
MSc Management Sustainability Transition
- Program formatFull-time, Work-study
- Duration1 year to 2 years
- CampusGrenoble
- LanguagesEnglish
- Admission level3-years Degree to 4-years Degree
- DiplomaMaster's Degree
- Tuition feesfrom €13,250 / year
- Program formatFull-time, Work-study
- Duration1 year to 2 years
- CampusGrenoble
- Admission level3-years Degree to 4-years Degree
- DiplomaMaster's Degree
- Tuition feesfrom €13,250 / year
The MSc Management for Sustainability Transitions trains future managers to lead and orchestrate high-impact sustainable transformations within companies, public organizations, and NGOs.
Careers with Sustainable Impact
Graduates typically pursue careers as Sustainability or CSR Managers, Sustainability Consultants, Sustainable Innovation Catalysts, Business Developers, or Social Entrepreneurs, within leading organizations such as Carbone 4, Ecovadis, EY, Greenflex, or Too Good To Go.
The program equips students with the skills to drive innovation, rethink business models, and create lasting economic, social, and environmental value.
Why Choose the MSc Management Sustainability Transition?
- Become a catalyst for sustainable change: This program is designed for students aiming to lead high-impact transformations in the private, public, or non-profit sectors, embedding sustainability at the core of organizational strategy.
- Learn by doing: Work on real-world sustainability projects, business cases, and innovation challenges, guided by experts, faculty, and industry professionals committed to sustainable development.
- Adopt a systemic and strategic approach: Master sustainability frameworks (SDGs, planetary boundaries), analyze future scenarios, and manage complex situations requiring innovative, cross-sector solutions.
- Innovate for a responsible future: Develop and evaluate technological, social, and organizational innovations for sustainability using a holistic and critical approach, including life-cycle assessment and impact analysis.
- Cultivate ethical and inclusive governance: Engage stakeholders, drive collective transitions, and implement transparent, responsible strategies for sustainable impact.
- Thrive in an engaged international ecosystem: Based in Grenoble, a European hub for research and the energy transition, study in a 100% English-taught program within a multicultural cohort, at a triple-accredited business school (EQUIS, AACSB, AMBA) recognized for excellence and sustainability leadership.
Understand international standards (CSRD, ESG frameworks) to ensure transparency, compliance, and risk management within organizations.
Explore long-term implications of strategic decisions and envision alternative futures to guide sustainable transitions.
Combine management, science, and innovation to address interconnected social, environmental, and economic challenges
Collaborate with companies, NGOs, public authorities, and civil society to maximize the impact of sustainability initiatives.
Design responsible projects and products that integrate social, environmental, and economic impacts
Manage unpredictable situations, create alternative solution models, and lead change at both local and global levels.
- Requested experienceNone
- PRM accessibilityAccessible
Master’s degree. Diplôme visé Bac +5 conférant le Grade de Master : “Diplôme d’études supérieures de management stratégique d’activités internationales”.
RNCP 37252.
6 good reasons to choose GEM
The Alpine Campus
Located in the heart of the Alps, GEM’s Grenoble campus combines innovation, nature, and an outstanding quality of life. Students enjoy close proximity to mountains perfect for skiing, hiking, and mountain biking, while studying in a city known as a scientific and technological hub. Grenoble hosts numerous start-ups, research centers, and international companies, offering students ample opportunities for collaboration, internships, and projects. The city’s compact size allows for a lively and accessible student life.
Your academic background
Courses fall semester (september to december)
- Strategic Management
- Research Methods
- Accounting
- Project Management
- Managerial Economics
- International Negotiations
- Corporate Finance
- Marketing Management
- Sustainability Transition in International Business
- Design Fiction
- Languages
Courses spring semester (january to march)
- Corporate Law and Governance
- International Institutions and Governance
- Corporate Geopolitics
- Responsible Leadership
- Managing Global Teams
- Languages
+ Immersive business trip (one week)
Courses fall semester (september to december)
- Advanced Research Methods
- Facing Major Sustainability Challenges
- Corporate Sustainability: History and Geopolitics
- Technological Approaches to Sustainability
- Sustainability Regulations and Reporting
- Fostering Collaboration for Sustainability
- Future Thinking and Scenario Building
- Languages (optional)
Courses spring semester (january to march)
- Critical Perspectives on Technology & Society
- Cultivating Sustainable Supply Chains
- Catalyzing Sustainability Transitions
- Sustainable Innovation: Engaging Tools and Approaches
- Languages (option)
- Professional experience – 3 to 6 months
- Start-Up Project – 4 to 5 months
- Professional certificate
Year 1: April to September
Year 2: March to July and July to December
Program specifics
The MSc Management for Sustainability Transitions combines core modules to master key sustainability concepts and frameworks with experiential modules that allow students to apply and deepen their knowledge.
