Coastal Carolina University’s E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration is expanding its Master of Business Administration (MBA) program by offering a concentration in Coastal and Marine Wetlands Studies (CMWS). This new concentration prepares students for future careers in environmental policy, sustainability, and the business of coastlines and coastal systems.

Applications are now being accepted for the MBA CMWS track for the Spring 2022 semester. For more information, please visit mba.coastal.edu.

The CMWS concentration is offered through an interdisciplinary partnership between the Wall College of Business and the Gupta College of Science. The CMWS concentration requires students to complete 30 credit hours and is available via both in-person and online classes.

“We are excited to offer this unique program, which is unlike any other in the state and is rare in MBA programs around the country,” said Erika Small, Ph.D., interim dean of the Wall College of Business. “This new program will ensure the Wall College is generating business leaders who are prepared for the future challenges of climate change, especially in areas along coastal waterways or in businesses that rely on coastal systems as part of their supply chain. We aim to ensure these leaders can provide the right strategic recommendations to businesses or governmental agencies alike.”

The CMWS concentration includes nine credit hours of elective courses that address the ever-increasing demands of business on the climate and ecosystem. Students can select three of four potential elective courses. One of the scheduled spring courses, CMWS 626: Economy and Sustainability of Coastlines and the Coastal Oceans, offers an in-person weekend residency trip to Waties Island, an Atlantic coast barrier island partially owned by CCU that provides faculty and students a natural laboratory to conduct extensive study and research.

“Nearly 40% of the U.S. population lives in coastal areas, and these areas face environmental and economic issues that are different from inland areas,” said William Ambrose, Ph.D., vice dean of CCU’s School of the Coastal Environment. “If U.S. coastal counties were an individual country, they would rank third behind only the U.S. and China in gross domestic product. The new MBA concentration will give our students the business and scientific knowledge and skills to be leaders in the coastal economy.”

Follow the Wall College graduate programs on social media @CCUGradBusiness.