Social Innovation

The Master of Studies in Social Innovation is a part-time programme designed for practitioners in the business, public and social sectors who wish to design and lead innovative solutions to pressing social issues. Students on the programme will be outstanding individuals who wish to build on their experience and expertise collaborating with colleagues across sectors. The programme will be delivered over two years by the Cambridge Judge Business School through online delivery and residential weeks in Cambridge.

Who is the course designed for?

In recognition of the fact that social innovation cuts across sectors and types of organisation, the programme is aimed at middle and senior level leaders operating in all sectors of the economy - including firms, public bodies, NGOs and social enterprises - who wish to build on their experience and expertise to collaborate with others to create social change.

Aims of the programme

The programme aims to produce graduates who:

• have a critical understanding of the different forms of social and organisational change as seen through the lens of sociology, political science and organisational theory;
• are prepared to lead, build and manage collaborative initiatives of the corporate, public and social sectors to tackle the wicked problems that the globe faces;
• are skilled in the practice of business planning, financial planning and impact measurement principles and can apply these in a global context to create blueprints for social ventures, social change organisations or internal change projects;
• are equipped with the advanced quantitative and qualitative research skills required to actively contribute to the academic debate on social innovation and to engage with intellectual rigor with individuals and organisations working towards the development of novel solutions to deep rooted problems of poverty and inequality in both rich and poor countries.

Learning outcomes

This programme will provide an overview and understanding of social innovation and approaches to addressing social, cultural, economic, and environmental challenges and opportunities. We aim to provide an open environment for critical dialogue, so the programme will be highly interactive with workshops, case studies, subject experts, and practitioners engaging in the discussion of key concepts, theories, frameworks, and emerging ideas for creating, developing, and enabling social innovation in the public, private and social sectors in the UK and internationally.

At the end of the course, students should be able to:

• understand and critique the core business models in the social innovation and social venture space;
• reflect upon, communicate, and integrate key theories and frameworks in the study of social innovation and social ventures;
• recognise, appreciate, and assess multiple stakeholder perspectives in social innovation; and
• develop and apply advanced research skills.

Prior to each residential teaching block, students will be expected engage for at least 8 hours a week with online study materials which will include readings, videos, forums and self-assessment.

There are four residential teaching blocks (of one week each) in Cambridge – three in the first year and one in the second year of the programme. During the residential weeks students are expected to participate in a blend of workshops, seminars, lectures, guess lectures, group work, case study discussions, presentations, simulations, and other activities for 9-10 hours per day.

Following each residential block students will engage in individual pieces of work, involving research and written presentation of findings on selected topics.

Before and after the residential weeks, participants will be fully supported and engaged in the programme through the virtual learning environment. They will also count on support and facilitation by a Cambridge Judge Business School faculty team.

Supervision

Each student will be allocated a supervisor at the start of Year 1 and an academic dissertation supervisor during Year 2. Supervisors will provide general academic advice to students, and subject-specific advice relating to the dissertation. Students and supervisors normally meet about once a month to discuss progress, but meetings may be more or less frequent depending on the project’s progression.

Assessment

Thesis

• Dissertation: 15,000 words. The dissertation counts for 50% of the overall mark.

Essays, projects and written papers

• Two essays (5,000 words each)
• A project (business plan or case study, 5,000 words)
• Research proposal and critical bibliography (4,000 words)

Feedback

Students receive qualitative and quantitative feedback on their assignments. The style and content of the formal written feedback is dependent on the style of assessment. The marks will be provisional until confirmed by the Board of Examiners.

Students are also welcome to approach lecturers for informal advice and guidance on how to improve their performance on the courses.

Expected academic standard

Applicants for this course are expected to have:

• at least a 2.i honours degree from a UK University or an equivalent standard from an overseas institution;
• a minimum of two years' work experience in either the social, public or private sector;
• fluency in written and spoken English language;
• demonstrable enthusiasm and aptitude for social innovation;
• access to appropriate computer technology and internet software; and
• the ability to pay the course fees or to identify a sponsoring institution.

Language requirement

• IELTS Academic: Overall score of 7.5 (a minimum of 7.0 in each individual component)
• TOEFL Internet: Overall score of 110 (a minimum of 25 in each individual component)
• CAE: Grade A
• CPE: Grade A, B, or C

Supporting documents

• References 
• Transcripts 

The Centre for Social Innovation has agreed a number of bursaries for students with an offer to join the programme. These include scholarships sponsored by the 30% Club and social innovation subject awards available from certain colleges. Bursaries will also be available to students from the social or public sector, and are likely to be awarded to those from organisations with limited resources.