Dual Degree Opportunities

Dual Degree Programs

The Frederick A. and Barbara M. Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise is a partnership with the School of Natural Resources & Environment, which explores how organizations can achieve long-term success through the harmonization of economic, environmental and social interests. The institute’s world-class MBA/MS Program is an integrated three-year experience in which students earn two Masters degrees.

Erb Institute MBA/MS students complete one year of required courses within each school (Ross and SNRE), allowing them to develop an essential knowledge base in both business and environmental disciplines. After completing the core requirements within each school, students typically specialize in a primary area of interest, such as renewable energy, sustainable development, industrial ecology, eco-entrepreneurship, nonprofit management, conservation, green marketing, corporate responsibility, or sustainable production. To serve student interests, the program sponsors several specialized course offerings, which are taught by University of Michigan faculty and visiting practitioners.

Beyond the classroom, Erb MBA/MS students develop critical competencies by engaging in real-world research projects focused on issues of sustainability. Past research projects have included ecosystem analysis, policy appraisal, cross-sector partnership evaluation, life cycle assessment, environmental accounting, energy system modeling, and environmental strategy development. The geographic scope of these projects ranges from local community initiatives to on-site work in developing countries.

Students also have the opportunity to participate in two distinct summer internships during their three years in the program. This allows students to explore a wide range of career options across the non-profit, corporate and governmental sectors. The internships also provide invaluable work experience for students to draw upon as they embark upon their new careers.

Students admitted to the Erb Institute MBA/MS dual program must satisfy all degree requirements of each school, as follows:

1. The MBA 57 credit hour degree program including:

• 45 Ross MBA credit hours; made up of:
  • Roughly 30 MBA core credit hours (note: successfully-waived core courses do not earn degree credits, and must be replaced with additional Ross electives)
  • Roughly 15 elective hours in Business Administration
  • Communication requirement

2. The SNRE MS credit hour degree program including:

• 32 SNRE MS credit hours made up of:
  • A minimum of 25 or 32 hours (total amount depends on student's field of study) of SNRE credits, including a project/thesis
  • A maximum of 7 graduate-level elective credits from other schools within the University (note: courses taken at RBS to fulfill this SNRE degree requirement do not count toward MBA degree requirements)

The total credit hours for the dual degree program must be at least 77. Students who have been accepted to the Erb Institute MBA/MS Program before they arrive on campus may begin their studies in either school. In addition, first-year students at either Ross or SNRE may apply for admission to the dual-degree program after they have begun their graduate studies.

Candidates interested in the program must file separate applications to and be admitted by both schools. Applicants must indicate on both applications that they are applying for the Erb MBA/MS.

For basic information about the Erb MBA/MS program, please see the Erb Institute web site at:
http://erb.umich.edu/education-programs/mbams/
 
Please see below for a sample plan of the curriculum of this dual degree program.

Note: At least three terms of full-time enrollment must be completed in Business Administration. Full-time enrollment is defined as 9 credit hours or more of coursework per term.

Sample Note: Credit per term will vary. Your credits per term may differ from sample.