MSc - Master of Science Strategy & Design for the Anthropocene

Program Overview

The MSc in Strategy & Design for the Anthropocene is a unique, one-year program that empowers students to address ecological disruptions through strategic anticipation and design thinking. Collaborating with Strate Ecole de Design Lyon, the program prepares professionals from diverse fields for cross-disciplinary careers in ecological transition and sustainability management. It offers a reframing of sustainable development, integrating insights from various disciplines to enable organizations to design desirable futures within ecological and societal constraints.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The MSc - Master of Science Strategy & Design for the Anthropocene is a one-year (Bac+5 / CGE accredited) program taught entirely in English. It's a collaboration between Clermont School of Business and Strate Ecole de Design Lyon (courses take place in Lyon). The program aims to train professionals from various fields (primarily design and strategic management) to develop methods for organizational transformation, adopting a forward-thinking approach that considers ecological disruptions in the Anthropocene era. It addresses the growing societal demand from organizations and academia for professionals equipped to handle the challenges of the Anthropocene, a new geological period marked by the significant impact of human activities. The program goes beyond sustainable development, focusing on strategic anticipation impacting all socio-economic activities. It offers a reframing of issues traditionally associated with sustainable development and corporate social responsibility, incorporating insights from environmental, climate, and engineering sciences for decision-making and organizational transformation. Students will gain technical and operational skills to initiate transition policies within organizations, designing desirable futures within ecological, climatic, legal, social, and political constraints. They will learn to investigate unusual critical situations like ecosystem changes, resource collapses, and strategic crises. The program is described as the first of its kind globally. The value proposition emphasizes addressing the Anthropocene through design, integrating humanities and organizational strategies.

Outline:

The program is structured across three semesters. The semesters are outlined as follows:

• Semester 1: Includes modules such as "Learning Expedition: Inquiring Critical Zones," "Critical Zones and Earth-System / Micro & Macro Levels: New Inquiry / Methods and Protocols," and "Critical Zones and Earth-System / Macro Level: Diagnosis and Modelling."
• Semester 2: Includes modules such as "Strategical Foundations for the Anthropocene: Technics, Institutions and Organizations," "Learning How To Do Things (Micro Level): Community-Engaged Design," and "Designing Organizations for The Anthropocene."

Teaching:

The text mentions that the program is co-constructed with Strate Ecole de design Lyon, and that courses take place in Lyon.

Careers:

The program aims to prepare students for cross-disciplinary jobs on global issues. Potential career paths mentioned include: Ecological transition design manager, CSR manager, Ecological transition consultant, Territorial development manager, Prospective manager, and Sustainable development manager.

Other:

The program is described as fully English, international and multicultural, with international speakers and participants representing 80% of the MSc workforce. The program benefits from the school's international accreditations. Matthieu Auzanneau, Director of The Shift Project, is quoted as believing the program's graduates will be highly sought after in the job market. The program involves concrete projects with designers, researchers, and professionals from the AURA region and internationally recognized individuals.

The tuition fee is 12,950 € per standard year.