Look for a Green MBA Program: 5 Things to Consider

If you are considering getting a green Masters in Business Administration degree, you likely want to further your career aspirations while also being a more mindful professional who can encourage businesses to use sustainable practices in the workplace and beyond. Here are 5 things to consider when you are looking for a Green MBA program.

1. Do your research. It will be easy to find multiple schools that interest you on your pursuit of an MBA, but you will need to refine this search and narrow down your options. Check out a few extremely helpful resources such as Beyond Grey Pinstripe’s MBA rankings and Net Impact’s Business as UNusual Guide. The first text will give you all MBA programs and rankings so that you can compare all programs and schools, not just those that are green focused. The UNusual guide will give you insight into the programs’ green focus such as how much the green lifestyle and intention seeps into classes, projects, student life, activities and more.
2. Determine how “green” the program truly is. While many programs claim to be green, there are growing pains and the process can take some time before the program is truly, 100% sustainability focused. Find out if the program is completely green, or if it simply has a green focus and is in the beginning stages of program and course development. This will likely have a large impact on the thoroughness of your green MBA education.
3. Find out who’s teaching. Faculty is one of the largest and more influential aspects of any university program, especially an MBA program. You want to look to see that professors teaching at a school are breaking new ground in the field of green and sustainable business practice. Make sure these professors are actively working in their field and making a significant difference in the business world. These individual will shape you own learning and professional practices, so you will want to find the best minds you can!
4. Look to see where your role models went to school. If you are pursuing a green MBA you like have people in your life or people who have heard about who have shaped your desire to learn more. If it is someone you know such as a boss, colleague or friend, be sure to ask them where they went and how they felt about their education and experience. If you don’t know the person, do some research about their background that can help guide you in your own educational process.
5. Make sure you will get hands on experience in your field. One large factor to look for in a program is if they will prepare you for the real world. Find out what kinds of hands on experiences are available to students, projects or internship offered and other opportunities you find unique or meaningful. These opportunities help you to apply what you learn in the classroom to authentic situations so that you will be prepared for the business world post graduation.

Getting a green MBA degree is a great investment in your profession and your future. More and more companies are looking for strong leaders with sustainable innovative ideas to become a part of their team and help them flourish into the future. This degree will be a wise choice. Be sure to consider all of your options, do your research, assess the program’s green focus, look at the faculty and staff, find out where your role models went to school and look for programs that are hands on and authentic. These tips will help you to find the perfect green MBA program for you and your needs such as http://www.mbaonline.pepperdine.edu.