This program provides students with a comprehensive knowledge of sustainable business management approaches and strategies. Firms, organizations, and employers of all sizes are recognizing their role in shaping a more just society and sustainable environment. In today’s workforce, social and sustainable business expertise is a required competency for nearly all roles and the availability of sustainability-focused jobs is growing rapidly. Most large companies now produce sustainability reports and measure, manage, and report on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals.
This program focuses on providing students with subject matter knowledge and experience to effectively integrate economic, social, and environmental goals into their work or business strategy. As a result of this concentration, students will develop knowledge regarding approaches and trends in sustainable business, understand the role of business in addressing sustainability and social issues, drive sustainable marketing and consumption, and develop leadership skills to shape responsible business practice. Graduates will be able to harness emerging trends in green business for strategic positioning and social/environmental good.
In addition to the All-University Core Curriculum, course work for a concentration in Sustainable Business includes the College of Business Core and various electives that allow the student to structure a program around their educational and/or career interests.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion, students will be able to:
- Identify the impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss, among other social and environmental sustainability issues, on business and society.
- Understand how business practice contributes to global sustainability challenges.
- Recognize and articulate the role of business in addressing sustainability issues.
- Analyze the ethical, legal, regulatory, strategic, and financial implications inherent in business situations and apply that knowledge to make sustainable and responsible decisions.
- Apply their knowledge to effectively integrate economic, social, and environmental goals into their work or business strategy.
- Harness emerging trends in green business for strategic positioning and social/environmental good.
The College of Business requires a minimum grade point average of 2.000 in business and economics courses as a graduation requirement.
Effective Fall 2024
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| AUCC | Credits | ||
| BUS 100 or 105 | Introduction to Business Exploration of Business | 1 | |
| BUS 220 | Ethics in Contemporary Organizations (GT-AH3) | 3B | 3 |
| CIS 200 | Business Information Systems | 3 | |
| CO 150 | College Composition (GT-CO2) | 1A | 3 |
| ECON 202 | Principles of Microeconomics (GT-SS1) | 3C | 3 |
| Select 3 credits from the following: | 3 | ||
| College Algebra in Context I (GT-MA1) | 1B | ||
| College Algebra in Context II (GT-MA1) | 1B | ||
| College Algebra (GT-MA1) | 1B | ||
| Logarithmic and Exponential Functions (GT-MA1) | 1B | ||
| Numerical Trigonometry (GT-MA1) | 1B | ||
| Analytic Trigonometry (GT-MA1) | 1B | ||
| Precalculus (GT-MA1) | 1B | ||
MATH 141 (or higher level calculus course) | Calculus in Management Sciences (GT-MA1) | 1B | |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 3A | 4 | |
| Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | 1C | 3 | |
| Electives | 7 | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| ACT 210 | Introduction to Financial Accounting | 3 | |
| ACT 220 | Introduction to Managerial Accounting | 3 | |
| Select one course from the following:1 | 1-3 | ||
| Foundations of Sustainable Enterprise | |||
| Fostering Sustainable Organizations (GT-AH3) | 3B | ||
| BUS 260 | Social-Ethical-Regulatory Issues in Business | 3 | |
| ECON 204 | Principles of Macroeconomics (GT-SS1) | 3C | 3 |
| STAT 204 | Statistics With Business Applications (GT-MA1) | 1B | 3 |
| Select 3 credits from the following Lower-Division Concentration Electives: | 3 | ||
| Economics of Food Systems (GT-SS1) | 1C | ||
| Economics of Environmental Sustainability (GT-SS1) | 3C | ||
| Science of Global Climate Change (GT-SC2) | 3A | ||
| Sustainable Development and Circular Economy | |||
| Economics of Social Issues (GT-SS1) | 3C | ||
