Spring 2022 Undergrad Courses in Sustainable Business
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Stern undergraduate students concentrating in Sustainable Business examine the unique role of the private sector and gain a broad understanding of how embedding sustainability into core business strategy benefits financial performance and management practices. To learn more about the Concentration and its course requirements, click here.
To assist undergraduate students as they design their schedules, CSB has assembled the following list of Sustainable Business courses offered in the upcoming Fall 2021 semester.
Professor Moerenhout | MW 2.00 PM - 3.15 PM | In-Person
This course is a broad overview of pressing questions regarding the relationship between business and the environment. It aims to give students a look at the major drivers of environmental change, the shifting roles of government and non-government organizations (NGOs), as well as ways in which there are business responsibilities as well as opportunities. It emphasizes the unique role of business in a rapidly changing, globalized world and gives an overview of environmental issues business leaders are facing and will face in the future.
BSPA-UB 47: Global Business & Human Rights
Professor Gu and Professor Khan | TR 2:00 PM - 3:15 PM | In-Person
This is an advanced-level class for juniors and seniors that will focus on human rights law and practice and how the human rights framework applies to business. Students will be exposed to theoretical foundations of human rights, the evolving role of business in modern society, and case studies of how companies have been challenged by human rights issues in various industries.
BSPA-UB 50: Entrepreneurship in Sustainable Protein
Professor Taparia | W 6:20 PM - 9:00 PM | In-Person
Today, the food industry is the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, accounting for up to 30% of emissions. A poor diet is now the leading cause of mortality in the U.S. As part of these huge global problems, animal production is arguably the biggest culprit. In recognition of this, consumers are dramatically altering diet patterns, and food entrepreneurs are rushing to solve the problem with desirable solutions. Vegetarianism and veganism are exploding and new alternative meat and dairy offerings are being launched at a frenetic pace. This undergraduate course—the first of its kind—is designed to put the idea of teaching entrepreneurship to its ultimate test—with the objective of incubating a series of ventures through the course of the semester that have the potential to be viable businesses and reverse negative externalities that arise from animal production.
BSPA-UB 43: Economic Inequality: Perspectives and Practices
Professor Statler | TR 2:00 PM - 3:15 PM | In-Person
This course invites students to consider the causes and consequences of economic inequality from a variety of analytic perspectives, to judge the current situation based on their own ethical values, and to take concrete actions to bring about positive change in the world. The format includes a discussion seminar and two major research projects. In the seminar, students become familiar with relevant terms and concepts drawn from disciplines including economics, political science, sociology, organization studies and philosophy.
BSPA-UB 41: Social Entrepreneurship
Professor Davis | TR 11.00 AM - 12.15 PM | In-Person
Social Entrepreneurship is an emerging and rapidly changing business field that examines the practice of identifying, starting and growing successful mission-driven for profit and nonprofit ventures, that is, organizations that strive to advance social change through innovative solutions. This course is designed to provide a socially relevant academic experience in order to help students gain in-depth insights into economic and social value creation across a number of sectors/areas including poverty alleviation, energy, health and sustainability. Essentially, students will have the opportunity to find and test new ideas and solutions to social problems, create sustainable business models (using lean startup principles), identify funding options and alternatives, learn how to measure social impact as well as scale/grow a social enterprise to name a few. We provide students with a toolkit and frameworks that can be used in a social venture or within an existing organization to influence social change.
Professor Krosinsky | MW 3:30 PM - 4:45 PM | In-Person
1st century investors face a broadening and deepening array of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) risks and opportunities. Climate change, water scarcity, community conflict, resource depletion, supply chain breakdowns, worker well-being and economic inequality pose material challenges that make sustainability an imperative for successful investors and the companies they choose to invest in. This course will couple theory with the practice of Sustainable Investing (SI). We will examine current ESG investment and corporate strategies, trends, future scenarios, players, and frameworks and integrate that theory with practical investment performance analysis, metrics, and studies of data, screens, asset classes, and diversification.
