Last week, I attended the PNACAC conference in Tacoma, WA. This annual conference brings together college admissions professionals, including college admissions counselors, high school college counselors, and independent educational consultants from across the Pacific Northwest region to share best practices and better support our students.
Dan Herb, Career Services Specialist at the University of Washington College of the Environment, and I partnered to co-host a session at the conference entitled “Preparing for an Environmental Degree in a Changing Landscape.” In our presentation, we explored current environmental career trends and their implications for high school and college students interested in these fields.
One of the trends we examined was the growth of the Blue Economy and its potential to shape opportunities for career seekers in the coming decades. While there is not yet an internationally agreed-upon definition of Blue Economy, generally speaking, a Blue Economy is one that is shaped by the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth. One of my favorite definitions comes from the World Bank:
“The sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem.”
In 2024, the U.S. Congress extended the definition to include a wider range of aquatic environments:
“The sustainable use of marine, lake, or other aquatic resources in support of economic development objectives.”
Regardless of which definition you prefer, the Blue Economy has been steadily gaining visibility and momentum across various stakeholder groups, including employers, educational institutions, scientists, policymakers, and entrepreneurs. It’s easy to get excited because the Blue Economy blends hope for a more sustainable future and the need for a deeper understanding of the ocean (and other aquatic environments) with economic opportunity and practical, common-sense policymaking. Done right, this burgeoning sector offers an opportunity to envision a future for our planet and society that blends both realism and idealism.
Several MBA programs in the U.S. are finding a niche supporting graduate students seeking to find their place in the Blue Economy by strategically partnering with their marine science schools and adding coursework and specialized tracks to meet this growing interest.
- University of South Florida, Muma College of Business, added a specialized Blue Economy track to its online MBA program in 2024. Elective coursework for this concentration is offered in partnership with the USF College of Marine Science.
- University of Rhode Island, College of Business is launching a newly reimagined, 2-year online Blue MBA program in collaboration with the Graduate School of Oceanography and the College of Environmental and Life Sciences this fall.
- University of Maine, Maine Business School, offers the MaineMBA in Blue Economy in collaboration with the University of Maine School of Marine Sciences.
- The University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Business and Security Management offers the UAF Blue MBA, also completely online, in partnership with the College of Fisheries & Ocean Sciences.
Does your school offer a similar program, or are you in the process of building one? Let me know so I can add it to the list!