| Gender in the Economy (GT-SS1) | 1C | ||
| Racial Inequality and Discrimination (GT-SS1) | 1C | ||
| Foundations of Environmental Sustainability | |||
| Climate Migrants (GT-SS2) | 3C | ||
| Environmental Conservation (GT-SC2) | 3A | ||
| Global Environmental Systems (GT-SC2) | 3A | ||
| Environment, Food, and Social Justice (GT-SS3) | 1C | ||
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 3A | 3 | |
| Electives | 6-8 | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | ||
| Junior | |||
| BUS 300 | Business Writing and Communication (GT-CO3) | 2 | 3 |
| CIS 370 | Business Analytics | 3 | |
| FIN 300 | Principles of Finance | 4A,4B | 3 |
| MGT 360 | Social and Sustainable Venturing | 3 | |
| MKT 300 | Marketing | 4B | 3 |
| MKT 420 | Marketing and Societal Well-Being | 3 | |
| Historical Perspectives | 3D | 3 | |
| Electives | 9 | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | ||
| Senior | |||
| ACT 318 | Fundamentals of Sustainability Reporting | 3 | |
| BUS 440 | Corporate Sustainability Strategy | 3 | |
| BUS 479 | Strategic Management | 4A,4C | 3 |
| MGT 301 | Supply Chain Management | 3 | |
| MGT 320 | Contemporary Management Principles/Practices | 3 | |
| Select 3 credits from the following Upper-Division Concentration Electives: | 3 | ||
| Indigenous Ecologies and the Modern World | |||
| Study Abroad--Ecuador: Community and Cultural Engagement | |||
| Internship | |||
| Climate Change and Earth System Interactions | |||
| Travel Abroad-Sustainable Building | |||
| Sustainable Practice-Design and Construction | |||
| Study Abroad--Europe: Energy Transitions in Europe | |||
| Global Climate Justice | |||
| Travel Abroad : Wildlife Conservation–Baja California Sur | |||
| Product Design | |||
| Travel Abroad-Marine Ecotourism-Bahamas | |||
| Electives2 | 12 | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | ||
| Program Total Credits: | 120 | ||
- 1
Students in the Sustainable Business Concentration are strongly encouraged to take BUS 225. BUS 220 and BUS 225 will fulfill the AUCC 3B requirement. If BUS 201 is selected, 3 additional credits in AUCC 3B must be completed before graduation.
- 2
Select enough elective credits to bring the program total to a minimum of 120 credits, of which at least 42 must be upper-division (300- to 400-level). A minimum of 6 elective credits must be upper-division.
Distinctive Requirements for Degree Program:
To Declare this Major: Direct entry as a new freshman or transfer to the College of Business is highly selective and only those students meeting academic requirements will be accepted. For details contact the Office of Admissions.
CSU and the College of Business use holistic review when determining eligibility for admission to the College of Business as a new freshman. An example of a strong candidate for admission to the College of Business is one who is actively involved in their high school and community, has at least a 3.200 GPA with a 1200 or higher on the SAT or a 27 or higher on the ACT. For current admission criteria, contact the CSU Office of Admissions. New freshmen admitted to CSU but not directly to the College of Business will be admitted as “Undeclared Business Interest” and must meet the requirements below. To be eligible for admission to the College, CSU students (including Undeclared Business Interest) must have a 3.000 cumulative GPA on a minimum of 15 graded credits at Colorado State and a grade of B- or higher in ECON 202 and a grade of C- or higher in each course (total of 3 credits) from the following: MATH 117, MATH 118, MATH 124, MATH 125, MATH 126, MATH 127, MATH 141, or a higher level calculus course.
External transfer students who have completed a minimum of 15 graded credits with a 3.000 cumulative GPA and a grade of B- or higher in ECON 202 and a grade of C- or higher in each course (total of 3 credits) from the following: MATH 117, MATH 118, MATH 124, MATH 125, MATH 126, MATH 127, MATH 141, or a higher level calculus course.. External transfer students who do not meet the above criteria will be admitted to Undeclared and must complete the requirements stated above.
To Prepare for First Semester: The Curriculum for the Business Administration-Sustainable Business concentration assumes students will be able to successfully complete the College of Business Math requirement within the first year.
