Sustainability underlies many of the complex global challenges we face today, carrying profound implications for business practices, economic development, and environmental stewardship. Businesses increasingly recognize the need to incorporate environmental risks and social objectives into their core strategy and operational decisions. The commitment to sustainable practices can take many forms, such as reducing carbon footprints, ensuring a sustainable value chain, guiding social impact investments, and making frugal use of natural resources. Sustainability initiatives are motivated by a desire to manage risk, drive growth, improve returns on capital, and create value.
The Master of Business Administration, Impact Specialization, is a 44-credit, 3 semester, full-time Resident Instruction program. The program aims to provide business solutions that achieve positive economic, environmental, and social impact. The program educates and prepares future business leaders to take effective roles in organizations that integrate economic, social, and environmental sustainability into core strategy and operations. There are elective options to enable students to take classes outside the College of Business in areas such as environmental sustainability, life cycle assessment, and climate change. Students can also choose specific electives that satisfy the requirements for a number of Graduate Certificates. In order to get real world experience, all students complete a significant experiential learning opportunity, typically as a Corporate Sustainability Fellow which is arranged by the department.
Students interested in graduate work should refer to the Graduate and Professional Bulletin or visit the department website for more information.
Learning Objectives
- Business Acumen and Integration Skills: Graduates demonstrate competency across business functions and integrate them into strategic decisions.
- Practical Leadership and Management Skills: Graduates demonstrate individual, interpersonal, and organizational leadership skills necessary for professional development and organizational effectiveness.
- Critical and Analytical Thinking: Graduates apply critical thinking and analytical skills for management decision-making.
- External Environment – Ethical, Legal and Regulatory Framework: Graduates consider ethical, legal, and regulatory implications inherent in business situations and apply that knowledge to make responsible decisions.
- Global Perspective: Graduates acquire a global and cross-cultural perspective in formulating decisions and implementing organizational strategy.
- Enterprise Approaches to Global Challenges: Graduates of the Impact MBA program develop the skills to:
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Assess opportunities for enterprise approaches to address social and environmental challenges.
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Develop, implement, and manage initiatives or enterprises that address global social and environmental challenges.
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Effective Fall 2026
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Classes: | ||
| ACT 605 | Accounting for Sustainable Enterprises | 3 |
| BUS 601 | Quantitative Business Analysis | 2 |
| BUS 620 | Leadership and Teams | 2 |
| BUS 634 | Business Strategies for a Better World | 2 |
| BUS 636 | Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity | 3 |
| BUS 650 | Supply Chain Management | 2 |
| CIS 600B | Project Management: Impact Enterprise | 2 |
| FIN 601 | Financial Management and Markets | 3 |
| MGT 612 | Managing in a Global Context | 3 |
| MKT 601 | Marketing for Social Sustainable Enterprises | 3 |
| Select one course from the following: | 2 | |
| Financial Markets and Investments | ||
| Environmental, Social, Governance Investing | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Integrative Applications for Business Impact | ||
| Practicum | ||
| Internship | ||
| Select 14 credits from the following electives: | 14 | |
| Sustainability Reporting and Accounting | ||
| Sustainable Agriculture | ||
| Global Sourcing of Textiles and Apparel | ||
| Social Benefit Cost Analysis | ||
| Business Immersion: Colorado | ||
| Career Management | ||
| Sustainability Reporting & Analysis | ||
| Ethical Leadership Symposium | ||
| Self-Leadership in Organizations | ||
| Crisis Leadership | ||
| Building and Leading Exceptional Teams | ||
| Managing Human Capital | ||
| Essentials of Negotiations | ||
| Sustainability Ethics and Business Practice | ||
| Corp. Social and Sustainable Responsibility | ||
| Building Value Thru Creativity and Innovation | ||
| Ethical, Legal, and Regulatory Issues 1 | ||
| Managing Diversity - Global Business Context | ||
| Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation | ||
| Enterprise Computing and Systems Integration | ||
| Ecosystem Sustainability for Researchers | ||
| International Climate Negotiations | ||
| Climate Justice and Policy | ||
| Foundations for Carbon/Greenhouse Gas Mgmt | ||
| Scope 3 Greenhouse Gas Emission Accounting | ||
| Greenhouse Gas Policies | ||
| Global Climate Change | ||
| Life Cycle Assessment for Sustainability | ||
| Group Study | ||
| Financial Modeling | ||
| Financial Management | ||
| Fundamentals of International Finance | ||
| Financial Institutions Management | ||
| Alternative Investments | ||
| Quantitative Methods in Finance | ||
| Behavioral Finance | ||
| Investments | ||
| Environmental, Social, Governance Investing | ||
| Sea Level Rise and a Sustainable Future | ||
| Analysis of Sustainable Energy Solutions | ||
| Global Sustainability and Health | ||
| Law and Sustainability | ||
| Sustainable Strategies for E-Waste Management | ||
| Issues in Global Environmental Sustainability | ||
| Water Resources Seminar | ||
| Negotiation and Conflict Management | ||
| Purchasing and Supply Management | ||
| Service and Production Operations | ||
| Logistics and Distribution | ||
| Product Design | ||
| Strategic Selling for Business Customers | ||
| Design Thinking for Sustainable Enterprise | ||
| Climate Change Communication and Engagement | ||
| Climate Impacts and Risk Assessments | ||
| Seminar in Environmental Philosophy | ||
| Program Total Credits: | 44 | |
A minimum of 44 credits are required to complete this program.
For more information, please visit Requirements for All Graduate Degrees in the Graduate and Professional Bulletin.
Summary of Procedures for the Master's and Doctoral Degrees
NOTE: Each semester the Graduate School publishes a schedule of deadlines. Deadlines are available on the Graduate School website. Students should consult this schedule whenever they approach important steps in their careers.
Forms are available online.
| Step | Due Date |
|---|---|
| 1. Application for admission (online) | Six months before first registration |
| 2. Diagnostic examination when required | Before first registration |
| 3. Appointment of advisor | Before first registration |
| 4. Selection of graduate committee | Before the time of fourth regular semester registration |
| 5. Filing of program of study (GS Form 6) | Before the time of fourth regular semester registration |
| 6. Preliminary examination (Ph.D. and PD) | Two terms prior to final examination |
| 7. Report of preliminary examination (GS Form 16) - (Ph.D. and PD) | Within two working days after results are known |
| 8. Changes in committee (GS Form 9A) | When change is made |
| 9. Application for Graduation (GS Form 25) | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School Website |
| 9a. Reapplication for Graduation (online) | Failure to graduate requires Reapplication for Graduation (online) for the next time term for which you are applying |
| 10. Submit thesis or dissertation to committee | At least two weeks prior to the examination or at the discretion of the graduate committee |
| 11. Final examination | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School Website |
| 12. Report of final examination (GS Form 24) | Within two working days after results are known; refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website |
| 13. Submit a signed Thesis/Dissertation Submission Form (GS Form 30) to the Graduate School and Submit the Survey of Earned Doctorates (Ph.D. only) prior to submitting the electronic thesis/dissertation | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website. |
| 14. Submit the thesis/dissertation electronically | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website |
| 15. Graduation | Ceremony information is available from the Graduate School website |