Program Overview

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Master of Professional Studies in Leadership for Sustainability

The Master of Professional Studies in Leadership for Sustainability (MLS) is a two-year, 30-credit program designed for emerging and experienced leaders who wish to deepen their capacity to catalyze change and transcend boundaries.

Program Overview

The MLS program is offered by the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Vermont. The program workload and schedule are designed for working leaders and are intended to support learning that can immediately be applied to the work students are doing in their communities, organizations, institutions, or other initiatives.

Program Format

The program is offered online, part-time, and combines week-long remote learning intensive experiences with engaging online classroom sessions.

Credit Hours to Graduate

The program requires 30 credit hours to graduate.

Area of Study

The program focuses on environment and sustainability, as well as arts, humanities, and social sciences.

Curriculum

Core Coursework

The MLS core curriculum is comprised of four courses with a total of 15 credits, designed to span the first year of the program. Each course is remote and includes week-long learning intensives. Synchronous course meetings occur on bi-weekly Tuesdays, from 7:00-8:30pm ET.

Capstone Coursework

In year two of the program, students focus on their capstone projects, completing six credits over three semesters. Students are required to develop a project proposal, implement project activities, complete a culminating final report, and present their Capstone project at the annual Leadership for Sustainability Summit.

Elective Courses and Areas of Specialization

Students take 9-credits of elective courses throughout their second year of the program. These courses can support the development of a unique area of specialization or allow students to explore multiple topics.

Admissions

Applications Require

• Graduate College Application
• Statement of Purpose
• Three letters of recommendation
• College transcripts or description of approved professional certificate
• Resume
• TOEFL scores for those whose native language is not English, and who have not earned a degree from a U.S. institution or an institution in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, or an English-speaking institution in Canada, Ghana, Kenya, or Nigeria.

Statement of Purpose Prompts

In the statement of purpose (~1,000 words), please address the following prompts:

• What attracts you to the MLS program and how might the program support you to catalyze the change you wish to create in yourself and in the world?
• What do you lead? Reflect on where you currently are in your leadership journey, and the learning and leadership edges/questions/challenges you wish to explore through the program.
• Elaborate or reflect on what motivates you as a leader and/or is inspiring you toward a deeper life calling.

Letters of Recommendation

We recommend that you choose letters of recommendation that can speak to the following criteria:

• Your leadership experience
• Your willingness to engage with ambiguity, complexity, and tension in a learning community
• Your capacity and willingness to receive feedback and take an open stance toward learning

Outcomes

Program Aspiration

To participate in creating conditions for all life to thrive over the long-haul.

Three Central Learning Goals

• Leadership inspired by the wisdom of nature: Deepening our relationships with our more-than-human kin and the ecological systems, patterns, processes, and organizing principles that can inspire our leadership and change-making processes.
• Transforming structures of domination and oppression: Enhancing our ability to critically examine and transform dominant mindsets/worldviews and shift inequitable systems, patterns, and structures of power and privilege.
• Practice: Deepening leadership practices that enhance our capacity to draw on multiple ways of knowing, stay centered, catalyze change, advance the work of our communities, organizations, and social movements, and participate in creating conditions for life to thrive over the long haul.

Costs and Funding

Tuition & Fees Details

• Out-of-State Resident Rate: $1,375 per credit
• Vermont Resident Rate: standard Vermont resident rate

The MLS program holds financial accessibility as a top priority and is committed to supporting students to attend regardless of financial need. 90% of students receive significant financial support.

Related Programs

Transdisciplinary Leadership and Creativity for Sustainability

• Degree: Ph.D.
• School or College: Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources
• Program Format: Online
• Credit hours to graduate: 75

Natural Resources

• Degree: M.S.
• School or College: Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources
• Program Format: On-campus
• Credit hours to graduate: 30