Pathways through the Sustainability Certificate This section outlines the scholastic requirements for the MIT Sloan Sustainability Certificate and provides recommended courses of study for students in various programs at MIT that mesh well with the Certificate. The Certificate is only available to students in degree-granting programs at MIT who are eligible to take graduate-level courses at MIT Sloan there is no distance option or EMBA option at this time. Students do not need to formally register into the Sustainability Certificate (as they do for an MBA track) the certificate is awarded based on a review of the transcript near graduation. Students are, however, encouraged to contact the Sustainability Initiative early in their time at MIT so that we can help inform and connect students to relevant opportunities. Please note that before taking Sloan (Course 15) classes, students should familiarize themselves with the Sloan academic calendar (where each semester is divided into H1, SIP, and H2), and with the unique bidding process for classes. See http://sloanbid.mit.edu for details. Required Courses for All Programs (24 credits total) Number and Title Term and Credits Notes 15.913 and 15.915 should be taken in the same term, and together comprise the S-Lab experience. 15.913 introduces a strategic approach to sustainable business through lectures, simulations, and cases. 15.915 is an Action Learning course in which 15.913 students do cutting edge projects with partner Strategies for (spring H1) 6 credits organizations. Sustainable 15.915 Laboratory for Sustainable 15.871 System 15.878 Capstone course in sustainability (spring full) 6 credits (fall H1 or spring H1) 6 credits (spring H2) 6 credits 15.915 is a full semester course but meets concurrently with 15.913 in H1. It has recitation sessions in H1 during which teams form, bid on projects, and develop their work plans. During H2, 15.915 class sessions support the project work. Successful bids on 15.915 will automatically place into 15.913. Students who are not pursuing the Certificate may bid on 15.913 as a stand-alone course. Analytic approach to understanding complex systems, foundational to the MIT Sloan approach to sustainability. Students who are highly interested in system dynamics are encouraged to take 15.872 System II but it does not count as a Certificate Elective. Designed to be taken in students final semester at MIT Sloan 15.913 is a prerequisite. Engages students in broader debates on sustainability beyond the business sector. Students conduct a scenario analysis of how market and non-market forces will shape the industry and company approach to sustainability where they plan to work.
Elective Courses (18-27 credits total) Select three courses from the list of approved. There are Sustainability Certificate in departments and schools across MIT they provide an important bridge to the strengths of the wider Institute. Electives are chosen and approved based on: a) Match to the overall curricular goals of the Certificate b) Complementarity with the required courses in the Certificate c) A good balance of theoretical and applied content Through the required and elective courses, our intention is that students cover the five elements of our curriculum model, depicted below. Integration Courses In addition to the courses specifically focused on sustainability, students should know that courses in the core+ disciplines of MIT Sloan often have sustainability content woven throughout. A prominent example is 15.761 Introduction to Operations, in which sustainability is a theme of the course and a focus of one key case. Integration courses do not count as Certificate, but are highly recommended as part of the course of study.
Program Sequences The exact sequence of courses can be customized depending on students interests and the constraints of their program in terms of schedule and credits. The following descriptions of pathways through the Sustainability Certificate are based on official policy and past student experience. Guidelines are provided here for MBA, Sloan Fellows, /Sloan dual degree, SDM, M.Fin, MSMS, and MIT undergraduates. Students in other programs around MIT are welcome to pursue the Certificate if they can complete the required courses just reach out to Director Jason Jay for guidance about how to do so. MBA Sequence Traditional MBA students are on campus for two years: August of year one through June of year two, with an off campus summer internship between years one and two. If possible, students interested in the Sustainability Certificate should attend the pre-term week prior to orientation, during which there is a special event on sustainability. This provides an opportunity to meet faculty and students leading sustainability efforts around MIT Sloan and to learn more about the program. Additional community events occur throughout the year, including the MIT Sustainability Lunch Series. The Lunch Series is designed to complement the formal curriculum by supporting career skills and reflection, and occurs throughout the academic year. We recommend that MBA students take the 15.913/915 S-Lab course in their first year, but it is not a requirement they have the flexibility to do it 1st or 2nd year. MBA Term 1 st year fall 1 st year spring 2 nd year fall 2 nd year spring Recommended Courses Core no sustainability focused classes, but attend the Sustainability Lunch Series when possible H1: 15.871 System H1: 15.913 Strategies Full: 15.915 Laboratory o NOTE: We recommend that MBA students take System concurrently with S-Lab, but it can also be taken in the second year. Integration courses such as 15.761 Intro to Ops. Not required for the Certificate but can be useful in a summer internship on sustainability. 1-2 Sustainability Certificate ; attend Sustainability Lunch Series when possible. 1-2 Sustainability Certificate ; attend Sustainability Lunch Series when possible. H2: 15.878 Capstone in Sustainability Sloan Fellows Sequence Sloan Fellows are on campus for one year from June to June, and must plan carefully to be able to complete the Sustainability Certificate. An orientation session in June helps Fellows understand the opportunity and requirements.
