2015-68

Arizona State University
University Senate
Spring 2015

Senate Motion #2015-68

Motion Introduced by: Curriculum and Academic Programs Committee, Kathleen Puckett, Chair

Date of First Reading: March 30, 2015

Date of Second Reading: April 20, 2015

Title of Motion: Request from the School of Sustainability – for the establishment of a graduate degree – MSL in Sustainability Leadership

Action Requested: This curricular proposal has received all college, school, unit and university administrative approvals, and is being presented to the Senate for review and voting decision.   

Rationale: The goal of the MSL is to prepare professionals to advance sustainability practices in the workplace, and to lead the institutional and cultural change that transforms sustainability into the gold standard for best institutional practices.

The MSL is an accelerated degree program for active professionals working in or near sustainability roles or other, related arenas. The program will equip graduates to drive high-impact transformative results for their companies, organizations, communities and their own careers.

The MSL program is derived from the successful Executive Masters of Sustainability Leadership (EMSL) that is open to active, mid-career professionals who significantly advance sustainability practices in the workplace. However, the MSL will be offered only through ASU Online and will include opportunities for all students who meet the minimum application requirements to apply to the program and include electives that are related to their specific area of interest. The curriculum will include the four synergistic thematic areas: leadership for sustainability; sustainability and strategy; communications and change management; and global context of sustainability that have distinguished the EMSL curriculum, as possible focus areas for the MSL.