Curriculum

Program Design

The Program is a full-time 2-year MBA (120 ECTS) but taught intensively over 18 months. The selected multidisciplinary approach makes this master’s program unique. The courses are taught jointly by professors from UGM and UiA, and practitioners from private businesses and public offices are invited as guest lecturers in most courses. Faculty members from participating AUN universities will also be invited as guest lecturers, based on their scientific qualifications and regional competencies from various parts of ASEAN.

Combining competence from business school disciplines, such as Finance, Marketing, Strategy, and Business Ethics, with knowledge and experience from environmental sciences, such as Forestry, Agronomy, and Engineering, shall lead students to a deep understanding of ecological problems and solutions. A practical case-study approach throughout the courses will educate and train students in economic-ecological system analysis. Throughout the study program, students will learn about the necessity of multi-stakeholder engagement and corporate and public social responsibility.

Program Structure

Pre-MBA

Two-month intensive preparatory courses on Business and Management, Accounting and Finance, Managerial Economics, and Statistics for Business Decision

Second semester

Focus Courses (15 ECTS)

  1. Strategic Management

  2. General Business Environment

Concentration Courses (30 ECTS)

  1. Food Security and Conservation Management

  2. Marine Resources and Coastal Management

  3. Urban Planning and Management

  4. Energy Resource Management

  5. Research Methods

Third semester

(30 ECTS)

Internship and Master Thesis

First Semester

Business Ethics for Sustainability

Normative principles of individual and business behavior are usually taught in business management programs; however, this course uniquely explores the core areas of ethical concerns vital to sustainability management, from personal and local levels to collective and global perspectives. It covers topics such as personal freedom and choice, organizations, and the governance of ecosystems at local, regional, and global scales. The course aims to give students a thorough understanding of human responsibility for environmental sustainability. It also examines ethical norms and standards related to ecosystems throughout history and across cultures. Relevant cases demonstrate how business and environmental outcomes are shaped by ethical norms and standards. Additionally, the course discusses how responsible business behavior can be certified through standardized measures of CSR (corporate social responsibility), such as those established by the B-Corp (beneficial corporation) criteria.

After completing the course, the student should:

  • Understand the general importance of ethics in business decisions.

  • Have an overview of ethical theories and practices globally.

  • Be able to make conscious ethical decisions in dilemmas related to sustainable business practice.

  • Have a good understanding of the role of innovation in sustainability management.

  • Be able to evaluate the usefulness of various ethical and sustainability certifications.