4 Credits | Approx. 3 weeks
It is widely accepted that sustainability, the environment, and energy economics represent some of the most challenging risks facing businesses today, as well as some of the most exciting opportunities. From climate change, environment to energy economics, the success of business in the future will depend on how companies address these challenges and align themselves with the needs of society and the environment.
The specialized MBA program in “Sustainability, Energy, and Environment” aims at providing skills and tools needed for analyzing, understanding, and assessing strategic decisions about energy production, sustainability, and climate change mitigation. The Program will start by creating a global framework of the energy sources and uses and of the strategic role of energy and sustainable development. Then, it will focus on the critical challenges in achieving sustainability to meet the energy consumption needs of a growing population in the face of increasing economic prosperity and finite resources. Energy efficiency and the emerging paradigms of energy communities and smart cities will be further investigated. The role of technological innovation and renewable energy production will be assessed providing students with real case studies at the global level. This program also examines the scientific foundation of anthropogenic climate change and the forecast for humans’ impact on Earth’s climate, including sea-level change, variations in precipitation, vegetation, storminess, and the related economic impacts
After completing this MBA program, graduates are expected to
Rushford offers Recognition of Prior Experience (RPE) and thus a formal bachelor’s degree is not mandatory for entering this program.
2-3 weeks
90
30
Students will complete this specialized MBA in two stages.
Stage 1: Rushford Core MBA Program
The Rushford Online MBA program is comprised of a total of 17 courses and each course lasts approximately 3 weeks. Each course is comprised of 4 ECTS credits. Students must complete 12 Core courses and 3 out of the 5 Elective courses to earn a total of 60 ECTS for becoming eligible for the MBA award.
Stage 2: Specialization in Sustainability, Energy, and Environment
The Rushford Online specialization coursework in Sustainability, Energy, and Environment is comprised of 20 ECTS and a capstone project of 10 ECTS to earn a total of 90 ECTS for becoming eligible for the MBA in Sustainability, Energy and Environment award.
3
Approx. 3
Course Outline
1 Introduction to Sustainability, Energy and Environment
Pre-history and pre-industrial energy consumption and fossil fuel production
Energy and environment
The essential principles of climate change science
Introduction to renewable energy sources
2 Energy Supply
Evolution of energy mix
Supply of fossil fuels
Future growth in OPEC crude oil production
Supply of nuclear energy
Supply of renewable energy
3 Energy Use
Global energy consumption
Energy use by sector
Residential site energy consumption by end-use
Energy use by region
4 Electrical Power Generation
The coal power plant
Oil and gas power plant
Nuclear power plant
Renewable energy production
5 Are We Running Out of Oil?
Oil reserves and production profiles
Crude oil supply and demand gap
Oil shale resources and mining
Global oil shale production growth
6 Introduction to Sustainability
Conventional dimension of sustainability
Environmental, economic and social sustainability
The motivations behind sustainability
Green growth and socio-ecological systems
7 Energy and Environmental Protection
A model of human interaction with the environment
Matrix of environmental indicators
Emissions of air pollutants by sector
The role of the state and climate change
Drivers, pressures, impacts and responses
8 Energy Policy
What are the energy policy objectives for government?
Policy instruments for sustainable energy management
Economic efficiency as an objective
Policy instrument: regulatory, economic and market-based instruments
9 Sustainable Communities and Smart City
Defining a sustainable community
What is a smart city
Urban sustainable development planning
Smart city case studies
10 Energy Efficiency
Concept of energy efficiency
Scope of increasing energy efficiency
Energy efficient appliance
Energy efficient measure and policy
11 Towards Sustainable Transport
Traffic and air pollution
Growing congestion in urban area
Sustainable transport systems and decarbonization
Emissions reductions from strategic travel efficiency
12 Climate Variation and Global Warming
Definition of climate
The circulation of the atmosphere and oceans
Seasonal variation of solar radiation
Global average surface albedo
Observed cloud effects of radiation
13 The Earth’s Carbon Cycle and CO2 Emissions
The global carbon cycle
Long-term climate change
Short-term carbon fluxes
Carbon emissions from fossil fuel use
14 Climate Change: Environmental Impacts
Global temperature observation
Precipitations anomalies
Projected temperature change
Sea level rise and impact on coastal areas
15 Climate Change: Economic Impacts
Areas of the economy affected by climate change
Cost to mitigate climate change
Economic analysis to estimate climate change mitigation
Cost to adapt to climate change
The social discount rate
16 Climate Change Mitigation
Unprecedent increases in Carbon Dioxide
What drives carbon emissions?