Sloan Fellows Term Recommended Courses H1: 15.871 System fall 1-2 Sustainability Certificate Attend Sustainability Lunch Series when possible. H1: 15.913 Strategies Full: 15.915 Laboratory spring 1-2 Sustainability Certificate H2: 15.878 Capstone in Sustainability Attend Sustainability Lunch Series when possible. Joint Sequence Students pursuing a joint degree of MPA at Harvard Kennedy School and MBA at MIT Sloan spend three years of study between the two programs. There are three Scenarios for completing the program please obtain latest materials from MBA program office. DUAL DEGREE OPTION WITH MIT SLOAN AND THE HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOL Scenario 1 Period of Enrollment Max units of MIT Sloan Elective Credit Sloan 1 IAP 1 Sloan 2 1 IAP 2 2 3 IAP 3 Sloan 3 9 (+3) * 54 * n/a * * * 54 Scenario 2 Period of Enrollment Max units of MIT Sloan Elective Credit Sloan 1 IAP 1 Sloan 2 1 IAP 2 2 Sloan 3 IAP 3 3 9 (+3) * 54 * n/a * 54 * * Scenario 3 Period of Enrollment Max units of MIT Sloan Elective Credit 1 IAP 1 2 Sloan 1 IAP 2 Sloan 2 3 IAP 3 Sloan 3 n/a n/a n/a 9 (+3) n/a 54 * * 54
*24-27 units of credits must be earned during IAP and/or semester(s) (through cross registration.) MBA/MPA Scenario 1 Scenario 2 Scenario 3 Term 1 st year fall Core no sustainabilityfocused courses; Sustainability Lunch Series when possible Core no sustainabilityfocused courses; Sustainability Lunch Series when possible ; Sustainability Lunch Series when possible throughout the program. throughout the program. throughout the program. 1 st year spring H1: 15.871 System H1: 15.913 Strategies H2: 15.915 Laboratory H1: 15.871 System H1: 15.913 Strategies H2: 15.915 Laboratory 2 nd year fall 2 nd year spring 3 rd year Fall 3 rd year Spring 0-2 Sustainability H2: 15.878 Capstone in Sustainability 1-2 Sustainability Cross-register into H2: 15.878 Capstone in Sustainability 1 Core no sustainabilityfocused courses; Sustainability Lunch Series when possible H1: 15.871 System H1: 15.913 Strategies for Sustainable H2: 15.915 Laboratory 1-2 Sustainability H2: 15.878 Capstone in Sustainability LGO Sequence Leaders for Global Operations (LGO) students arrive in June, and carry out a six month internship in the middle of their program. There are a few considerations for LGO students. Both ESD and Mech.E. have an Energy and Environmental Sustainability Track. LGOs can pursue this in lieu of, or in addition to, the MIT Sloan Sustainability Certificate. If a student wants to do both, there are courses that double count, e.g. ESD.123 Industrial Ecology, ESD.128 Global Climate Change, and 2.83 Energy, Materials, and Manufacturing. 1 Subject to approval by the program administration
LGO has two possible courses of study, depending on whether the internship is spring-summer or summer-fall. These affect the sequence of courses, as depicted below. In addition to the timing of courses, LGO students must manage credit limits for enrollment in MIT Sloan courses. If both Certificate Electives are in Course 15, this would mean 39-51 credits of MIT Sloan courses to complete the Certificate, which may exceed the limit. Therefore, we recommend that students choose that also meet other LGO requirements. LGO students may face schedule conflicts with MIT Sloan courses. For example in 2013, 15.913/915 S-Lab was held MW 4-5:30, which conflicts with the LGO Seminar (required for LGO first years). This may be remedied in future years. LGO Scenario with fall Recommended Courses internship 1 st year fall H1: 15.871 System 1 st year spring H1: 15.913 Strategies H2: 15.915 Laboratory 1-2 Sustainability 2 nd year Summer-Fall INTERNSHIP 2 nd year Spring 1-2 Sustainability Certificate H2: 15.878 Capstone in Sustainability LGO Scenario with spring Recommended Courses internship 1 st year fall H1: 15.871 System 1 st year spring-summer INTERNSHIP 2 nd year fall 1-2 Sustainability 2 nd year spring H1: 15.913 Strategies H2: 15.915 Laboratory 1-2 Sustainability H2: 15.878 Capstone in Sustainability SDM Sequence SDM students can only complete the Sustainability Certificate if they continue past the 1-year January- January so that they can complete a second spring semester. In addition to the timing of courses, SDM students must carefully manage credit limits for enrollment in MIT Sloan courses. If two of the Certificate Electives are in Course 15, this would mean 39-51 credits of MIT Sloan courses to complete the Certificate, which may exceed the limit. Therefore, we recommend that students choose outside of Sloan or those that also meet other SDM requirements. One advantage that SDM students have is their January course on System, which can substitute for 15.871.
SDM Term Recommended Courses 1 st year winter SDM System course 1 st year spring H1: 15.913 Strategies H2: 15.915 Laboratory 0-2 Sustainability 2 nd year fall 0-2 Sustainability 2 nd year spring 0-2 Sustainability H2: 15.878 Capstone in Sustainability M.Fin Sequence M.Fin students are on campus for one year from June to June, with a stringent set of course requirements. It is not currently feasible for M.Fin students to complete the MIT Sloan Sustainability Certificate. We do, however, highly recommend their participation in the S-Lab and System courses. MSMS Sequence MSMS fall spring Recommended Courses H1: 15.871 System 1-2 Sustainability Certificate Attend Sustainability Lunch Series when possible. H1: 15.913 Strategies Full: 15.915 Laboratory 1-2 Sustainability Certificate H2: 15.878 Capstone in Sustainability Undergraduate Sequence Undergraduates have more flexibility than most masters-level students because they are on campus for 8 semesters, and therefore can complete the Certificate courses through a variety of pathways. The critical constraint for undergraduates is that all of the required courses and most of the elective courses in the Certificate are designed for graduate students with some degree of professional experience. Admission to courses is possible, however, with instructor permission. Therefore the Certificate is technically available to MIT undergraduates but not actively encouraged. We may develop a more undergraduate-friendly version of the Certificate in the future, contingent on demand. If you are interested, please reach out the Sustainability Initiative.