Courtesy Bainbridge Graduate Institute Students at Bainbridge Graduate Institute can now opt into one of three new certificate programs that have a sustainability focus. |
The Bainbridge Graduate Institute in Washington, the first school in the country to offer an MBA in sustainable business, announced three new certificate programs designed for working executives seeking to develop skills in the areas of three emerging markets: Sustainable Built Environment, Sustainable Food and Agriculture, and Sustainable Energy Solutions.
These new programs expand the overall offerings of BGI to provide students with a deeper understanding of the rapidly evolving sustainability landscape and further prepare them to offer smart and sustainable business solutions in these three growing industries.
“BGI is tailoring these new programs for those currently working in these important sectors as well as aspiring entrepreneurs,” says BGI’s dean, John Gardner. “These certificates distinguish themselves not only as the current state of the art, but importantly, they engage and guide students on how to design new business models that will enable breakthrough success.”
The Bainbridge Graduate Institute crafted these four-quarter, one-year, graduate certificates to stimulate innovation and creativity in the design and operation of businesses that pursue a more sustainable world. Developing skilled, experienced managers with an integrated knowledge of sustainability is a core value of BGI.
The Certificate in Sustainable Food and Agricultural Systems will offer an integrated examination of food and agricultural systems in the U.S. and the broader movement toward sustainable practices, innovation and whole-systems development. Students will benefit from integrated examination of food systems, both globally and in the U.S., and examine business opportunities at the local, national and global levels.
Students completing the Certificate in Sustainable Built Environment will learn how to create new products and services for the design and construction sector, as well as understand the development, finance and real-estate sectors from a green perspective. The certificate will equip students with the knowledge required for a career in green building and development by exploring the systemic, philosophical and historical forces that have given rise to the field. The program will also examine the technological, political and economic forces shaping its current and future development, providing a solid overview of the trends favoring a shift to a more sustainably built environment.
The Certificate in Sustainable Energy Solutions will teach students the skills necessary to manage and innovate in this sector, including the structure and economics of the energy business, the promise and pitfalls of emerging renewable sources of energy, and how energy is consumed. The course series provides an overview of the terms, concepts, technologies and framework needed to take a concept or idea for a new venture through the final steps to making the “pitch” in the sustainable-energy marketplace.
Starting winter 2012, these programs, offered at 12 credits each, will be taught by the leaders and pioneers of each industry, including Jimmy Jia, CEO and co-founder at Distributed Energy Management; Jason McLennan, CEO of the Cascadia Green Building Council; Tony D’Onofrio, sustainability coordinator of Town & Country Markets and a BGI graduate; and John Gardner, BGI dean.
The Sustainable Built Environment program will be offered at the LEED-Gold certified IslandWood campus located on Bainbridge Island, Wash., and the Sustainable Energy Solutions and Food and Agriculture Certificate programs will be offered at the Seattle Learning Site, located in downtown Seattle, with asynchronous distance learning between sessions incorporating a variety of learning methodologies.
