The Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab (BSEL) is a Center of Excellence at the USC Marshall School of Business that equips students, faculty and staff with the business skills and resources to develop market-based solutions to the wicked problems of the 21st century. Through education, community building, research and professional development, the Lab serves as the hub for social entrepreneurial efforts at the university and beyond.
Founded by Professor Adlai Wertman in 2008 and named in 2014 through a gift from the Brittingham Family Foundation, BSEL has become one of the world’s leading research and teaching institutions on social enterprise.
Our Programs
BSEL offers graduate and undergraduate academic programming:
- A Master of Science in Social Entrepreneurship (MSSE)
- The one-year MSSE provides students the essential business and entrepreneurship skills to make an impact in issue areas like poverty alleviation, health care, gender equity, education and sustainability.
- A graduate Certificate in Sustainability and Business
- An MBA Concentration in Sustainability, Society and Business
- An undergraduate Minor in Social Entrepreneurship
As part of USC’s extensive startup ecosystem, BSEL also has developed a wide range of cocurricular programs to support students, faculty and alumni in the creation and growth of impactful social enterprise:
- MBA Society and Business Fellowship
- MBA Summer Internship Subsidy
- BSEL Undergraduate Scholars Mentorship Program
- Warren Bennis Scholars Program (undergraduate)
- Jacobson Family Sustainable Impact Lecture Series
- Held monthly throughout the academic year, this series features successful social entrepreneurs and social impact professionals tackling various issues, including homelessness, food insecurity, sustainability and more
- Social Venture Coaching Competition
- Social Entrepreneur-in-Residence
Cutting-Edge Research
At BSEL, we know the power of data and research to change hearts and minds. Each year, we bring together researchers and practitioners in the field of social entrepreneurship from around the globe for the largest academic gathering on social enterprise. Founded by BSEL’s Research Director, Dr. Jill Kickul, the Annual Social Entrepreneurship Conference has widely influenced the development and evaluation of the social entrepreneurship field. We also continue to advance the field of social entrepreneurship through rigorous data collection and ground-breaking studies.
Explore the Breath and Depth of BSEL's Social Impact Education:
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Our Impact
Since our founding, we have educated and supported thousands of social entrepreneurial students from across the globe. Learn more in our Impact Report and get inspired by our students:
