA, ranked No. 4 nationwide and No. 20 worldwide in the 2022 Corporate Knights "Better World MBA" Ranking and recipient of the 2020 Wharton-QS Reimagine Education silver award for sustainability education

Connect Purpose and Profit

Our sustainable MBA program delivers experiential learning opportunities to help you gain the skills you need to make an impact. You will join a supportive network of like-minded, innovative professionals and alumni, all focused on using business for good.

This 16-month program requires focus and dedication for you to make the most of this immersive experience. We go beyond case studies to deepen your expertise and offer real-world, authentic learning experiences. A key differentiator of the Impact MBA program is the summer fellowship, where you are matched with a company seeking your specialized skillsets. This gives you the opportunity to directly apply what you learn in the classroom in a real-world setting.  


“Business is more than profits. Business can also be a form of activism to influence societal progress and change.”

Francie Saunders, 2021 Impact MBA student


Interdisciplinary Perspectives

To address the most pressing challenges in your community, you’ll need an interdisciplinary perspective. That’s why the Impact MBA engages experts in greenhouse gas accounting, water, climate change, and sustainability to teach and share best practices. Your electives in this program engage experts outside of the College of Business and across the Colorado State University campus.

Specialize in your field and refine your skills with business certificates

The core of our sustainable MBA program lies in 29 credits of business courses. You’ll take these classes alongside the members of your cohort. With your remaining 15 credits, you can customize your MBA experience. Choose from nearly 30 electives and earn a graduate certificate in Carbon Management or Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The Impact MBA provides a strong foundation in business sustainability and enables you to make this an MBA that supports your career aspirations.

The Carbon Management certificate positions you as a valuable resource to businesses, governments and other organizations as they take steps to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. You’ll be introduced to the quantitative and qualitative methods that are used to study and manage greenhouse gases. This certificate is offered through CSU’s Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability. 

The Entrepreneurship and Innovation certificate prepares you to start your own business or become an innovator within an existing organization. When taken as part of the Impact MBA, you’ll explore how sustainable initiatives create value in unique ways, alongside co-curricular programming with the Institute for Entrepreneurship in the College of Business which includes venture validators, accelerators, mentoring, and pitch competitions. 

STEM designation

The Impact MBA program meets the federal definition of a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) program as it emphasizes technical skills combined with options for scientific coursework.

Benefits for international students

International Impact MBA students can apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT) that allows them to work for 12 months in the United States after completing the degree program. The STEM designation of the Impact MBA program makes students eligible for an additional 24-month OPT extension. With up to 36 months more time to work and network in the U.S., international students can build a valuable set of professional skills and contacts that can help them with their career endeavors.

Additionally, the Impact MBA program offers students the chance to participate in Curricular Practical Training. CPT connects students with off-campus job, training and internship opportunities. These off-campus opportunities align with the student’s course requirements and help them complete their degree.

Dual degree in business sustainability & finance: Impact MBA & Master of Finance

Expand your career options and strengthen your credentials further by completing two degrees in two years, with CSU’s College of Business STEM-designated, dual degree in the Impact MBA and the Master of Finance programs. You’ll learn the latest approaches to business sustainability through the Impact MBA and expand your knowledge of corporate and applied finance, ESG disclosures and investing with the Master of Finance.

Through the dual degree program, you’ll earn both degrees on the CSU Fort Collins campus, and save time and tuition by offsetting 15 total credit hours from two degree programs.


Business graduate students enter Rockwell Hall

Connect with current students about the Impact MBA program

At the CSU College of Business, our Impact MBA students may have varied career paths and goals, but they share a common interest in using business as a force for change. You can use Unibuddy to connect with current Impact MBA students and alumni to ask questions about the program, learn more about their experiences and discover how the program is helping to shape their next steps.

Connect with Unibuddy


Engage with a global network of experience with LinkedIn Learning

Made up of more than 18,000 courses, LinkedIn Learning connects you with content created by experts from around the world. As a College of Business graduate student, you’ll benefit from free access to this extensive online resource, valued between $240 to $360 annually, to update your LinkedIn with certificates of completion, supplement your coursework and discover new areas of interest.

Classes start on campus in August. Contact an Enrollment Counselor to learn more.
Program at a Glance 
Delivery: Face to face
Location: Fort Collins, CO, plus a summer fellowship
Length: 16 months (three semesters–includes a summer fellowship)
Start Dates: August
Schedule: Classes four to five days a week, Monday–Friday
Credits: 44
Degree awarded: On diploma: Master of Business Administration
On transcript: Master of Business Administration, major in Business Administration with Impact specialization

Out of state and relocating? You may qualify for in-state tuition if you are from the Western half of the United States.
 

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Did you know?

  CSU is No. 2 in the Sustainable Campus Index

- 2022 Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)

Read more

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Featured Impact MBA Faculty

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I’d never done in-depth interviews like that, and it was really cool sitting down and hearing their stories and challenges.

Researching energy needs in rural East Africa

Impact MBA ranked number 20 in world in Better World MBA Rankings

Impact MBA practicums harness big ideas for social change