Social Entrepreneurship

The Master of Science in Social Entrepreneurship offers students a unique combination of business entrepreneurship skills delivered within the context of achieving both social and financial missions.

The courses focus entirely on the business aspects of social entrepreneurship including feasibility, planning, marketing, management, finance and execution. Social, environmental and health issues are integrated into the readings, cases, teaching, guest lectures, exercises and assignments. The program also includes a for-credit practical capstone project in which students have the option to develop a business plan for a new social enterprise.

This program requires 30 units and can be completed in one year (full time) or 2 or more years (part time). Courses are offered in the evenings and on weekends on the University Park Campus in downtown Los Angeles.

The Master of Science in Social Entrepreneurship requires 30 units.

Required Courses

• BAEP 553 Cases in New Venture Management Units: 1.5, 3
• (normally 3 units)
• BAEP 564 Investing in Impact Ventures Units: 3
• BAEP 566 Cases in Feasibility Analysis for Social Ventures Units: 3
• BAEP 591 Social Entrepreneurship Units: 2, 3
• (normally 2 units)
• GSBA 510 Accounting Concepts and Financial Reporting Units: 1.5, 2, 3
• (normally 2 units)
• GSBA 528 Marketing Management Units: 3
• GSBA 529 Strategic Formulation for Competitive Advantage Units: 3
• GSBA 548 Corporate Finance Units: 2, 3
• (normally 2 units)
• Capstone (normally 3 units)
• BAEP 593 Independent Research in Business Entrepreneurship Units: 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4,
• or
• BAEP 554 Venture Initiation Units: 3

Elective Courses

Complete at least 6 units of 500-level ACCT, BAEP, BUCO, DSO, FBE, GSBA, MKT or MOR course work to reach 30 units. (Enrollment in electives is subject to satisfaction of any prerequisite requirements in addition to the 30 units required for the degree.)

Total units: 30

• Four-year undergraduate degree, or international equivalent. Applicants in the process of finishing an undergraduate degree may apply, with acceptance contingent on finishing the undergraduate degree.
• A completed online application, including two short essays, a professional résumé, and one letter of recommendation.
• Application fee: $150.
• If you are an International student who did not spend 4 years completing a bachelor's degree at an American, British, Canadian or Australian college or university, you must submit proof of proficiency in English by way of an official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score report (Educational Testing Service's TOEFL school code for USC is 4852), or International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
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