The College of Business requires a minimum grade point average of 2.000 in business and economics courses as a graduation requirement.
| Freshman | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| BUS 100 or 105 | Introduction to Business Exploration of Business | X | 1 | ||
| CO 150 | College Composition (GT-CO2) | X | 1A | 3 | |
| Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | X | 1C | 3 | ||
| Biological and Physical Sciences | X | 3A | 4 | ||
| Electives | X | 4 | |||
| Total Credits | 15 | ||||
| Semester 2 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| BUS 220 | Ethics in Contemporary Organizations (GT-AH3) | X | 3B | 3 | |
| CIS 200 | Business Information Systems | X | 3 | ||
| ECON 202 | Principles of Microeconomics (GT-SS1) | X | 3C | 3 | |
| Select 3 credits from the following: | X | 3 | |||
| College Algebra in Context I (GT-MA1) | 1B | ||||
| College Algebra in Context II (GT-MA1) | 1B | ||||
| College Algebra (GT-MA1) | 1B | ||||
| Logarithmic and Exponential Functions (GT-MA1) | 1B | ||||
| Numerical Trigonometry (GT-MA1) | 1B | ||||
| Analytic Trigonometry (GT-MA1) | 1B | ||||
| Precalculus (GT-MA1) | 1B | ||||
MATH 141 (or higher level calculus course) | Calculus in Management Sciences (GT-MA1) | 1B | |||
| Electives | X | 3 | |||
| BUS 100 or BUS 105 and CO 150 must be completed by the end of Semester 2 | X | ||||
| Total Credits | 15 | ||||
| Sophomore | |||||
| Semester 3 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| ACT 210 | Introduction to Financial Accounting | X | 3 | ||
| ECON 204 | Principles of Macroeconomics (GT-SS1) | X | 3C | 3 | |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | X | 3A | 3 | ||
| Electives | X | 6 | |||
| Total Credits | 15 | ||||
| Semester 4 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| ACT 220 | Introduction to Managerial Accounting | X | 3 | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 1-3 | ||||
| Foundations of Sustainable Enterprise | |||||
| Fostering Sustainable Organizations (GT-AH3) | X | 3B | |||
| BUS 260 | Social-Ethical-Regulatory Issues in Business | X | 3 | ||
| STAT 204 | Statistics With Business Applications (GT-MA1) | X | 1B | 3 | |
| Lower-Division Concentration Electives (see List on Concentration Requirements Tab) | X | 3 | |||
| Elective | X | 0-2 | |||
| Total Credits | 15 | ||||
| Junior | |||||
| Semester 5 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| BUS 300 | Business Writing and Communication (GT-CO3) | X | 2 | 3 | |
| FIN 300 | Principles of Finance | X | 4A,4B | 3 | |
| MGT 360 | Social and Sustainable Venturing | X | 3 | ||
| MKT 300 | Marketing | X | 4B | 3 | |
| Electives | X | 3 | |||
| Total Credits | 15 | ||||
| Semester 6 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| CIS 370 | Business Analytics | X | 3 | ||
| MKT 420 | Marketing and Societal Well-Being | X | 3 | ||
| Historical Perspectives | X | 3D | 3 | ||
| Electives | X | 6 | |||
| Total Credits | 15 | ||||
| Senior | |||||
| Semester 7 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| ACT 318 | Fundamentals of Sustainability Reporting | X | 3 | ||
| MGT 301 | Supply Chain Management | X | 3 | ||
| MGT 320 | Contemporary Management Principles/Practices | X | 3 | ||
| Upper-Division Concentration Electives (See List on Concentration Requirements Tab) | X | 3 | |||
| Electives | X | 3 | |||
| Total Credits | 15 | ||||
| Semester 8 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| BUS 440 | Corporate Sustainability Strategy | X | 3 | ||
| BUS 479 | Strategic Management | X | 4A,4C | 3 | |
| Electives | X | 9 | |||
| The benchmark courses for the 8th semester are the remaining courses in the entire program of study. | X | ||||
| Total Credits | 15 | ||||
| Program Total Credits: | 120 | ||||