Sustainability is top of mind in today’s workplace, and advancing your skills can position you to meet the growing demand for leadership in this field. In this program, you’ll tackle real-world sustainability challenges using case studies from your own workplace. You’ll explore global strategies for sustainability communication, leadership and decision-making to gain practical tools for creating meaningful change. Leadership-focused electives further refine your ability to drive initiatives forward.
Upon graduation, you’ll have the skills to:
- Apply solutions-based knowledge and tools for institutional development.
- Build and communicate cases for sustainability initiatives in organizations.
- Gain critical knowledge, approaches and tools for sustainability leadership.
- Lead institutional change and development toward sustainability.
- Understand the emerging global sustainability context.
Interact with executive-level sustainability managers and strategists
This program features an immersive, weeklong, three-credit course in a major U.S. metropolitan city. This experience connects you with top sustainability leaders who share insights on overcoming challenges and implementing solutions. Site visits to corporations, nonprofits and government agencies provide real-world context, while collaborative sessions with your cohort offer opportunities to brainstorm strategies and build practical consultancy experience.
You’ll also be guided by experienced faculty with expertise in sustainability science, business and governance. They’ll mentor you throughout the program and share integrated, practical knowledge on how to implement sustainable practices effectively.
Who’s a good candidate for this program?
This program is designed for professionals with at least five years of experience who want to advance their sustainability expertise. Whether you work in business, engineering, education, health care or another field, this program equips you to lead sustainability efforts and elevate your career.
If you’re early in your career or need more flexibility, our Master of Sustainability Leadership program may be a better choice. The curriculum is almost identical, but it doesn’t offer an immersive experience in a major U.S. metropolitan city.
Are you eager to drive new sustainability initiatives within your organization? Arizona State University’s Executive Master of Sustainability Leadership online equips you to overcome challenges and lead impactful change. You’ll gain a global perspective on sustainability strategy, communication and leadership, preparing you to apply sustainable practices immediately and effectively.
Courses are designed to deepen your understanding of sustainability and its real-world applications. You’ll explore strategies for implementing impactful initiatives and discover how to navigate the balance among social, environmental and corporate priorities in decision-making.
The School of Sustainability recruits faculty from the finest practitioners in sustainability science, business, governance and mission-driven organizations. They cover a variety of disciplines — including business policy, renewable energy and environmental science — and strive to make the world more sustainable through use-inspired research.
ASU is a global university recognized for its commitment to innovation, research and high-quality academic programs. Our university has been recognized with peer-reviewed honors from U.S. News & World Report and receives accolades from other prestigious organizations.
university in the U.S. in pursuit of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
in the U.S. for innovation for 11 consecutive years, ahead of Stanford and MIT.
“Cool Schools” for sustainability by Sierra Club for campus sustainability.
best global universities.
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of the Graduate College and the School of Sustainability.
Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree, in any field, from a regionally accredited institution. They should also have a minimum of five years of professional or organizational experience or the equivalent.
Applicants must have at least a cumulative 3.00 GPA (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 semester hours of an undergraduate degree for regular admission. Or applicants must have at least a 3.00 cumulative GPA (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.
The admission committee will consider lower GPAs for provisional admission. Provisional admission applies to applicants with decent work experience and/or good reasons why their GPA was low. If provisional, the student must maintain a B or better in the first semester of the program.
All applicants must submit:
- Graduate admission application and application fee.
- Personal statement in response to four questions.
- Official transcripts.
- Two letters of recommendation.
- Resume or curriculum vitae.
All candidates must provide a personal statement in response to four questions. Applicants need to answer the following questions in approximately 300-500 words per question.
- At this stage in your career, what are you passionate about?
- What unique experiences and qualities will you bring to the EMSL program?
- What are your intended objectives for the EMSL program? How will completion of the EMSL program support your long-term career goals?
- Please provide any information you would like to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee. If you have a low GPA, it's appropriate to include any circumstances that contributed to the low GPA as an answer to this question.
Applicants should be active professionals who have five years of experience or the equivalent. Qualifying experience is broad and does not have to include management or supervisory positions. Experience does not have to be in sustainability, but it's an advantage. Most students do not come from a sustainability background.
Some students don't work during the program. This may pose challenges in completing their capstone project. If students aren't working, they must work with the capstone faculty to ensure successful completion. Applicants should provide their current employer name, address, phone, job title, industry category, occupation category and years/months of experience. The applicant may also provide their current salary, but it's not required.
International applicants will need to meet ASU’s English proficiency requirements. Additionally, applicants should have a TOEFL Score of 100 or greater to meet course prerequisite requirements for the program English proficiency. They may also have an 80% or greater in ASU Global Launch's Online English for Admission and Achievement course (preferred).
No, Arizona State University’s diplomas don’t specify whether you earn your degree online or in person. All diplomas and transcripts simply say “Arizona State University.”