The program features lectures, hands-on workshops, and real-world business cases, giving students the opportunity to tackle concrete challenges posed by companies.
Innovative thematic workshops — including scenario planning and foresight, design thinking, biomimicry, and critical analysis of sustainability challenges — complement the curriculum throughout the year, fostering creativity and forward-thinking.
Teaching & Assessment
Skill development is assessed throughout the program via continuous evaluation, individual and group examinations, applied projects, and the Master’s thesis.
To graduate, students must complete a minimum of four months of international experience, either academic or professional. For international students, studying in France fulfills this requirement.
In the case of a partial validation of the degree, the validated skill blocks are permanently recognized, and an official certificate of validation is issued.
Immersive Business Trip
First-year MSc students take part in a one-week business trip to a major European capital such as Berlin, London, Amsterdam, or Barcelona.
The trip includes company visits, professional networking events, and meetings with industry experts, helping students expand their network and prepare for future internship and career opportunities.
Students are also actively involved in organizing the trip, strengthening their project management and cross-cultural collaboration skills.
How to ensure your degree is recognized worldwide?
All GEM MSc programs are internationally recognized by the prestigious higher education accreditation bodies, AACSB and EQUIS, and are equivalent to a level 7 degree on the European Qualifications Framework, in compliance with the Bologna Agreement for a master’s degree, comprised of 120 ECTS credits.
What to study after the program MSc Management Sustainability Transition program?
Graduates of the Master of Science program may continue their studies with an Advanced Master.
- Sustainability / CSR Manager – leading environmental, social, and ethical strategies within organizations.
- Sustainability or ESG Strategy Consultant – advising companies on sustainable transformation and regulatory compliance.
- Sustainable Innovation Project Manager – developing and implementing impactful solutions that drive transition.
- Responsible Business or Product Developer – creating market offerings aligned with sustainable principles.
- Social Entrepreneur or Intrapreneur – launching or transforming ventures to generate positive environmental and social outcomes.
- Professional within impact-driven organizations – B-Corps, NGOs, public agencies, or intergovernmental bodies (EU, UN, World Bank…).
- Researcher / Sustainability Analyst – contributing to evidence-based insights and policy evaluation for systemic change.
- Energy and Low-Carbon Transition:
Ørsted · EDF Renewables · Shell · Solvay · Rio Tinto · Verkor - Sustainable Finance and ESG Reporting: BlackRock Sustainable Investing · Mirova · Robeco · Bloomberg ESG Disclosure Scores
- Consulting and Sustainability Expertise: EY · KPMG · PwC · Deloitte · McKinsey & Company · Bain & Company · BearingPoint · Carbone 4 · Greenflex · EcoDev
- Impact-Driven Start-ups and Companies: Ecosia · Too Good To Go · Impossible Foods · FM Logistic
- Sustainability Ratings, Certification and Responsible Supply Chains: Ecovadis · Better Cotton Initiative · Sustainalytics
- International and Public Institutions: ADEME · AFD · French Ministry for the Ecological Transition · United Nations
- Think Tanks and Global Networks: The Shift Project · World Business Council for Sustainable Development · Stockholm Environment Institute · Terra Nova
- NGOs and Foundations: WWF · Greenpeace · Ashoka · Fair Trade International · Max Havelaar
Launch your career
To help you access the careers that inspire you, you can count on:
- support from the Career Center: training workshops, individual interviews, events where you can meet experts and recruiters, and more.
- the JobTeaser platform, accessible as soon as you are admitted, where you will find more than 220,000 internship, work-study, and job offers per year.
- professional experiences that you can enjoy each year (internships starting in the third year of undergraduate studies, work-study programs starting in the first year of graduate studies).
- a network of 50,000 graduates worldwide, with services for graduates that continue long after they leave school.
How can you enroll in the MSc Management Sustainability Transition program?
The candidate’s Bachelor degree must be equivalent to at least 180 ECTS (3-year bachelor).
