Sustainability isn't just another buzzword—it's a new way of doing business that requires organizations to make a positive impact on surrounding communities. When you earn your Graduate Certificate in Sustainability and Business from Northeastern, you'll develop a foundation of skills for creating sustainable business strategies that can make you a more well-rounded leader.

Graduate Certificate in Sustainability and Business Program Overview

  • Program Structure: 4–5 courses
  • Class Schedule: Monday–Thursday evenings at 5:20 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
  • Time to Complete: 1 to 3 years

Part-Time Graduate Certificate | Typical Program Timeline

*Course offerings vary per semester.
*Starts in September or January. May be completed at a flexible pace but is usually completed in three semesters.

Unique Features

12 or 15

Credits may be applied toward a future MBA

Top 50

Among national universities (U.S. News & World Report)

The business learning you need

The business learning you need Opens in Modal
  • Learn strategies for addressing climate change, social justice, community impact, and governing transparency that give your organization a competitive edge in the marketplace
  • Specialize your studies with electives relevant to your goals, such as social entrepreneurship, public policy, or sustainable supply chain management
  • Build experience through applied project work and case studies—key components of Northeastern's practice-oriented approach to learning
  • Access expert career guidance from an experienced counselor at Northeastern's office of Employer Engagement and Career Design
  • Complete your certificate in as few as four courses, with the option for one additional elective to deepen your knowledge
  • Build the foundation for a future master's degree from Northeastern—you may be able to apply your certificate credits toward an eligible master's program

Admissions

  • Interview required? Upon request.
  • English language proficiency: English proficiency, both written and verbal, is necessary for success in D'Amore-McKim classrooms. For more information, review our admissions policies.
  • GMAT Required? No.
  • Where do I apply? Learn more here.
  • Eligible for International Student Visa? No. This program is not F-1 visa compliant.

Part-Time Graduate Certificates

Application DeadlinesDecision NotificationsClasses Begin
Oct. 4, 2023Rolling BasisJanuary
Nov. 9, 2023Rolling BasisJanuary
Dec. 7, 2023Rolling BasisJanuary
Feb. 1, 2024Rolling BasisSeptember
March 21, 2024Rolling BasisSeptember
May 9, 2024Rolling BasisSeptember
June 7, 2024Rolling BasisSeptember
July 3, 2024Rolling BasisSeptember
Aug. 1, 2024Rolling BasisSeptember

Tuition

Northeastern Student Financial Services publishes the tuition rates for Graduate Certificates. Under the “Graduate Programs” section, the cost per credit appears next to “D'Amore-McKim School of Business Programs.”

Financial Aid

Northeastern offers resources to help you finance your graduate education, and the Student Financial Services team will guide you through your options. Please visit the Graduate Financial Aid page.

Once you are a student, your financial aid advisor will work with you one-on-one to answer your questions, point you to resources and provide valuable insight as you navigate the financial commitments of your program.

Scholarships

Northeastern University has a variety of scholarships. As a graduate certificate applicant you may be eligible for the Full Circle Scholarship. You may also qualify for funding support as an alum, U.S. servicemember, or veteran.

Application Fee Waivers

D'Amore-McKim offers application fee waivers to applicants that meet specific criteria. You can review the policy on the Graduate Application FAQ web page.

The D'Amore-McKim School of Business community stands with our university and its leadership in our dedication to cultivating equity and inclusion for all humankind. Understanding and solving our problems requires constant interaction among people who bring their own diverse contexts and experiences to the conversation. Therefore, we must be a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community that values the uniqueness of its members, recognizes the power and importance of diversity in our own and surrounding communities, and ensures their engaged participation.

Graduate Student Clubs  

There are numerous university-wide and D'Amore-McKim-affiliated student groups that you may wish to join, and several are grounded in building inclusive communities and resiliency. Many of our graduate business students participate in the Graduate Students of Color Collective, Grad Q, and Out in Business.

Campus Resources

Participate in community-building programs, lectures, and events offered by Northeastern's cultural centers representing a range of affiliations and interests including the LGBTQA Resource Center, Latinx Student Cultural Center, Asian American Center, Office of Global Services, and many more.

