More and more business graduate schools are offering degrees in sustainability, a trend that parallels the slow but sure move in business to adopt green initiatives–whether because of the companies’ social values, because of the economic benefits of sustainability, or because environmental policy requires it.

Environmental studies departments in universities have been a harbor for green thinking and environmentalism for some time, but now students are able to earn an MBA in business sustainability! Jeff McIntire-Strasburg reports on the latest university course in sustainability at the MIT Sloan School of Management, citing that about 54% of MBA programs now require at least one course in sustainability or corporate social responsibility.

The Financial Times reports on the Sloan School’s new Sustainability Laboratory course:

Richard Locke, who helped design the class, says it is meant to inspire students to think about how these real-world challenges could be recast for future competitive business opportunities. “The idea is to change the discourse away from the notion that [these issues pose] limits and constraints on growth, and move it toward thinking about how they could be viewed as real opportunities for new businesses and rethinking existing business models,” he says.

-The Climate’s Changing at Business Schools [TreeHugger.com]