The candidate must prove to hold the equivalent of 240 ECTS to enter the Short track:
4-year Bachelor degree OR 3-year Bachelor degree + at least one year of Masters studies
The candidate must prove to have validated the equivalent of 60 ECTS (1 year of study) in Business studies
- TOEFL IBT: 80. TOEFL Institution code: 8973
- IELTS Academic/IELTS Indicator: 6.0
- Cambridge English (Proficiency/Advanced/Business Higher) level C1: Grade A,B or C
- Duolingo English Test: 100
- English test waiver may be granted if Bachelor’s degree was fully taught through the medium of English (official proof required)
- Not accepted: TOEIC, Institutional/ITP TOEFL
- Official copy of undergraduate degree or certificate of enrollment with an approximate graduation date
- University transcripts: front/back with grading scale
- CV/Resume
- 1 motivation essay to be written directly in the application form (relating to your academic/professional experience, your reasons for choosing this program and your intercultural awareness)
- 1 academic or professional reference. Family members or friends are not acceptable as referees
- Scan of passport
- Internationally recognized passport picture
Tuition fees
Grenoble Campus
2-year program:
- 1st year: €13,250
- 2nd year: €13,950
1-year program (direct entry into the 2nd year):
- 2nd year: €17,950
*Fees cover tuition, project supervision, and access to GEM facilities. They do not cover accommodation, meals, insurance, visas, or personal expenses.
Funding your education
Financial Aid / Scholarships
GEM provides a dedicated online platform – the GEM Financial Advisor – designed to help you explore financing options, simulate student loans, and better understand available funding opportunities.
We encourage students to start researching financial aid options as early as possible.
Please note that you must submit your application and secure a place in a program before applying for scholarships or visas.
Life in France: A Blend of Culture and Innovation
Studying in France offers a unique opportunity to experience a rich cultural heritage, world-class education, and a vibrant lifestyle. From historic cities and stunning landscapes to cutting-edge research and innovation hubs, France provides an environment that fosters personal growth, academic excellence, and professional opportunities. Students benefit from a high quality of life, excellent public transport, and a thriving student community across the country.
Located in the heart of the Alps, GEM’s Grenoble campus combines innovation, nature, and an outstanding quality of life. Students enjoy close proximity to mountains perfect for skiing, hiking, and mountain biking, while studying in a city known as a scientific and technological hub. Grenoble hosts numerous start-ups, research centers, and international companies, offering students ample opportunities for collaboration, internships, and projects. The city’s compact size allows for a lively and accessible student life.
GEM has been awarded the Bienvenue en France Level 3 label for welcoming international students.
GEM has been awarded the state-certified “Bienvenue en France” level 3 label, attesting to the excellence of its welcome and support for international students.
Pursue the program in a work-study format
Work-Study: Excellence in Action
At GEM, the work-study format combines academic rigor with real-world experience — a true accelerator for both career development and personal growth.
Professional Experience
- Gain significant work experience while studying — a strong advantage on your CV and a powerful boost at the start of your career.
- Apply classroom knowledge directly in a professional context, developing your skills, confidence, and network.
Financial Support
The work-study model also allows students to finance their tuition fees, while receiving a monthly salary from their host company.
It’s a smart way to invest in your future — gaining professional experience and financial independence at the same time.
- 1,500 apprenticeship contracts signed in 2023–2024, reflecting the strength and dynamism of our programs
- A network of more than 600 partner companies in France and abroad
Complete an internship during your program
Internships: your professional springboard
Internships are an integral part of all GEM programs, from the Bachelor to the Master level, with placements lasting 2 to 6 months each year, either in France or abroad. These hands-on experiences serve as a bridge between academic learning and the professional world, allowing students to explore different roles, industries, and career paths while developing valuable skills and professional networks.
Internships are a key asset for employability, helping students refine their career goals and often leading to full-time job offers even before graduation.
Bringing your entrepreneurial project to fruition
Special arrangements
Got an idea? Want to start a business? At any point during your studies, the Talent Office will review your project and, after examination by a committee, may propose a curriculum adjustment that allows you to pursue your studies and start a business at the same time. In this case, your work-study program can be tailored to your business project.
A 100% GEM incubator
Created in 2011, IncubaGEM, GEM’s start-up incubator, is THE driving force behind entrepreneurship at the school. Reserved for GEM students and graduates, it offers support for a maximum period of 18 months. Nearly 350 start-ups have benefited from it since 2011, including Wizbii, ISKN, Homunity, Andyamo, Lokki, and more.
Dedicated courses
Each year, courses and specializations allow you to sharpen your entrepreneurial spirit.
Do you have any questions?
Please feel free to contact our training advisors if you have any questions about our programs or admission processes, or if you would like to discuss your professional goals. Our teams are available to help you choose the path that best suits your ambitions.

Apply to GEM
Choose the admission path that suits you the best to apply for this program.
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