Curriculum

The Part-Time Graduate Certificate in Sustainability and Business—designed for working professionals in the Boston area—examines how successful companies engage in sustainability efforts to increase operational efficiency, drive shareholder value, and build trust by supporting local communities.

Your required coursework will cover the essentials of global competition and market dominance, including best practices for creating value sustainably and making your organization more competitive. You'll choose electives that reflect your goals—such as social entrepreneurship, public policy, or sustainable supply chain management—enhancing your ability to integrate the bottom line and the greater good.

Required Course

Trains managers to understand the competitive implications of global economic policies, the business effects of technological change, and the commercial imperatives of alternative political systems at a macro level. At a micro level, it creates a framework for industry analysis in a global setting that combines economic analysis, competitive analysis, and business decision-making skills.

MECN 6200 | 3 Hours

Electives (Choose 3-4)

Designed to provide students with an in-depth exposure to entrepreneurship in the social sector, a rapidly growing segment of the global economy. Uses the case method to expose students to leading entrepreneurs who have developed and implemented business models to solve social problems such as extreme poverty, disease, illiteracy, and economic and social dislocation. Focuses on uniquely creative and driven people who have dedicated their lives to making a difference in the lives of others through values-based entrepreneurship.

ENTR 6214 | 3 Hours

Explores using innovation to build and create value in the larger global context. Examines some of the latest innovation practices: (1) to build and create value within emerging economies, (2) to facilitate social entrepreneurship, (3) to promote sustainable development, and (4) to build and create value at the bottom of the pyramid. Exposes students to what successful entrepreneurs must learn to balance business demands with the larger need for innovative thinking. Stresses the application of successful practices to generate results. Topics include creating and sharing knowledge and intellectual property, exploiting systems and networks, redefining disruptive innovation, and the steps necessary to make innovation and entrepreneurship happen in a variety of global contexts. Uses real-life examples and case studies to illustrate successful practices.

ENTR 6216 | 3 Hours

Offers students an opportunity to learn about how companies overcome the barriers to managing global new-product development. Studies how distance, along with differences in culture, capabilities, costs, and customers, make the task of managing global new-product development efforts incredibly difficult and delicate. Also studies how firms develop and execute global innovation strategies, build and leverage global networks, create R&D capabilities abroad, manage distributed projects and virtual teams, and how emerging market firms innovate globally.

INTB 6217 | 3 Hours

Examines the idea that building a sustainable business enterprise often involves correcting market failures. Examines the responsibilities of the business enterprise to society at large. Also explores the causes of and remedies for market failures, such as immigration, education, healthcare, climate change, and finance, and what these mean for governments, businesses, and individuals.

MECN 6205 | 3 Hours

Examines how organizational leaders influence decisions to advance an environmental agenda. Studies the scientific knowledge that organizational leaders must have to make effective sustainability decisions. Analyzes how a variety of organizations, including businesses, governments, government-sponsored enterprises, and nongovernment organizations, interact on environmental issues.

MGMT 6225 | 3 Hours

Examines how the environment affects corporate strategy, public policy, and individual decision making. Exposes students to the skills and knowledge needed to help organizations understand and act upon the principles of sustainability. Examines a variety of environmental problems, including global warming, use and disposal of toxic substances, and depletion of natural resources. Also studies how companies solve these problems by reducing their impact on the environment through solutions such as zero emissions, green design, and corporate environmental reporting.

MGMT 6226 | 3 Hours

Focuses on how to create sustainable supply chains that profitably yield high-quality, safe products without supply interruption while creating a net benefit for the employees, community, and the environment. Studies how companies measure environmental performance and use the data to motivate associates, suppliers, customers, policy makers, and the public. Also addresses the impacts of global sustainability frameworks and measures.

SCHM 6221 | 3 Hours

The following is a sample curriculum and is subject to change. Enrolled students should reference the academic catalog for current program requirements.

“More and more, companies are coming to realize the value of making sustainability integral to their business strategies. The Graduate Certificate in Sustainability and Business equips you with the knowledge to incorporate sustainable practices into all aspects of a company, from building customer trust, to attracting and retaining a committed workforce, to developing reliable supplier relationships and obtaining social impact financing.”

Sheila M. Puffer, University Distinguished Professor
Professor of International Business and Strategy

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