Green Mountain launches online master's programs

Vermont Business Magazine, Dec 01, 2006 by Diehl, Stephen

This fall, Green Mountain College, in Poultney, charged into the world of online education with two innovative master's programs, both catering to the needs of working professionals. One is an MBA in sustainable business. The other is a Master of Science in Environmental Studies.

In its master of business administration degree, the College is on the leading edge of a trend toward what are known as "Green MBA" programs, which use the triple bottom line approach: People, Planet, Profit.

"In the wake of so many corporate scandals, it's more important than ever for today's business managers be versed in business ethics and how their actions affect stakeholders," says GMC's Professor Bill Prado, who directs the program. "These corporate decision makers need to protect their bottom line, but they need to do it in a sustainable way that takes into account the needs of people and the environment."

The message clearly resonates with students. Earlier in the fall, the College welcomed to the first class of students to an optional 3-day campus residency to meet faculty and learn more about how the program works. 100 percent of the class participated in the residency, eager for the opportunity to meet their classmates, with whom the vast majority of communication will be conducted via an online classroom. The class included students from Washington State, California, Colorado, Wisconsin, New York, Vermont, and Maine.

Green Mountain has offered undergraduate business programs for many years, but it was at the instigation of President John F. Brennan that the College developed its M.B.A. Brennan, who earned his own M.B.A. from Harvard, had launched New England's first online M.B.A. when he was Dean of the Sawyer School of Management at Suffolk University in Boston. He saw first-hand the potential of online programs to reach those whose lives were too busy or complicated to manage a traditional campus program.

Prado, who also brings a good deal of experience in online education, emphasizes how important It is for students seeking online degrees to find a program with integrity that is accredited. Otherwise the value and legitimacy of the degree may be questioned by future employers. "We are immensely proud of the planning and research we invested to get this program fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges," Prado says. "Hopefully students realize that this is a strong quality assurance."

The Green Mountain College M.B.A. is scheduled in a way that accommodates the schedules of working professionals. Courses are each six weeks long and offered in sequence. "A big benefit of the online model is that you can study and attend class on your own time frame," says Prado. "The way virtual classroom discussions are set up, you can join in as your time allows without missing the essence of the conversation. The interaction in the online classrooms is excellent."

The academic core of the M.B.A. program includes the typically rigorous courses associated with graduate business study including topics such as Statistics & Quantitative Management, Management of Triple Bottom Line, Marketing and Managing the Customer Relationship, Economics, & Corporate Performance Management, and Information Assets and Technology Management.

During their introductory weekend, students met faculty, learned about the College, and spent a good deal of time with guest lecturer, Spencer Putnam, Executive Director of Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility. Putnam was also the keynote speaker for the 3-day visit. "Vermont has become an important hub in the quest for socially responsible business," Prado notes. "We certainly hope and expect that the College will gain recognition within the state as a center for expertise in socially responsible business issues."

The College also launched a groundbreaking online Master of Science in Environmental Studies, tapping into its leadership and reputation as an environmental liberal arts college. This program has drawn an equally diverse group of professionals who also did a brief on-campus residency in early September. For the M.S. program, famed environmental author Bill McKibben was a visiting lecturer.

"This is an unusual and highly progressive program in many ways," says program director, Dr. Laird Christensen. "It's a bioregional approach to distance learning, which means that a key part of the student's program Is to take the theoretical ideas they've learned in their online courses and apply them to a real-life situation in their home community. For example, a student may identify a water quality problem in their community and take on a project to further research the problem and its possible solutions."

The M.S. also offers six-week courses online. Students may choose one of two concentrations: Conservation Biology or Writing & Communications. Alternatively' a student may work with a College advisor to design their own focus within the program.

The core of the M.S. program includes courses like Natural Systems Ecology Ecology, Environmental Law & Policy, Environmental Leadership & Community involvement, and Environmental History & Philosophy. Classes typically begin with a case study, then move into relevant theory, followed by some kind of practical application in the student's local bioregion.