Green business or sustainable business major?

[Anonymous]

My daughter, a HS junior, isn't really sure what she wants to study in college. She thought maybe business or management. She recently saw some programs that intrigued her. They combine environmental science or policy with business; things like sustainable business or green business classes. How useful is a major in this field for preparing a student for a career? What are some programs known for a good education in this field? What would be an appropriate high school preparation for this field? She has a decent high school background in the sciences, (AP Chem, AP Physics) but they aren't her strength or passion. I'm trying to convince her to take AP Bio senior year, especially if she wants to study environmental science in college, but so far she's not that interested.

[Anonymous]

Intuitively, I'd lean toward a traditional major in business, choosing among finance, accounting, management, etc,). Then add a minor in a science if desired. The nuts and bolts of business are still the same. There is no need for a special environmental business major and it sounds limiting rather that more expansive.

Another term she may come across in her searching is "corporate social responsibility."

[Anonymous]

Almost all schools have some sort of sustainability/environmental science type programs and they can easily be double with finance or business.

It is a great path to follow.

[Anonymous]

So what kinds of schools have that kinds of majors?

Just do major in business and minor in environmental science

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So what kinds of schools have that kinds of majors?

Just do major in business and minor in environmental science

+1 I met a new grad recently who did this and had done a study-abroad program in France where she also interned at a company that worked with local farms to better market their products.

[Anonymous]

Sustainable Business Foundations minor is an option for all majors at DS university. Most colleges with stand alone business schools require applying directly to their biz schools. Students choose a general major— Business Administration, Business Management, Finance, Fintech, Accounting, Information Systems etc. They then choose a concentration and minor. All business students receive a Bachelor of Science degree. There is an accelerated path to direct admit into the law school.

DS 1st 2 years

Degree track: Bachelor of Science
Major: Management
Minor: Sustainable Business Foundations
Concentrations: Entrepreneurship & Social innovation

First year students take required 17-18 credits per semester.
Micro economics
Macro economics
Statistics
Calculus for Business (AP Calc exams not applied)
Finite or higher
Core liberal arts requirements are heavy

Second year is fully scheduled for them. They choose schedule based on time block and grouped into cohorts. No choice on professors or courses except one elective second semester. They all take:

Business Core I 1st Semester
* Financial Accounting
* Marketing Principles
* Information Systems 1
* Business Communication 1
* Principles of Management
* Statistical Decision Making
* IP 1 Consulting Project- Cohorts of 4 students partner with a real business as interns. They spend the entire semester troubleshooting a company’s challenge/problem, drafting a solution, and presenting it to executives. This year’s winning cohort received a grant from Best Buy to implement their solution into the company’s operations and offered internships.

Business Core II 2nd semester
* Principles of Managerial Accounting
* Business Communication 2
* Financial Management
* Information Systems 2
* Strategy
* One Elective

Hope this helps, OP.

[Anonymous]

Thanks PP!! Yikes- 18 credits per semester? That sounds intense!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks PP!! Yikes- 18 credits per semester? That sounds intense!

You’re welcome! Good luck to your daughter. My son has friends (girls) majoring in business who’ve added concentrations/minors relating to the fashion industry which has a heavy emphasis on sustainable business models. I’m certainly not suggesting that’s something your daughter is interested in because she’s a young woman, just that sustainability runs the gamut in all businesses right now. In junior year, she’s now putting a list together. Best is to determine location, size, budget and what matters to her. Then you can help her research those schools that offer a wide breadth of sustainable business options across all majors. Separate business schools are not part of a college’s liberals arts school so they offer endless ways to combine a degree. If she’s interested in science/environmental studies she needs to decide if that’s a possible major with a minor/concentration in a specific industry or she can possibly add a business minor or dual major.