FINC-UB 75: Managing Climate, Cyber, Geopolitical, and Financial Risk
Professor Berner | TR 1.30 PM - 2.50 PM | In-Person
Businesses and governments now face a growing and immediate array of nonfinancial risks, including climate-related, cyber and operational, and geopolitical risks. Precisely because these critical risks are hard to measure and analyze, firms are putting new resources – people and money– to work to anticipate, manage and mitigate them. To address cybersecurity risks, for example, JP Morgan alone has 3000 employees and spends $600 million annually. Firms are only starting to grapple with existential climate-related risks. And startups are mushrooming to provide assessments to businesses.
Professor Taparia | TR 9:30 AM - 10:45 AM | In-Person
This course is designed to help students gain actionable insights into the nexus between economic and social value creation. Specifically, the purpose is to provide students with hands-on exposure to the entrepreneurial pursuit of social impact and innovation. As a result of this course, students will gain: Increased ability to recognize and critically assess various forms of social enterprise strategies as tools of economic development and social transformation; Greater understanding of the challenges of growing and sustaining a social enterprise, as well as special insights into enterprise development and growth; Improved consulting skills, including project planning, issue analysis, formulation of strategic and tactical recommendations, and client relationship management.
BSPA-UB 2000: Stern International Volunteers: Ghana
Professor Kowal and Professor Taparia | T 11:00 AM - 12:15 PM | In-Person
SIV Ghana is a one-of-a-kind course that combines in-class learning with a hands-on social entrepreneurship and cultural experience. Over the past seven years, SIV Ghana has been working with its partner village, Woatze Tsatoe, in the Eastern Volta region of Ghana, to help start community-owned social enterprises. When we began work, the village had no concrete structures, paved roads or any businesses. Since then, our class has assisted in establishing several community owned businesses, including the Amenuveve Batik Center, the Tsatoe Vegetable farm, a clean water business and an emerging business focused on women’s health. Through philanthropic initiatives, the class has also helped support a variety of projects including the construction of a new school, public latrine, computer lab and library.
To assist undergraduate students as they design their schedules, CSB has assembled the following list of Sustainable Business courses offered in the upcoming Fall 2021 semester.
Issue Area
ECON-UB 225: Business and the EnvironmentProfessor Moerenhout | MW 2.00 PM - 3.15 PM | In-Person
This course is a broad overview of pressing questions regarding the relationship between business and the environment. It aims to give students a look at the major drivers of environmental change, the shifting roles of government and non-government organizations (NGOs), as well as ways in which there are business responsibilities as well as opportunities. It emphasizes the unique role of business in a rapidly changing, globalized world and gives an overview of environmental issues business leaders are facing and will face in the future.
BSPA-UB 47: Global Business & Human Rights
Professor Gu and Professor Khan | TR 2:00 PM - 3:15 PM | In-Person
This is an advanced-level class for juniors and seniors that will focus on human rights law and practice and how the human rights framework applies to business. Students will be exposed to theoretical foundations of human rights, the evolving role of business in modern society, and case studies of how companies have been challenged by human rights issues in various industries.
BSPA-UB 50: Entrepreneurship in Sustainable Protein
Professor Taparia | W 6:20 PM - 9:00 PM | In-Person
Today, the food industry is the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, accounting for up to 30% of emissions. A poor diet is now the leading cause of mortality in the U.S. As part of these huge global problems, animal production is arguably the biggest culprit. In recognition of this, consumers are dramatically altering diet patterns, and food entrepreneurs are rushing to solve the problem with desirable solutions. Vegetarianism and veganism are exploding and new alternative meat and dairy offerings are being launched at a frenetic pace. This undergraduate course—the first of its kind—is designed to put the idea of teaching entrepreneurship to its ultimate test—with the objective of incubating a series of ventures through the course of the semester that have the potential to be viable businesses and reverse negative externalities that arise from animal production.
