Certificate for Advanced Graduate Study Option

Candidates for a Certificate for Advanced Graduate Study in Sustainable Business and Communities are required to enroll for a minimum of two successfully completed semesters of full-time study.

Every student attends an eight-day residency at the beginning of each semester. The residency is primarily a time for students to work closely with their faculty advisor, to plan their academic work for the ensuing semester, to attend skill-building and informational workshops and minicourses, and to create connections with other students and faculty members. The chief product from the residency is each student’s individualized study plan for the semester. The study plan is built around the student’s learning aspirations and the certificate requirements. It delineates the student’s learning goals and guides their academic work for the semester. The retreat-like atmosphere of each residency provides an opportunity for students to develop a solid working relationship with faculty members and to become acquainted with the work and thinking of other students.

Candidates for a graduate study certificate are expected to demonstrate the integration of their learning by producing an overview of learning. This culminating project is a written document of substantial length and depth that includes a discussion of the most relevant literature that has been reviewed and summarizes key learning points.