Think differently. Design thoughtfully. Lead collaboratively. Foster change.
Franklin University Switzerland's Master of Arts in Sustainability and Transformation (MAST) is more than a degree, it’s a launchpad for changemakers. In a world facing deep, interwoven crises, such as climate disruption, social injustice, and environmental collapse, we need bold new ways to think, lead, and act. MAST blends liberal arts traditions with cutting-edge sustainability practice to equip you to lead meaningful transformation.
Through immersive retreats, interdisciplinary coursework, and real-world projects, you’ll build the skills and insights to navigate complexity and shape the future, from policy and education to business and community leadership.
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Nearly 40 years after the Brundtland Report called for a sustainable development that meets the needs of today without compromising the ability for future generations to meet theirs, we have, if anything, moved further away instead of closer to reaching that ideal. Climate change, inequality, international discord, and environmental collapse are interconnected and reflect systems shaped by the world’s wealthiest, often at the cost of people and communities with the least. Contemplating these interwoven crises, we realize that society as a whole must change and that now is the time to act. A just and sustainable future demands a concerted shift, one that puts equity, environmental care, and fairer economies at the center of how we organize the world. |
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How can we redesign our systems to serve both people and the planet? What roles do social and economic equity play in driving real change? And what part will you play in shaping a sustainable future? |
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Franklin's Master of Arts in Sustainability and Transformation (MAST) has designed a curriculum that draws from the liberal arts and blends interdisciplinary understanding, critical inquiry, creative expression, and experiential learning. Why the liberal arts, you might ask at this point, when we have all the knowledge we could possibly need provided to us by excellent scientists, economists, or executives the world over? Because while environmental degradation can be analysed and recorded, and economic disparity mapped and modelled, the questions sustainability raises are not quite as clear-cut; in fact, they are much broader, much more complex and much more ambiguous than can be gleaned from any one discipline or field of operations. They ask after the values and meanings of sustainability within any given system; they ask why we need sustainability in the first place, how sustainability might be measured in any given field, and what counts as success. In other words, they ask after values and meaning, and the purpose of sustainability. We at MAST believe that if you can graduate from our program having found your own position in answer to these larger questions, you will be better equipped to meet the complex sustainability challenges the world poses today. And we know that this is the kind of thinking the liberal arts prepares you to do. |
| In this spirit, you will move from foundational knowledge in sustainability in the first semester to transformational skills in the second semester to hands-on projects with real-world partners in the third semester, all the while returning to these fundamental questions on your educational journey. If you wish to delve deeper into a particular area of interest, you can write a research thesis in an optional fourth semester (15 Credits/ 30 ECTS) for a total of 60 Credits/120 ECTS Master. Central to the program is a commitment to integrating theory, method, and practice and out-of-classroom learning — from immersive retreats which turn the cities of Zurich and Geneva into your classroom, to collaborative thesis work that lets you see how different types of organizations tackle sustainability from the inside. |
Degree structure
MAST is a one-year, three-semester program totaling 45 credits (90 ECTS), with an optional fourth semester for a research thesis, extending the program to 120 ECTS. The program follows a "3+1" pathway, allowing students to complete a BA and MA in nine semesters. Delivered in-person in Lugano, the curriculum includes two immersive retreats in Zurich and Geneva, fostering experiential learning and collaboration.
Program at a glance:
- Degree: Master of Arts (MA)
- Duration: 12 months (August to August) + optional research semester
- Location: Lugano, Switzerland + retreats in Zurich & Geneva
- Mode of Study: Full-time, in-person, interdisciplinary & experiential learning
- Final Project: Work on sustainability initiatives with external partners
- Credits: 45 Credits / 90 ECTS (or 60 Credits / 120 ECTS with optional research thesis)
- Optional 3+1 program: The program gives Franklin undergraduates in the Social Justice and Sustainability major the option to follow a "3+1" pathway, allowing a seamless complete of both the BA and MA in nine semesters.
Why choose MAST?
This program is for students who see connections others might miss between people and systems, culture and environment, knowledge and justice. If you have concluded that we need to transform systems to tackle complex problems in climate change and social justice, you’ve come to the right place. Whether you come from the humanities, social sciences, environmental sciences, business, the arts, or another field entirely, we welcome the unique strengths you’ve developed in your undergraduate fields and offer the tools, community, and real-world experience to help you make a difference in the real world.
What Sets Us Apart
Inter- and Transdisciplinary by Design
We don’t believe in silos. Our curriculum bridges the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, business, and design—helping students see systems as interconnected and solutions as collaborative.
Rooted in Liberal Arts and Critical Thinking
We value students' unique academic backgrounds. The program builds on liberal arts strengths such as critical thinking, creative inquiry, and interdisciplinary agility to approach sustainability with nuance and vision.
Immersive, Experiential Learning
Students won’t just sit in classrooms. MAST includes immersive retreats in Swiss cities, hands-on workshops, and projects with external partners. They'll graduate with a portfolio and a network, not just a transcript.
Guided by the SDGs and IDGs
We engage critically with frameworks like the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Inner Development Goals (IDGs), preparing you to challenge, adapt, and shape the sustainability agenda beyond 2030.
Community-Engaged and Future-Oriented
With justice, equity, and transformation at its core, MAST prepares graduate students to lead across cultures, institutions, and sectors.
What you'll learn: semester by semester
Semester 1: Foundations of Sustainability
Get grounded in sustainability’s key environmental, economic, and social pillars while exploring how narratives and systems shape decision-making and how cultural representations impact how people think and act. Gain a broad understanding and critical insight into what counts as sustainable and how experts in these areas think and work on sustainability issues.
Semester 2: Skills for Transformation
Learn how change happens—and how to lead it. Develop strategic skills in communication, design, leadership, and policy. Interact with experts leading transformation across a range of organizations. A second retreat connects classroom learning with real-world strategies.
Semester 3: Praxis and Collaboration
Apply what you’ve learned through a hands-on Master’s project with external partners. Supported by faculty and professional mentors, you’ll develop meaningful sustainability initiatives, and you will present your initiatives at the Franklin Sustainability Forum.
Career Paths After Graduation
Graduates of this program are not only equipped to work in sustainability — they are prepared to lead it. They bring systems fluency, ethical depth, and real project experience to a wide range of fields, such as:
- Sustainability Consulting
- Public Policy & Governance
- ESG Strategy & Corporate Responsibility
- Nonprofit Leadership & Advocacy
- Urban Planning & Regenerative Design
- Sustainability Communication & Media
- Social Entrepreneurship & Circular Economy
- Education & Curriculum Development
- Community-Based Organizing & Ecological Restoration
- Cultural Institutions such as Museums and Educational Institutions