Hello, and welcome to the Master of Arts in Sustainability and Transformation (MAST)!
Nearly four decades ago, the Brundtland Report gave the world a clear and urgent call: build sustainable systems that meet the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations. Yet here we are, watching climate change accelerate, inequality deepen, and environmental systems falter. These challenges aren’t isolated—they're interconnected symptoms of global systems that often prioritize short-term gain at the expense of people and the planet.
At MAST, we believe transformation isn’t just urgent — it’s doable. But a more just and sustainable world requires more than technical fixes. It asks us to rethink the systems we've inherited and reimagine the ones we want to build. How can we design economies that are fairer and more humane? What would it look like to place care — for each other and the Earth—at the center of our institutions? And what role would you like to play in leading this change?
These are the kinds of questions at the heart of our program.
The MAST curriculum blends the best of the liberal arts with real-world engagement. We draw on a wide range of disciplines — from storytelling, ethics, and ecology to policy, governance, and design — to help you think critically, act creatively, and lead collaboratively. Why liberal arts, you might wonder, when so many brilliant scientists, economists, and policy experts are already doing this work? Because they cannot do it alone, and sustainability isn’t just a technical issue, or an environmental issue, or a management issue — it’s a human one. It raises questions about meaning, values, responsibility, and vision. And those are questions best explored through broad, interdisciplinary, and deeply reflective learning. For this reason, we welcome students from all backgrounds, believing that we all have something to bring to the table and that we can all learn from one another.
Here’s what your journey through MAST will look like:
MAST will not simply deliver lectures on knowledge you already have at your fingertips, nor are we here to give you all the answers. Instead, we set up structures and engage pioneers in sustainability that will challenge you to ask your own questions; we offer safe spaces for discussions and questioning, and thought experiments to find your own answers; and we help you build international networks that will be invaluable as you go out into the field. Throughout the program, you’ll move beyond the classroom through immersive retreats in cities like Zurich and Geneva, collaborative fieldwork, and continuous dialogue with practitioners and changemakers.
- Semester One builds a strong understanding of sustainability issues and debates in four different areas—economics, the humanities, environmental studies, and social thought, areas informed by a methodology course in interdisciplinarity.
- Semester Two focuses on transformation — the skills and strategies to drive change.
- Semester Three brings you into the real world with hands-on, collaborative projects alongside partner organizations tackling sustainability every day.
- An optional fourth semester offers space for deeper research-based writing in a field tailored to your interest and a Master’s thesis that can help you embark on a PhD (for a full 60 credits/120 ECTS degree).
Here are some of the areas MAST prepares you for:
- Lead or support sustainability initiatives in international organizations, nonprofits, governments, or mission-driven companies
- Design and implement policies or strategies focused on social and environmental impact
- Work in consulting, advocacy, education, or community development — both globally and locally
- Build your own initiative or enterprise focused on systems change
- Continue with doctoral research or policy work in sustainability, climate justice, or related fields
You'll leave the program not only with a strong academic foundation but also with professional experience, an understanding of how to speak with experts in diverse sustainability fields, an international network of changemakers, and the confidence to contribute meaningfully wherever you go.
If this sounds like a challenge you might be up for, I am happy to meet with you to discuss the program further and answer any questions you might have. You can contact me at cwiedmer@fus.edu.
With warm wishes,
Caroline Wiedmer
Director, Master of Arts in Sustainability and Transformation
Franklin University Switzerland