Our Approach to Learning

MBA

MS in Sustainability Management

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Oct 15, 2025
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April 1, 2026
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At a Glance

Global sustainability presents a range of critical problems including climate change, environmental justice, resource conservation, and sustainable development. To meet these challenges, companies and organizations seek talented professionals trained in sustainability management. Situated at the intersection of business and sustainability, Kogod attracts students from the US and abroad pursuing careers in the public, private, non-profit, and NGO sectors.

30 Credits
Can be Completed in 12-21 Months

The program can be completed on a full-time or part-time basis, starting in the fall. The residential MS in sustainability management is also a STEM-designated program.

$90,667
Average Salary

In 2019, the average salary of Kogod's MS in sustainability management graduates was $90,667, with employers including Deloitte Consulting, EY, Marriott International, World Wildlife Fund, 
World Bank Group, and more.

In-Person & Online
Can be Completed 100% Online

Both in-person and online options mostly consist of condensed evening courses to give the necessary flexibility to working students who may need to adjust the pace of their studies to accommodate work and life demands.

Why Kogod?

A Business School Dedicated to Sustainability

Our program is one of the few of its kind that is housed in a business school. We teach the mechanics of sustainable business and empower students to maximize their impact in the field through a variety of cutting-edge courses and experiential learning opportunities.  At Kogod, we practice what we preach—we are the first carbon-neutral university in the country and are an AASHE-certified green campus. The campus itself is an arboretum.

Experiential in Nature

Kogod's MS in sustainability management program emphasizes experiential learning. We undertake live projects with sustainability stakeholders in the US and abroad, including an international capstone program in destinations like Scandinavia and Latin America. Through these projects,  students apply the tools and methodologies acquired in their studies to critical problems in sustainability.

Three Career Tracks Available

A complex issue requires a multidisciplinary approach. That's why our curriculum incorporates topics like environmental and social science, public policy, and international relations. For additional expertise, you can choose from one of our three career tracks—business, environment, and policy.

Obtain Professional Certificates

Gain an edge in this competitive job market by completing one of our six professional graduate certificates.

Kogod’s Master's in Sustainability Management has opened up my world in so many positive ways; it's enabled me to pursue a career in something that I wake up excited about, inspired by and motivated to create meaningful and impactful change."

Beck Treharne

Becks Treharne

Kogod/BS Business Administration '14, MS Sustainability Management '15

Kogod Sustainability Review

All KSR Articles
April 22, 2026
KSR Volume Seven: Letter From The Editor

A note from the editor of KSR’s volume seven.

April 22, 2026
Hot Labor Summer & Environmental Unfreedoms

An interview with Dr. Malini Ranganathan on labor, political ecology, and the economics of...

April 22, 2026
Who Gets Left Behind? Climate Policy and Vulnerable Communities in the EU

Why Climate Ambition Must Be Matched With Inclusive and Equitable Policy Design.

April 22, 2026
Food Redistribution as a Social Justice Imperative: A Community-Centric Approach to Sustainability

Bridging food waste and food insecurity through community-driven, sustainable business models.

April 22, 2026
What Role Does Insurance Play in a Warming World?

Insights from a spatial analysis of wildfire risk and market retreat in California.

April 22, 2026
From the DMV to Kenya: Redefining “Waste” Through Global Skateboarding Circularity

As global waste grows, grassroots organizations like SHAPE Skate Foundation are practicing social...

The MS in Sustainability Management program at Kogod is one of the best. The professors are very supportive, the materials shared are very relevant and easily relatable, the cohorts are highly diverse in terms of all demographic elements, and hence conversations are very enriching."  

Vivian Moyana

Vivian Moyana

Current Master's in Sustainability Management Student

Program Highlights
Students learning how to operate machinery

STEM-Designated Program

STEM-designated programs equip students with technological expertise and leadership skills vital to the US economy. The designation also allows international students to apply for a 24-month extension of their Optional Practical Training, granting them the ability to work in the US for up to 3 years.

Kogod students waving hello in Norway

International Capstone Experience

During the spring semester, students will participate in a Global Consulting project. Over spring break, you will travel abroad with your team to learn first-hand about sustainable practices in another country and meet in person with your consulting clients.  Past locations include Copenhagen in Denmark and Malmo and Stockholm in Sweden. 

Looking up at columns at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Washington, DC.

City at the Forefront of Sustainability

Washington, DC, has been named the first Platinum LEED city in the world for its efforts in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, innovating around clean energy, and implementing other green initiatives.

sustainability
Kogod School of Business Deepens Investment in Flagship MS in Sustainability Management Program

American University is further deepening its investment in sustainability by redesigning its flagship MS in sustainability management program with a new curriculum, new online modality, and expanded faculty expertise.

Class Profile
3.43
Average GPA
67%
Women
3.1 Years
Average Work Experience
Careers & Outcomes

Our graduates have found professional success across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, with 63 percent working in for-profit organizations, 21 percent working in government organizations, and 16 percent working in nonprofit organizations. 

Graduates of the program can work as:

  • Communications officers
  • Program officers
  • Project managers
  • Analysts
  • Policy advisors

Recent employers include:

  • Bain & Company
  • Carlyle Group
  • Climate Finance Advisors
  • Deloitte Consulting
  • EY
  • IDB Invest
  • JLL
  • Marriott International
  • UBS
  • World Wildlife Fund
  • World Bank Group

Recent Sustainability News

April 24, 2026
Is a Master’s in Sustainability Worth It? How Kogod’s MSSM Program Builds Career Momentum

How one student used Kogod’s MSSM program, global experiences, and DC location to expand career...

April 21, 2026
Strategic Business Consulting in Practice: Inside the Sustainability Management Capstone

From ESG strategy to sustainable market expansion, sustainability management master’s students...

November 5, 2025
Can ESG Transparency Boost Financial Reporting Efficiency?

Kogod School of Business professors Dina El Mahdy, Christina Synn, Yinqi Zhang, and another...

November 5, 2025
Unlocking Climate Impact Through Sustainable Procurement

Kogod School of Business professor of sustainability Nicole Darnall explores how purchasing...

September 23, 2025
Leveraging AI for Sustainable Public Procurement: Opportunities and Challenges

Professor Darnall's co-authored paper was published in Frontiers in Sustainability.

September 23, 2025
How Stakeholder Influence Shapes Public Sector Environmental Policy Choices

Professor Darnall's co-authored piece was published in Elsevier’s Journal of Cleaner Production.

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