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    Building Sustainable Businesses
    In-person Program

    Building Sustainable Businesses

    by USC Pre-College

    Study how business can respond to climate change through sustainable products, operations and marketing, with case studies and practical exploration at USC.

    Last verified: 5 Oct 2026Reviewed by:SSSean Stevens

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    Building Sustainable Businesses at a glance: cost, dates and eligibility

    Current status

    Upcoming

    Eligibility

    High school; ninth grade completed

    Age range / Year group

    Ages 14-18

    Location / Region

    Los Angeles, California, United States

    Cost

    $8,130; $11,570; $12,208

    Duration

    4 weeks

    Format

    In-person

    Next session

    21 June-15 July 2027

    Save program
    Business & EconomicsEntrepreneurshipEnvironmental Science
    Accommodation: Shared university residence-hall rooms
    Meals: Residential: three dining-hall meals daily
    Certificate / Outcome: Three units of elective credit
    Campus experience: Libraries, computer labs and supervised activities
    Tutors / faculty: USC faculty and experienced professionals
    Class commitment: 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m.; 5–6 instructional hours daily

    Building Sustainable Businesses summary

    Building Sustainable Businesses connects business strategy with environmental change, asking how companies can improve operations and create more sustainable products and services.

    Students explore case studies, classroom discussion and practical business questions; past participants have heard entrepreneurs and visited the Port of Los Angeles.

    It suits students curious about entrepreneurship and climate solutions who want to examine commercial opportunities alongside environmental trade-offs.

    What is Building Sustainable Businesses?

    Building Sustainable Businesses is a USC Pre-College course exploring how entrepreneurs and established companies can respond to climate change and environmental damage. Its focus spans energy generation, food production, manufacturing and design, connecting environmental pressures with business decisions.

    Students examine sustainable business models, products and marketing through an in-person academic experience. Classroom discussion, presentations and field trips bring the ideas into practical settings, while the course also weighs AI’s potential benefits against its energy and resource demands.

    Why Succeed highlights Building Sustainable Businesses

    • The course connects environmental change to concrete business decisions about operations, products and consumer demand.

    • Its treatment of AI includes energy use and resource extraction, encouraging students to examine technological trade-offs.

    • The documented Port of Los Angeles visit shows how classroom ideas have been connected to an operating industry.

    • Successful completion earns three units of elective credit, giving the academic work a defined university outcome.

    Who is Building Sustainable Businesses for?

    Best for

    Students interested in entrepreneurship, sustainability and how businesses adapt to environmental pressures.

    Not ideal if

    You want a light summer activity or a course focused entirely on environmental science, because this is intensive, business-centered study.

    Is Building Sustainable Businesses worth it?

    The strongest reason to choose this course is to test whether sustainable business interests you enough for further study. Its combination of commercial strategy, environmental questions and university coursework can help you move beyond a general interest in climate solutions.

    The financial commitment is substantial, and USC does not offer financial aid for its summer programs. Credit transfer and undergraduate admission are not guaranteed, so judge the value by the learning experience and your family’s budget.

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    20 minutes · No obligation to enrol

    A practical overview of cost, accommodation, meals, dates and provider details to review before deciding.

    Cost and what is included

    $8,130; $11,570; $12,208; includes Course tuition and three units of elective credit upon successful completion, Textbooks, instructor-requested materials and academic field trips, On-campus social activities and off-campus recreational trips, Student Health Center access, Residential option: shared residence-hall room, Residential option: three daily dining-hall meals, Residential option: academic-field-trip meals and specified Saturday meals.

    Accommodation

    Shared university residence-hall rooms

    Meals

    Residential: three dining-hall meals daily

    Provider details

    Review the USC Pre-College provider page and official sources before making a final decision.

    Dates and logistics

    4 weeks; Los Angeles, California, United States.

    What to check before committing

    Confirm current dates, payment terms, travel arrangements, cancellation rules and what is included with the provider.

    Compare this program with similar options before deciding on dates, cost, format and fit.

    Compare with similar programs

    How much preparation does Building Sustainable Businesses need?

    Effort level

    High.

    Best started

    Begin preparing six to eight weeks before the relevant application deadline once published; allow additional time for international travel and visa arrangements.

    Main challenge

    Sustaining academic focus while managing campus life and scheduled activities.

    Typical preparation

    • Draft an original 300–500-word essay explaining your interest in the course.

    • Ask your recommender and school administrator early so they can complete the required uploads.

    • Budget for the appropriate commuter or residential option and any international fees.

    • Prepare your laptop and business casual clothing for presentations and field trips.

    Useful if

    You want to test your readiness for intensive university-style business study.

    What do students do on Building Sustainable Businesses?

    You examine how environmental change affects businesses, then explore responses through operations, product design and marketing. Discussion, case studies, presentations and field trips help connect commercial choices with environmental consequences.

    Step-by-step process

    1. 1

      Explore environmental changes and their effects on consumers, resources and industries.

    2. 2

      Examine how existing businesses can improve efficiency and environmental performance.

    3. 3

      Identify opportunities for sustainable products, services and business models.

    4. 4

      Consider technologies, including AI, alongside their environmental costs.

    5. 5

      Practice communicating business ideas through marketing messages and presentations.

    Building Sustainable Businesses dates and deadlines

    Application deadline

    13 March 2026

    International applicants, summer 2026.

    Past

    Application deadline

    8 May 2026

    Domestic applicants, summer 2026; all supporting documents required.

    Past

    Building Sustainable Businesses — Summer 2026

    22 June-17 July 2026

    Calendar published in the official application portal.

    Past

    Building Sustainable Businesses — Summer 2027

    21 June-15 July 2027

    USC’s announced summer-program calendar.

    Upcoming

    Eligibility and requirements

    • Applicants must complete ninth grade before the program begins.

    • Applicants should pursue a rigorous high school curriculum.

    • Domestic and international high school students may apply.

    • Participants must attend all required classes.

    • International applicants must demonstrate English proficiency or obtain a waiver.

    • International participants and domestic participants living abroad must reside on campus.

    • Commuters must live with a parent or guardian in eligible counties.

    How much does Building Sustainable Businesses cost?

    Application fee

    $85 — Nonrefundable.

    Funding or discounts

    • Domestic commuter: $8,130 — Estimated 2026 program total.
    • Domestic residential: $11,570 — Estimated 2026 total including room and board.
    • International residential: $12,208 — Estimated USC total including international service fees.
    • Deposit: $1,000 — Nonrefundable; applied to the total program cost.
    • Financial aid: Not offered

    What's included

    Course tuition and three units of elective credit upon successful completion, Textbooks, instructor-requested materials and academic field trips, On-campus social activities and off-campus recreational trips, Student Health Center access, Residential option: shared residence-hall room, Residential option: three daily dining-hall meals, Residential option: academic-field-trip meals and specified Saturday meals

    How to apply to Building Sustainable Businesses

    1. 1

      Create an account or log in through the official USC Summer Programs application portal.

    2. 2

      Select Building Sustainable Businesses among your course preferences.

    3. 3

      Write your own 300–500-word essay using the portal’s application prompt.

    4. 4

      Request the online recommendation and school-administered PDF transcript upload.

    5. 5

      Provide accepted English-proficiency evidence or a waiver if applying internationally.

    6. 6

      Pay the $85 application fee, complete every task and click Submit.

    7. 7

      Monitor your email and portal for admission communications and subsequent requirements.

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    What does Building Sustainable Businesses cover?

    The program covers the following focus areas.

    Sustainable operations

    Examine how existing businesses can improve efficiency and environmental performance.

    Business models and policy

    Study strategies shaped by changing environmental policies, resource availability, costs and regulation.

    Products and marketing

    Identify sustainable product opportunities and create messages for environmentally conscious consumers.

    Industry innovation

    Explore innovation opportunities in food, energy, transportation, manufacturing and design.

    AI and environmental trade-offs

    Consider AI’s potential environmental benefits alongside its energy use and resource extraction.

    Curriculum may be adjusted based on participant interests and current developments.

    What is a typical day on Building Sustainable Businesses?

    A typical day during the program.

    Academic day

    The daily class window includes lunch or field-trip breaks and five to six instructional hours.

    Residential activities

    Residential advisors and program staff supervise social activities such as game nights and lawn movies.

    Recreational excursions

    Program activities can include day trips to Los Angeles-area attractions.

    Residential curfew

    Residents must return to their assigned hall and follow the nightly lights-out policy.

    Who teaches on Building Sustainable Businesses?

    USC Summer Programs courses are taught by USC faculty and experienced professionals from the university’s academic community. A former Building Sustainable Businesses participant also describes learning from guest speakers and hearing entrepreneurs discuss their careers.

    Where do students stay on Building Sustainable Businesses?

    Residential plan

    • Shared residence-hall rooms: Participants stay in shared USC residence-hall rooms with gender-specific roommate and floormate assignments.
    • Residential meals: Room and board includes three daily dining-hall meals, academic-trip meals and specified Saturday meals.
    • Residential support: Residential advisors live in the halls, with USCard-controlled access and 24/7 campus patrol services.
    • Activities and facilities: Students can use campus libraries and computer labs and join supervised evening and weekend activities.

    Non-residential plan

    • Local commuter option: Eligible participants live with a parent or guardian in Los Angeles or Orange County and attend all academic sessions.
    • Commuter activities: Commuters may join weeknight activities with parent permission and weekend excursions using program transportation.
    • Commuter dining: Commuters purchase meals individually; commuter meal plans are not offered.

    Roommate requests cannot be accommodated; international participants and domestic participants living abroad must reside on campus.

    What happens after Building Sustainable Businesses?

    After completing this program, participants often pursue:

    Earn three units of elective credit upon successful completion.

    Request an official graded transcript from USC’s registrar.

    Explore whether business, entrepreneurship or sustainability suits further study.

    Build understanding of sustainable operations, products and marketing.

    Develop faculty connections that may lead to recommendation letters.

    Credit transfer depends on the receiving institution, and recommendation letters and USC admission are not guaranteed.

    Where does Building Sustainable Businesses take place?

    The program takes place at USC’s University Park Campus in Los Angeles, with access to library reading rooms, computer labs and the Student Health Center. The course’s documented 2026 field trip took participants to the Port of Los Angeles.

    International participants arrange their own travel to campus; early-arrival and late-departure accommodations are not offered.

    Building Sustainable Businesses FAQs

    The course examines how businesses can respond to climate change and environmental damage through operations, products, services and marketing. It also considers AI’s potential benefits and environmental costs.

    Successful completion earns three units of university elective credit. Another college or university decides whether to accept those units for transfer.

    The summer-program class window is 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with lunch or field-trip breaks. Admission guidance describes five to six instructional hours per day, and attendance is required.

    Bring your own laptop and business casual clothing for presentations and field trips. USC recommends layers for air-conditioned classrooms and field-trip sites.

    Eligible local participants may commute while living with a parent or guardian in Los Angeles or Orange County. International participants and domestic participants living abroad must reside on campus.

    Residential advisors live in the halls and are available at all times. Residence and dining halls require USCard access, with a 10 p.m. hall curfew and 11:30 p.m. lights-out policy.

    USC Summer Programs does not offer financial aid or assistance. USC employee tuition benefits also do not apply.

    No. The summer program’s admission process is separate from undergraduate admission, and participation does not guarantee admission to USC or its schools.

    Alternatives to Building Sustainable Businesses

    Compare these options if you want broader business study or a stronger environmental-science emphasis.

    Alternatives to Building Sustainable Businesses

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    Students seeking a broad business introduction

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    Sean Stevens

    Content reviewed by

    Sean Stevens

    Co-founder, Succeed | Founder, Immerse Education (2012–2026)

    Sean works at the intersection of academic enrichment, program quality and university preparation, with expertise in evaluating pre-university experiences for ambitious secondary school students.

    View author page

    Sources & verification

    Source types reviewed

    • Summer Programs Application Management
    • USC Summer Programs Transcripts | USC Pre-College
    • USC Summer Programs International Application | USC Pre-College
    • USC Summer Programs Policies | USC Pre-College
    • USC Summer Programs FAQs | USC Pre-College
    • USC Summer Residential and Commuter Experience | USC Pre-College
    • USC Summer Programs Overview | USC Pre-College
    • USC Summer Programs Application and Admission | USC Pre-College
    • USC Summer Programs | USC Pre-College
    • Business Sustainability Summer Program | USC Pre-College

    Succeed uses official provider information where available, but keeps this public page focused on comparison and planning inside Succeed.

    What we verified (on 5 Oct 2026)

    • Official course page reviewed

    • Application requirements checked

    • Session calendars compared

    • Residential and commuter costs checked

    • Financial aid policy reviewed

    • Credit transfer conditions checked

    • Campus safety policies reviewed

    How Succeed uses this information

    We use source material to verify core facts, then show older cycle dates as reference when a current cycle is not available. Always check current application instructions before applying.