At the university, social entrepreneurship is an exciting and rapidly evolving field encompassing cutting-edge knowledge generation and programs designed to prepare students for leading mission-driven enterprises. The Kroc School has been a pioneer in this area. In 2016 it launched the MA in Social Innovation with a focus on preparing people to design, implement and manage innovations for social change. Building off the success of this program, we are thrilled to announce the School will be offering a new online Social Entrepreneurship in Action certificate in collaboration with the University of San Diego’s (USD) Professional and Continuing Education. This program is designed to provide students working in a wide range of organizations--nonprofit, B-corps, businesses, and government--with the opportunity to learn more about social entrepreneurship and advance their careers while working full-time.
Kroc School Dean Patricia Márquez sees the certificate program as: “a unique opportunity for individuals who see themselves as agents of change to learn more about what it takes to create the change that we want to see in our communities and elsewhere.” The curriculum presents the variety and impact of social enterprises worldwide. Different modules are designed for students to develop the skills and frameworks needed to operate as an effective changemaker and social entrepreneur. The portfolio of courses includes readings and discussions on the opportunities and best practices for building sustainable and scalable social enterprises.
The three courses of the certificate are:
- Social Entrepreneurship: An Introduction
- Social Impact Strategy: Tools for Social Entrepreneurship
- The Practice of Social Entrepreneurship
For Frances Laviscount, the Kroc School’s Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs, a differentiating aspect of this professional certificate is that students will be able to apply lessons in real-time to their own specific projects and organizations. “The program is designed for professional practice for those who are either creating a new social entrepreneurship venture or adding social entrepreneurship practices to an existing organization. However, it is also a program for people who are contributing in other ways to address social and environmental issues around us. By focusing on ‘Social Entrepreneurship in Action,’ we hope that students will walk away with tangible skills and methods for addressing the needs of their communities and organizations.”
Another exciting component of this new program is that participants can opt to further their studies into a master’s program at the Kroc School with a transfer of units.
The world needs more changemakers. If you are passionate about solving our most urgent social and environmental challenges, we invite you to join the Kroc School community of changemakers. Don’t wait any longer to learn more about the Social Entrepreneurship in Action Certificate and make sure you spread the word.