Emissions past and future
Climate impacts and adaptation
17 Wind Power Energy Production
Global and local wind
History of wind machines
Vertical-axis turbines and horizontal-axis turbines
Environmental impacts on land use, wildlife and public health
18 Nuclear Power
The relationship between nuclear power and economic growth
Economic aspect of nuclear power reactors
Financial cost of nuclear reactor in different countries
Risks associated with nuclear power plant
19 Solar Thermal Energy and Concentrated Solar Tower (CST)
Introduction to heat transfer
Source of solar energy
Global solar energy distribution
Solar thermal energy systems
CST technology status
Existing operational solar towers plant case studies
20 Photovoltaic Power Generation
How do photovoltaic work
Photovoltaic solar cells panel comparison
The economics of solar photovoltaic power
Photovoltaic environmental impacts
21 New Hydrogen Economy
Thermal, electrolytic and photolytic processes
The challenges of hydrogen storage
Hydrogen and fuels cells for transport
Hydrogen economy: challenges and perspectives
22 Ocean Renewable Energy Technologies
Ocean energy
Global ocean renewable energy sources
Wave energy converters
Tidal stream generator
OTEC Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion
10%
The data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that the year on year growth for jobs in the sustainability, energy, and environment market will grow at over 9% which is higher than the average of all industries put together. With most organizations globally investing significantly in waste reduction, energy efficiency, and environmental commitment, there is an excellent prospect for graduates who specialize in these areas alongside their business and management studies.
The Rushford MBA in Sustainability, Energy, and Environment has been designed to ensure that students receive hands-on knowledge and learn from case studies that mimic real-life situations. We train our students to manage complex operations within these sectors. Popular areas for career entry or enhancement after completing this MBA program are as follows:
Sustainability Specialist
Climate Change Analyst
Sustainability Consultant
Energy Consultant
Environmental Specialist
Corporate Sustainability Strategist
Rushford maintains very high standards for students who enter our academic programs. For all MBA programs, the following criteria need to be met before admission is offered to a prospective student.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s Degree or an equivalent recognized academic title in any discipline
Qualifications Waiver:
For students who don’t have a Bachelor’s Degree, Rushford uses Recognition of Prior Experience (RPE). SSBIM generally utilizes over 3 years of relevant experience in a significant role for waiver of Bachelor’s Degree. Please contact us at admissions@rushford.ch for exploring this pathway.
Proficiency in English:
Evidence of Proficiency in English
IELTS 6.0+ , OR
PTE 50+ , OR
TOEFL 550+, OR
Any other proficiency test taken in the last 2 years
English Proficiency Waiver:
The English proficiency test is waived for the following candidates:
Native English Speakers, OR;
Applicants having completed their schooling in English (i.e. High School Diploma or IB), OR;
Applicants having completed their undergraduate degree in English in an English speaking country, OR;
2 Years of work experience in a setting in which English is the primary language of work
Rushford Business School through its parent school (James Lind Institute) is certified by EduQua, a Swiss quality label for further education institutions. EduQua is an accreditation body recognized and supported by the Swiss Confederate Government. EduQua is the first quality certification for public and private educational institutions in Switzerland and is recognized, supported, and endorsed by the following organizations: • Swiss Federal Government • Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK) • State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) • Swiss Conference for Professional Training department (SBBK) • Swiss Association of Employment Departments (VSAA) • Swiss Federation for Adult Learning (SVEB)
Rushford Business School through its parent school (James Lind Institute) is a member of the “Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) ACBSP is a global accrediting body which accredits business programs at the associate, baccalaureate, and graduate degree levels worldwide since 1988. Rushford Business School is part of a membership that extends to more than 60 countries. ACBSP members are amongst the best educators in their respective fields, interested in learning innovative teaching methods, improving the delivery of business education programs, and creative value for their students.
Rushford Business School through its parent school (James Lind Institute) is a member of the “International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE)” The IACBE accredits business programs that lead to degrees at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels in institutions of higher education worldwide. All modes of delivery, campuses, locations, and instructional sites, as well as all business programs regardless of degree level, will normally be included in the IACBE accreditation review.
Rushford Business School is a proud supporter and Signatory of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education (UN PRME). PRME is an initiative of the United Nations Global Compact founded in 2007 as a platform to encourage and increase awareness and integration of sustainability in business schools around the world. Today, PRME is the largest coordinated effort between the world’s business schools and the United Nations. Rushford Business School became a PRME signatory in 2020. As a school, we understand the privilege and responsibility of providing quality education that gives learners the knowledge and tools they need to succeed, change lives, and transform societies.
James Lind Institute is a proud member of the prestigious International Council for Open & Distance Education. ICDE has consultative partner status with UNESCO and shares UNESCO’s key value – the universal right to education for all. ICDE further derives its position from the unique knowledge and experience of its members throughout the world in the development and use of new methodologies and emerging technologies.
Completing your MBA from Rushford gives you the confidence and credibility to have completed a program from a top class European Business School
We offer one of the most flexible programs globally and you are always in control of how quickly you want to learn
We ensure that our academic programs stay current with the latest topics of relevance and importance
