Impact MBA

Better World MBA Program Nationwide by Corporate Knights

Months to complete

Number of countries represented by students

The Impact MBA at CSU’s College of Business provides the critical business skills needed to drive organizational change and create ventures that incorporate the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit. Implementing a triple bottom line in business plans can increase competitive advantages in reputation, efficiency and resiliency, and produce long-term financial returns.

As organizations look to create sustainable solutions across every aspect of their business, the demand for professionals with the knowledge, skills and mindset to solve complex problems using a social, economic and environmental framework will continue to grow.

Business has a critical role to play in creating a sustainable future and so do you. Become a leader in sustainable business practices and join the Impact MBA, ranked No. 5 nationwide and No. 20 worldwide in the 2021 Corporate Knights Better World MBA Ranking and recipient of the 2020 Wharton-QS Reimagine Education silver award for sustainability education.

Connect Purpose and Profit

Whether you want to start your own business or become a change agent within an organization, CSU’s College of Business Impact MBA provides you with the skills and tools to take action, the leadership and influence to drive change and a supportive network of like-minded, innovative professionals with sustainable visions.

This 16-month program requires focus and dedication for you to make the most of this immersive experience. We go beyond case studies to deepen your expertise and offer real-world, authentic experiences through two specialized tracks: Social Entrepreneurship and Corporate Sustainability.

Both tracks share the same foundational business core infused with social impact and sustainable business practices and methods. Once admitted, you’ll choose from the distinct track electives and experiential summer courses.

Track 1 – Social Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurial – start a team-based venture that addresses a global, social and/or environmental challenge
40-60 day practicum of discovery in the field: A unique opportunity to discover and to fill in the practical implications or gaps in knowledge related to a new venture idea. Immersing you in the population or environment in most need of creative solutions
Hands-on experience identifying opportunities, designing business models, creating financial projections, and pitching your ideas

Social Entrepreneurship

Track 2 – Corporate Sustainability

Intrapreneurial - make the business case and lead sustainability projects from within an existing organization
Fellowship: An opportunity to apply the foundational analytical and technical skills learned in the classroom to real sustainability projects under consideration in corporations, governments and non-governmental organizations
Courses in greenhouse gas management, life cycle assessment and climate change impact with a Carbon Management certificate option

Corporate Sustainability

From legacy program to specialized track

First launched in 2006, our legacy Global Social and Sustainable Enterprise MBA lives on in the Impact MBA and its Social Entrepreneurship track. As one of the original innovators in the field of sustainable business programs, the Impact MBA was founded on the idea that through hands-on business education, students can develop the tools and systems needed to address social and environmental challenges.

Now, more than a decade in, the world has caught on. Our faculty continue to lead in sustainable research on one of the greenest campuses in the nation and teach the skills and ideas needed to merge business goals with the desire to make the world a better place. Students learn from these world-class thought leaders at our college and across the CSU campus. Each course teaches them how to forge tangible and innovative ways to use business to make a difference in communities and organizations around the globe. There is no time to lose on the solutions the world needs right now. During the program, students create real sustainable ventures or initiate sustainable projects within organizations that can live on after graduation.

STEM Designation

The Impact MBA meets the federal definition of a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) program as it emphasizes technical business skills combined with options for scientific coursework.

Benefits for International Students

After finishing the Impact MBA program, students can apply for OPT (Optional Practical Training) that allows you to work 12 months in the United States upon completion of the MBA. Thanks to the STEM designation, international students who graduate with an Impact MBA are eligible to apply for an additional 24 months OPT extension. With a potential of 36 months to work in the U.S., you can gain invaluable work experience and build a network of professional colleagues in the U.S.

Classes start on campus in August. Limited spaces may still be available, please contact an Enrollment Counselor to learn more.

Program at a Glance
Delivery:	Face to face
Location:	Fort Collins, CO, plus 40-60 days in a field location or time in a summer fellowship
Length:	16 months (three semesters–includes a summer practicum or fellowship)
Start Dates:	August
Schedule:	Classes four to five days a week, Monday–Friday
Credits:	44
Degree awarded:	On diploma: Master of Business Administration On transcript: Master of Business Administration, major in Business Administration with Impact specialization

Out of state and relocating? You may qualify for in-state tuition if you are from the Western half of the United States.

Did you know?

Colorado State University is the first of only six institutions worldwide to achieve a Platinum rating in the Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS).