1-Year MSc in Management for Sustainable Business

Program Overview

Audencia's 1-Year MSc in Management for Sustainable Business equips professionals with the knowledge and skills to address complex sustainability challenges in business. The program focuses on developing holistic strategies, integrating stakeholders, and fostering critical thinking to drive positive change. Graduates are prepared for sustainability-related roles and career paths that promote environmental, social, and economic well-being.

Program Outline

The program focuses on situating business within social and environmental systems, exploring complex global challenges and their relation to various business functions. Students develop holistic, inclusive, and sustainable strategies and business models, integrating stakeholders and sustainable development into core business practices. The curriculum equips students with technical expertise in CSR certification, auditing, reporting, and the latest sustainability developments across strategy, supply chain, finance, and accounting. It cultivates skills for proactive, innovative, and forward-thinking leadership and change instigation. The program explores critical issues like waste, circularity, diversity, and inclusion through interdisciplinary perspectives from experts and field actors. It fosters a critical, inquisitive, and creative spirit. The program director, Dr. Jennifer Goodman, highlights the urgency of sustainability challenges and the crucial role of business in addressing them. The program benefits include a broad sustainability vision combined with cutting-edge knowledge, specific tools and skills, insights from experts and practitioners, a professionalizing orientation (including external carbon footprint assessment certification), an interdisciplinary approach, learning-by-doing, place-based pedagogy through consulting and city projects, and attention to personal development, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and eco-anxiety management. The program is designed for those seeking to understand the role of business in addressing complex grand challenges, develop holistic sustainable strategies and business models, gain insights into innovations in different business functions, engage with various stakeholders, and acquire technical expertise in areas like carbon footprint assessment, CSR certification, auditing, and reporting. Beyond technical skills, the program emphasizes personal development, fostering a critical, inquisitive, and creative spirit, and developing soft skills such as stress management, eco-anxiety management, emotional intelligence, adaptability, and empathy. A learning-by-doing approach encourages collaboration and active participation in real-world projects and case studies.

Outline:

The 1-year MSc program comprises 408 hours of training. The curriculum includes modules such as: Systems Thinking and Sustainability; Sustainability across cultures; Sustainability Strategies; Building Sustainable Supply Chains; Leading Change for Sustainability; Materiality, Reporting and Auditing; Sustainability Certification; Financing for Sustainable Impact; Multi-capital accounting and ESG rating; People, Diversity and Rights; Recycling, Materials and Waste; Sustainable Design, Marketing and Consumption; Business Consulting Project; and Sustainable Cities Project. The program also includes a 4-6 month internship or work experience in France or abroad, providing a pre-professional experience to apply acquired knowledge and skills. A Master's thesis allows for in-depth study of a sustainability-related topic.

Assessment:

The program utilizes continuous monitoring, written exams, and a final dissertation for assessment.

Teaching:

The program employs a mix of theoretical and practical sequences (face-to-face or distance learning), utilizing business simulations, case studies, and interactive lessons. The faculty includes experts and practitioners in various fields, including Dr. Jennifer Goodman, Associate Professor of CSR & Sustainability at Audencia. The program emphasizes a learning-by-doing approach, encouraging collaboration and active participation in real-world projects and case studies.

Careers:

Graduates are prepared for sustainability-related roles such as Sustainability Manager, CSR/Sustainability consultant, Head of CSR, CSR Analyst, and Social Entrepreneur. The MSc is also complementary to specializations in sustainable finance, circular economy, law/compliance, human resources, and the public sector. The Career & Corporate Relations Center provides support for internships, CV and cover letter assistance, and other career development services.

Other:

The program is taught in English and takes place at the Audencia Atlantic Campus in Nantes. The program has a satisfaction rate of 79%, an average annual salary of €41,000, and an average promotion age of 25. There are 30 places available. The program is not accessible via Validation of Acquired Experience (VAE). The entry level is BAC +4, BAC +5. The program includes a strong emphasis on personal development, fostering critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and addressing eco-anxiety. The program utilizes an interdisciplinary approach, incorporating perspectives from business, engineering, and law. The program includes opportunities for international experiences, such as a semester in Brazil for MSc FAM students. The program is designed to help students develop a holistic, systems thinking approach, apply critical thinking to innovations, engage stakeholders, instigate change, assess carbon footprints, evaluate sustainability certifications, and understand materials and their impacts within a circular economy. The program also focuses on identifying and addressing discrimination and developing inclusive strategies. The program is not an introductory course in sustainability; prior knowledge and interest are expected. The program offers the Agile Manager Certificate as a potential further study option. Audencia is committed to accessibility for students with disabilities.