Program Format, Admissions, Tuition & Financial Aid
XMNR PROGRAM FORMAT AT A GLANCE
- Accelerated 12-month, 3-semester format, January to December each calendar year
- Executive-style, hybrid, cohort-based program (accepting ~30 students in each cohort)
- Synchronous learning during monthly class weekends: 5 on campus in the Washington, D.C. area and 6 held online
- Asynchronous individual and team coursework is completed online between class weekends
- 10-day global study and field experience
- 1:1 faculty advising on independent study projects
- Service learning, consulting projects, and internship opportunities that lead to real world experience
- Professional career coaching provided for up to two years after graduation
- Access to the expertise of core faculty team and extensive guest faculty network
- Networking with sustainability professionals from around the world
CURRICULUM HIGHLIGHTS
Climate, energy, water, food and agriculture, biodiversity and ecosystems, green economy and sustainable business, urbanization and infrastructure, development and equity, and related social and environmental systems.
Collective impact, boundary spanning leadership, stakeholder analysis and engagement, partnerships, collaborative social innovation, and more.
Students collaborate on applied projects with sustainability professionals leading innovative approaches to systems change.
Emphasis on professional development and career goals of individual students via peer-to-peer mentoring, small group learning, and one-on-one coaching.
UNIQUE CURRICULUM FORMAT
- Practical and readily applicable experiential learning: We teach in class today what you can use at work tomorrow.
- Integrated and cumulative: The curriculum is integrated (i.e., across courses and with the workplace) and cumulative (i.e., content increases in complexity and scale each month). Class projects and learning modules build over time, cutting across courses and spanning multiple months.
- Personalized focus area: Self-directed independent study project with a faculty advisor allows for maximum flexibility and customization to meet students’ individual interests and career goals.
CURRICULUM OVERVIEW
Click on the file below to view a three semester curriculum overview including courses and major topics.
ADMISSIONS AND APPLICATION
ADMISSIONS
Requirements for admission include:
- Undergraduate degree (minimum GPA of 3.0*)
- Virginia Tech Online Application for admission
- $75 non-refundable application fee
- Current resume/CV
- Two professional recommendations
- Copies of official relevant academic transcripts
- 1-2 page goals statement
No GRE required; English proficiency assessment is required for international students per Graduate School rules.
*Speak with an advisor if your undergraduate GPA is below 3.0.
APPLICATION DEADLINES
Admissions are processed on a rolling basis. The application process takes approximately two to three weeks. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible, as annual cohorts have only a limited number of students and tend to fill up quickly.
TUITION AND FINANCIAL AID
Total program cost is $41,500.
Program costs include:
- Tuition and fees
- Books, supplies, course materials
- Nutritious catered meals during class weekends (including vegetarian and vegan options)
- 10-day Global Study (lodging, meals, activities, and in-country travel)
Program costs do not include:
- Travel to / from class weekends in Arlington, VA
- Lodging during class weekends in Arlington, VA
- Airfare to / from global study destination
Most students opt for the Federal Stafford Loans to finance the cost of the program. Veteran and military benefits cover tuition and fees, housing allowance, and more. VT employees can have 100% of the tuition covered. Contact XMNR Admissions Advisor Amy Hubbard to discuss further.
We encourage our applicants to involve their employer’s management and human resources decision-makers early on in the application process. This allows employers to understand an applicant’s motivation for pursuing the XMNR degree and appreciate the benefits of having their employees participate in the program.