THINK DIFFERENTLY. FOSTER CHANGE.

MAST overview page

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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Launching Fall 2026

Photo credit: Alison Pouliot

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. 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)

Founding Cohort Price: exclusive offer for the first class starting Fall 2026 – 8,500 CHF per semester.

A Message from the Academic Director

What does it mean to think across disciplines, design for complexity, lead with empathy, and act for impact? These questions lie at the heart of MAST, Franklin’s new graduate program launching in Fall 2026.

Learn more about the thinking behind MAST from the person who helped shape it.
Professor Caroline Wiedmer, Academic Director of the MAST and Professor of Comparative Literary and Cultural Studies, shares the vision, structure, and goals of Franklin’s new graduate program.

Read the full message

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 will 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.

Learn more about Semester 1

 

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.

Learn more about Semester 2

 

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.

Learn more about Semester 3

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

Team

Professor, Art History and Visual Communication

Ph.D. (with distinction) Columbia University
M.Phil. Columbia University
M.A. Columbia University
B.A. University of Toronto
Interior Design Diploma, International Academy of Design
Foundations in Design Thinking Certificate, IDEO-U
Advanced Design Thinking Certificate, IDEO-U

Office: Lowerre Academic Center, Office 14
Phone: +41 91 986 36 64
Email: jfassl@fus.edu

Johanna Fassl

Adjunct Professor, Legal Studies

Master in International Law, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies
L.L.M. Duke University, School of Law
L.L.B. City University of London

Office: Lowerre Academic Center, Office 10
Email: gbarcilon@fus.edu

Gaia Clara Barcilon Brenna

ADJUNCT PROFESSOR, DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS

PhD Economics, Brikbeck College, University of London, UK
MSc Economics, Birkbeck College, University of London, UK
BSc Economics, Catholic University, Milan, Italy

Office: North Campus, by appointment
Email: rgalli@fus.edu

           

Rossana Galli

Assistant Professor, Media and Communication Studies

Ph.D. School of Media and Communication, The University of Leeds, The United Kingdom
M.Sc. in Communication Sciences, Major in Media Management, USI Universita’ della Svizzera Italiana, Switzerland
B.A. Faculty of Education Sciences, Universita di Torino, Italy

Office: Lowerre Academic Center, Office 10
Phone: +41 91 986 36 56
Email: amartinisi@fus.edu

Alessandro Martinisi

Adjunct Professor, International Management

M.B.A General Management, Entrepreneurship, Strategy, Harvard Business School, Boston 2009
M.A. Philosophy, Politics, Economics (P.P.E) Oxford University, UK 2003
B.A (Hons) in Economics, Delhi University, India 2001

Office: Kaletsch Campus (by appointment)
Phone: +39 3270178968
Email: rmehra@fus.edu

Rakhi Mehra

Affiliated Professor, Environmental Humanities

Habilitation, ETH Zurich
Ph.D., ETH Zurich
M.Sc., ETH Zurich.

Email: ckschumacher@fus.edu

Christoph Kueffer Schumacher

Professor, Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies

Ph.D. Princeton University
M.A. Princeton University
B.A. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Office: Lowerre Academic Center, Office 6
Phone: +41 91 986 36 53
Email: cwiedmer@fus.edu

Caroline Wiedmer

Title IX Coordinator and Interim Accessibilities and Accommodations Coordinator

Office: Office of Title IX Coordinator, North Campus Villa
Email: rmills@fus.edu

Rebecca Reed Mills

Are you ready to become a leader in sustainability and transformation?

Be part of the MAST Founding Class!

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