Kirstie Riedl, Head of Program, on what’s “unique” about the Master’s program in International Sustainability Communication.
The Master’s program turns out experts in sustainability communication that have a track record and academic credentials! Graduates will gain the ability to critically evaluate and comprehend the intricate relationships amongst economy, politics, ecology, and other fields as they relate to sustainability. And they will master the specialized skills required to communicate these accurately and convincingly.
Both communication and sustainability are taught in-depth, and students are immersed in learning experiences that are as similar to reality as possible. The curriculum has been put together in such a way that lecturers are experts from both disciplines.
Who is the university course right for?
On the one hand, our continuing education program provides communication experts who want to establish themselves in the highly demanded field of “sustainability” with the knowledge and better understanding of this complex topic.
On the other hand, it provides already established sustainability experts, who in the future will increasingly have to communicate externally and internally, with the necessary communication tools.
And last but not least, it is the right continuing education program for all those who are already experts in a specific discipline – business law, technology, etc. – and where the topic of “sustainability” will become even more evident in the future … and to be honest: where is that not the case?
The fusion of the two competences sustainability and communication is relatively new, but the demand is already enormous and will continue to grow rapidly.
What makes this program unique?
What makes this Master’s program so special is the effect that “sustainability” is not only communicated by the graduates, but experienced profoundly and academically and subsequently lived! After finishing this continuing education program, they will not only be able to comprehensively understand and report on sustainability, but they will be able to exemplify it in the organizations themselves and drive it forward as changemakers.
Do you already need a sound knowledge of the economic aspects surrounding sustainability when you start your studies?
No. Because we offer our own special modules for an in-depth understanding of the economic aspects of sustainability, such as “Economics of Sustainability”, which deals with the macroeconomic aspects of sustainability. This will be further linked with “Transformation & Change Management” to provide a master’s level knowledge.
And, of course, there will also be very special modules in terms of communication skills. Because as a sustainability communicator you will also have to reckon with resistance in organizations. Here, the necessary skills of persuasion will be taught and tested in practice: In special disciplines such as “Behavioral Insights” or “Nudging”, for example, methods and models are taught in the second semester and developed and tried out with case studies and lecturers who come from the field.
Can you manage your studies alongside a full-time job?
Yes, the study program is designed so that it can be completed while working a full-time job. The modules are scheduled very compactly on Friday afternoons and Saturdays. On the one hand, this allows students to combine the program with their job, and on the other hand, they can put what they have learned into practice on the following Monday!
The program will be offered as a hybrid format depending on the cohort´s requirements which will enable students to join from far-afield too.
Participants will be inspired as well as motivated by the program and develop a passion for communicating about sustainability. Combined with a constant expansion of competencies in these areas, what is learned can be transferred directly into concrete professional action. This, in turn, reinforces the joy of advancing in the university program.
Would you like to learn more about the Master’s program in International Sustainability Communication? Here you can find all information.