Sustainability Master of Business Administration
Program Overview
As a Sustainability Master of Business Administration (SMBA) student you will experience Evergreen's model of interdisciplinary learning — combining sustainable practices with traditional business teachings.
In this program you will partner with faculty, peers, and industry leaders to engage in case studies, gameplay, and project-based learning. By studying topics like innovative business models, data analysis for sustainability, tribal business, and circular design you will deepen your skills and become the architect of a better future.
Complete this fully-online Masters degree studying full-time for two years or part-time for three years.
Applications Open August 2026
Expectations of an SMBA Graduate
At the end of our program, graduates should…
- Adopt a mindset that values long-term impacts across social, environmental, and economic dimensions
- Apply a holistic approach to sustainable and regenerative business development
- Conduct evidence-informed analysis and utilize management strategies that support sustainability throughout an enterprise's system
- Approach financial decision-making through a lens that sees a holistic picture of an enterprise’s success regarding social responsibility, environmental stewardship, and economic prosperity
- Demonstrate transformative leadership through effective communication, robust stakeholder engagement, collaborative teamwork, responsive project management, self-directed and continuous learning, preventative self-care, and more
Career Paths
What can you do with your degree? Evergreen's SMBA will prepare you for sustainability-focused careers in:
- Assessment and Reporting
- Impact-Driven Marketing
- Supply Chain Management
- Impact Investing
- Social Enterprise Development
- Business Consulting and Management
- Socially Responsible Business and Product Development
- and More...
SMBA Degree Requirements
The SMBA requires 60 credits for degree completion, with full-time students completing 10 credits during the fall, winter, and spring quarters of Year 2 (including a culminating 6-credit capstone in their final spring quarter of Year 2).
- Full-time students will complete the degree in 2 years, including Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters, for a total of 6 quarters
- Part-time students will take varying credit loads over 3 years to complete the degree
SMBA Program Credit Overview
60 total credits
| SMBA Program Credits | |
|---|---|
| Program Parts | Credits |
| Core Courses | 36 |
| Additional Courses | 18 |
| Capstone | 6 |
| Total Credits | 60 |
Core Courses
6 credits per quarter
Core courses are 6 credits per quarter and must be taken in the following order:
- Foundations in Environmental and Social Responsibility
- Business Development, Design, Marketing, and Innovation for Sustainability
- The Green Business Lab: Strategic Sustainability, Decision Making, and Leadership (Year 1 Project)
- Accounting and Finance for the Triple Bottom Line
- Sustainable Supply Chain Management and Strategic Sustainability Reporting
- SMBA Student Capstone (Year 2 Capstone Experience)
Additional Courses
4 credits per quarter
Additional required courses are 4 credits per quarter:
- Introduction to Sustainability and Business
- Data Analysis and Visualization for Sustainability I & II
- Alternative Models for Social Change, Participatory Governance and Decision Making
In addition, students choose among the following courses to complete their SMBA degree:
- Tribal Economics (MPA course) or Regenerative/Ecological Economics
- Transformative Leadership & Management, Eco-Entrepreneurship, Tribal Business, any MPA 4-credit elective, or any two 2-credit MPA electives
SMBA Sample Schedules
Full-Time SMBA
2 year program
| Year 1 Full-Time 30 credits | ||
|---|---|---|
| Quarter | Courses | Course Credits |
| Fall 10 credits | Foundations in Sustainability | 6 |
| Intro to Sustainability & Business | 4 | |
| Winter 10 credits | Business Development, Design, Marketing, and Innovation | 6 |
| Data Analysis I | 4 | |
| Spring 10 credits | The Green Business Lab | 6 |
| Alternative Models + Participatory Decision-Making | 4 | |
| Year 2 Full-Time 30 credits | ||
|---|---|---|
| Quarter | Courses | Course Credits |
| Fall 10 credits | Accounting for the Triple Bottom Line | 6 |
Course Options: - Tribal Economics (4) | 4 | |
| Winter 10 credits | Supply Chain Management and Sustainability Reporting | 6 |
| Data Analysis II | 4 | |
| Spring 10 credits | Capstone | 6 |
Course Options: - Leadership (4) | 4 | |
Part-Time SMBA
3 year program
| Year 1 Part-Time 26 credits | ||
|---|---|---|
| Quarter | Courses | Course Credits |
| Fall 8 credits | Foundations in Sustainability | 6 |
| MPA Elective | 2 | |
| Winter 10 credits* | Business Development, Design, Marketing, and Innovation | 6 |
| Data Analysis I | 4 | |
| Spring 8 credits | The Green Business Lab | 6 |
| MPA Elective | 2 | |
| *Due to the required sequence of the program, students on the part-time track must take a full-time credit load only during Winter quarter of Year 1 | ||
| Year 2 Part-Time 16 credits | ||
|---|---|---|
| Quarter | Courses | Course Credits |
| Fall 6 credits | Accounting for the Triple Bottom Line | 6 |
| Winter 6 credits | Supply Chain Management and Sustainability Reporting | 6 |
| Spring 4 credits | Course Options: - Alternative Models + Participatory Decision-Making (4) | 4 |
| Year 3 Part-Time 18 credits | ||
|---|---|---|
| Quarter | Courses | Course Credits |
| Fall 8 credits | Introduction to Sustainability in Business | 4 |
Course Options: - Tribal Economics (4) | 4 | |
| Winter 4 credits | Data Analysis II | 4 |
| Spring 6 credits | Capstone | 6 |