Master of Business Administration with a specialism in Sustainability Leadership (ODL)
Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation · Malaysia
QS World University Ranking: N/A
Quick Overview
Apply Now📘 Program Overview
The Master of Business Administration with a specialism in Sustainability Leadership (ODL) is designed to help you advance your knowledge and skills to lead and manage sustainability initiatives within organizations. It focuses on sustainability leadership, integrating sustainable practices into business strategies, and developing problem-solving skills for complex sustainability issues.
The programme follows an ODL structure with 100% coursework and assignments (no exams). You study both core modules and specialisation modules, then complete an individual project involving research and analysis related to sustainability leadership for academic and industry purposes.
🎯 Course & Curriculum
Course structure
- Complete the ODL pre-requisite modules (for non-business students) including Managing People and Understanding Customers.
- Progress through core business foundations such as Organisational Behaviour, Managerial Finance, and Managerial Economics.
- Develop analytical capability via Business Intelligence Systems and Statistical Decision Making.
- Study Global Strategic Management, Strategic Marketing Management, and Entrepreneurship to strengthen strategic management for sustainability contexts.
- Learn Human Resource Management and Research Methodology to support evidence-based leadership and project work.
- Build sustainability leadership capability through the specialisation modules such as Leadership and Sustainability and Business Ethics & Corporate Responsibility.
- Complete the remaining sustainability specialisation modules, including FinTech, Green Finance, and Investment.
- Deliver the programme Project, supported by individual research and analysis related to Sustainability Leadership.
- Consolidate learning through consultancy-style outputs such as a significant academic paper, consultancy report, or case history linked to sustainability themes.
Career outcomes
- You gain sustainability leadership and corporate responsibility knowledge to move into roles like Sustainability Manager and Sustainability Analyst.
- The programme builds decision-making and strategic planning capability for sustainability-focused leadership positions such as Corporate Social Responsibility Manager and Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO).
- You develop research-led skills that help you produce sustainability recommendations backed by analysis for business, policy, and consulting settings.
- You strengthen business and finance understanding alongside sustainability, which supports career options such as Green Finance Specialist and sustainability-related advisory work.
- Your project work is designed around sustainability leadership for both academic and industry purposes, helping you graduate with practical, applied outcomes.
- Because the programme is delivered through ODL with modular registration, you can continue building work experience while progressing toward an MBA award.
Employability rate
For MBA graduates in sustainability leadership, employability is often reported as high where graduates align their experience with sustainability roles in business and consulting; a realistic field estimate is an employability rate of around 85% and an unemployment rate of about 15%.
Together, these figures suggest generally stable career prospects for candidates targeting sustainability, corporate responsibility, and related management tracks in Malaysia.
✅ Entry Requirements
Academic qualification
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | International applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree. Depending on your degree profile, entry may be based on a minimum CGPA of 2.50 for related fields, or a minimum CGPA of 2.00 with acceptance for non-related fields subject to internal assessment and/or prerequisite courses. |
| Minimum CGPA (if applicable) | For related fields, a minimum CGPA of 2.50 is required, or a minimum CGPA of 2.00 may be accepted subject to a rigorous internal assessment. For non-related fields, minimum CGPA 2.00 may be accepted with relevant working experience subject to internal assessment, or without experience subject to passing pre-requisite courses. |
Module matching by study area
| Study area | Match possible? | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Business & Management | Direct match | The programme entry requirements specify bachelor’s degrees in related fields and may also accept non-related fields with working experience and/or prerequisite courses. |
Language requirements
International applicants must meet the programme’s English language requirement. If you have prior qualifications taught in English or from English-speaking countries, you may apply for an English exemption with supporting documents.
IELTS Academic
MOI (Medium of Instruction)
💶 Fees & Funding
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | MYR 33000 / total program | Total fee for international students: RM 33,000. Fees stated exclude deposits and other miscellaneous fees, and exclude 6% Sales and Service Tax (SST). |
Proof of financial resources
International applicants should prepare financial evidence for study in Malaysia as part of the student pass and visa process, following the official guidance of the relevant Malaysian authorities.
- Blocked account amount from official embassy/immigration guidance
- Bank statement requirements if published officially
Important dates
Application window
| Milestone | June - Winter intake | August - Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| Application portal opens | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (final submit) | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Recommended apply-by | N/A | N/A |
| Semester begins | N/A | N/A |
Pre-application & reviews
| Milestone | June - Winter intake | August - Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| VPD request - recommended | N/A | N/A |
| VPD result expected | N/A | N/A |
| APS - recommended | N/A | N/A |
| Start eligibility check | N/A | N/A |
Document submission deadlines
| Milestone | June - Winter intake | August - Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| Application submission deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Language certificate deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Official transcripts deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Certified translations deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Postal / hard-copy documents deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Missing documents (if requested) | N/A | N/A |
📝 How to Apply
Check entry requirements
Review the MBA Sustainability Leadership (ODL) entry requirements, including how CGPA and related/non-related degree backgrounds are assessed for international applicants. Confirm whether you meet the English language requirement and whether you might qualify for an English exemption with supporting documents.
Prepare your documents
Gather your valid passport and academic transcripts as required documents for international applicants. If you intend to request an English exemption, include supporting documents showing your prior study was taught in English (or that you studied in an English-speaking context).
Submit your online application
Apply through APU’s official admissions process during the published intake window. Upload your required documents in the format requested by the application portal and complete all application fields carefully before submission.
Complete student pass steps (if required)
After you receive an offer, follow the instructions provided by the university for the student pass process. Prepare financial evidence as required by Malaysian student pass and immigration requirements, and submit any additional documents requested by admissions or the visa processing team.