Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Catalog description

This course provides an in-depth exploration of social entrepreneurship and innovation as a set of promising pathways to drive social change across sectors using a systems-led approach. Students will delve into understanding complex social and environmental problems at a systems level, equipping them to contribute to long-term, sustainable solutions. The course looks at different approaches to creating and implementing social change within systems and through startups, corporate environments (intrapreneurship), nonprofit organizations, and the public sector. Students will explore social entrepreneurship from its origins to present-day practices, examine what differentiates effective interventions, and contemplate the challenges of social entrepreneurship. The course fosters a practical and reflective approach to designing and leading initiatives that create lasting social impact. Students will develop the skills to align social impact ideas with community needs and market opportunities, analyze root causes, map existing solutions in an ecosystem, and practice using tools to operationalize their ideas. By weaving critical thinking, practical tools, and real-world examples throughout the course, students are prepared not only to understand the role of social entrepreneurship as part of a toolkit for social change, but also to engage as social entre(intra)preneurs and innovators capable of navigating and influencing complex social systems.