BSPA-UB 43: Economic Inequality: Perspectives and Practices
Professor Statler | TR 2:00 PM - 3:15 PM | In-Person
This course invites students to consider the causes and consequences of economic inequality from a variety of analytic perspectives, to judge the current situation based on their own ethical values, and to take concrete actions to bring about positive change in the world. The format includes a discussion seminar and two major research projects. In the seminar, students become familiar with relevant terms and concepts drawn from disciplines including economics, political science, sociology, organization studies and philosophy.
BSPA-UB 41: Social Entrepreneurship
Professor Davis | TR 11.00 AM - 12.15 PM | In-Person
Social Entrepreneurship is an emerging and rapidly changing business field that examines the practice of identifying, starting and growing successful mission-driven for profit and nonprofit ventures, that is, organizations that strive to advance social change through innovative solutions. This course is designed to provide a socially relevant academic experience in order to help students gain in-depth insights into economic and social value creation across a number of sectors/areas including poverty alleviation, energy, health and sustainability. Essentially, students will have the opportunity to find and test new ideas and solutions to social problems, create sustainable business models (using lean startup principles), identify funding options and alternatives, learn how to measure social impact as well as scale/grow a social enterprise to name a few. We provide students with a toolkit and frameworks that can be used in a social venture or within an existing organization to influence social change.
Discipline
BSPA-UB 48: Theory & Practice of Sustainable InvestingProfessor Krosinsky | MW 3:30 PM - 4:45 PM | In-Person
1st century investors face a broadening and deepening array of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) risks and opportunities. Climate change, water scarcity, community conflict, resource depletion, supply chain breakdowns, worker well-being and economic inequality pose material challenges that make sustainability an imperative for successful investors and the companies they choose to invest in. This course will couple theory with the practice of Sustainable Investing (SI). We will examine current ESG investment and corporate strategies, trends, future scenarios, players, and frameworks and integrate that theory with practical investment performance analysis, metrics, and studies of data, screens, asset classes, and diversification.
FINC-UB 75: Managing Climate, Cyber, Geopolitical, and Financial Risk
Professor Berner | TR 1.30 PM - 2.50 PM | In-Person
Businesses and governments now face a growing and immediate array of nonfinancial risks, including climate-related, cyber and operational, and geopolitical risks. Precisely because these critical risks are hard to measure and analyze, firms are putting new resources – people and money– to work to anticipate, manage and mitigate them. To address cybersecurity risks, for example, JP Morgan alone has 3000 employees and spends $600 million annually. Firms are only starting to grapple with existential climate-related risks. And startups are mushrooming to provide assessments to businesses.
Practicum
BSPA-UB 70: Social Innovation PracticumProfessor Taparia | TR 9:30 AM - 10:45 AM | In-Person
This course is designed to help students gain actionable insights into the nexus between economic and social value creation. Specifically, the purpose is to provide students with hands-on exposure to the entrepreneurial pursuit of social impact and innovation. As a result of this course, students will gain: Increased ability to recognize and critically assess various forms of social enterprise strategies as tools of economic development and social transformation; Greater understanding of the challenges of growing and sustaining a social enterprise, as well as special insights into enterprise development and growth; Improved consulting skills, including project planning, issue analysis, formulation of strategic and tactical recommendations, and client relationship management.
BSPA-UB 2000: Stern International Volunteers: Ghana
Professor Kowal and Professor Taparia | T 11:00 AM - 12:15 PM | In-Person
SIV Ghana is a one-of-a-kind course that combines in-class learning with a hands-on social entrepreneurship and cultural experience. Over the past seven years, SIV Ghana has been working with its partner village, Woatze Tsatoe, in the Eastern Volta region of Ghana, to help start community-owned social enterprises. When we began work, the village had no concrete structures, paved roads or any businesses. Since then, our class has assisted in establishing several community owned businesses, including the Amenuveve Batik Center, the Tsatoe Vegetable farm, a clean water business and an emerging business focused on women’s health. Through philanthropic initiatives, the class has also helped support a variety of projects including the construction of a new school, public latrine, computer lab and library.