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Gives students an understanding of current environmental issues as they relate to managerial decision-making. The issues are examined from the worldwide perspectives of business and society. The course focuses on issues of waste and recycling, air quality (including ozone depletion, global warming, and acid rain), water quality, resource management, biodiversity, and sustainable economic growth.

MBA Major in Environmental and Risk Management

The major in Environmental and Risk Management is concerned with public and private sector issues in designing and implementing effective strategies related to the impacts of business activities on the environment and related areas in health and safety. There has been a growing concern with such impacts because of their inherent importance for responsible management. This is due primarily to the increasing cost of laws and regulations governing those business activities which may pose risks to the environment, to the health and safety of workers, and/or to surrounding communities.

This major is designed to provide in-depth foundations for those interested in pursuing careers in the growing environmental sector of the economy, whether in private business, in environmental consulting, or in government. Non-majors interested in an overview of business and policy in the environmental area should also find selected courses from this major of interest.

The program provides an interdisciplinary approach, building on faculty and courses from departments such as Accounting, Health Care Management, Insurance and Risk Management, Legal Studies, Management, Marketing, Operations and Information Management, and Business and Public Policy. Additional coursework on environmental and technological risks can be pursued in parallel with the Wharton program through studies in the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering and Applied Science.

The program is coordinated by the Director of the Environmental Management Program. The program also offers a seminar series cosponsored with the Institute for Environmental Studies and the Risk Management and Decision Sciences Center. The ongoing design and monitoring of the program is supported by a school-wide group of faculty with teaching and research interests in environmental and risk management.


Requirements for the Major:
Five course units (cu) are required.

The major in Environmental and Risk Management at the Wharton School requires five units of course work as indicated below or four units of course work and an advanced study project approved the Director of the Environmental Management Program. Acronyms on the following list of courses refer to the following departments: health care management (HCMG), insurance (INSR), legal studies (LGST), management (MGMT), marketing (MKTG), operations and information management (OPIM), and business and public policy (BPUB).