Skip to main content
EDIT

Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab

  • Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab

    Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab

    The Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab is a Center of Excellence at the USC Marshall School of Business. It houses the Master of Science in Social Entrepreneurship (MSSE) program, which provides students with concrete business skills as the foundation with which to address critical global issues from a solutions-based perspective.

    A hub for social impact entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship, BSEL works with students across USC—not just at Marshall. We host a variety of mentorship opportunities, as well as academic degree programs—all of which emphasize a cohort experience. BSEL Undergraduate Impact Scholars pairs undergraduates with social impact professionals who are leaders in their field. BSEL Research Scholars supports a deepening understanding of who entrepreneurs are, how they thrive and what we need to do to make their impact measurable and sustainable. We also support undergraduates interested in our social entrepreneurship minor.

    Annually, we host the Jacobson Family Sustainable Impact Lecture Series for our students, alumni and local community. The six-part series introduces exceptional individuals breaking barriers in their fields to create social impact. Recent lectures highlighted how businesses are innovating affordable housing models and how the private sector is using A.I. to innovate fields like building efficiency or agriculture.

    Alumni have founded dozens of successful businesses including Rebundle, Beamlink, Peruana Sauce, Pulp Pantry, UMEED, Green Pines Media, RxLA and EcomAmor. Whether you’re interested in changing an existing business or building a new one, we’re here to provide the tools, guidance and connection to make it happen. Many of our students are career changers—individuals who were on one path and realized they want to make a change in order to make a greater difference.

ABOUT THE CENTER

Our Impact

Founded 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.

It is clear that addressing social problems is no longer the sole responsibility of government and civil society. Our world’s complex social problems require businesses to invest and innovate for both impact and returns. Today’s business leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors are taking steps to embed social purpose into their corporate operations. Through our MSSE program—recently ranked 5th in the United States—mentorship opportunities and more, BSEL strives to bolster the next generation of leaders in advancing social change.

Our Values

Innovation: We believe in continuous innovation in developing creative approaches to educational programming and research.

Educational Excellence: We believe that creating social impact through business requires a unique business education that exposes students in and out of the classroom to cutting-edge ideas and skills taught by seasoned instructors, practitioners, scholars, mentors, and those with the lived experience of the social challenges we seek to address.

Courage: We foster a courageous spirit in our students because we believe that solving the wicked problems faced in society requires the fortitude to think and act differently.

Representation: In a world where racism, gender inequality, anti-LGBTQ+ bias, and other forms of discrimination impact students’ opportunities for success in the global economy, we elevate stories, perspectives, and backgrounds that both reflect our diverse community of learners and mirror the range of communities and business environments in which our students will find themselves.

PROGRAMS

BSEL offers graduate and undergraduate academic programming.

PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES

  • 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.

TEAM

RESEARCH SCHOLARS

Our focus on growing social entrepreneurship stems not just from mentorship and coaching, but also from contributing to academic research that attempts to better understand, define and grow the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the social impact space.

To this end, BSEL hosts a Research Scholars program. These individuals work closely with our Research Director Dr. Jill Kickul to analyze contexts, strategies, metrics and more related to social entrepreneurship in the U.S. and across the globe.

STUDENT LIFE

  • MSSE Student Association

    MSSE Student Association

    The mission of the Master of Science in Social Entrepreneurship Student Association (MSSE SA) is to advocate on behalf of MSSE students in order to enhance the student experience.

    EMAIL MSSE SA for more information.

STAY CONNECTED

  • COME VISIT US

    Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab
    USC Marshall School of Business
    3670 Trousdale Parkway
    Bridge Hall, Room 105
    Los Angeles, CA 90089-0803

    EMAIL
    Phone: 213-740-9098

  • MEET OUR TEAM

    Our team includes renowned professors on social enterprise, award-winning social entrepreneurs, and social impact leaders. Learn more about us HERE.

  • CONNECT WITH US

  • CONTACT US

    Master of Science in Social Entrepreneurship EMAIL

    Other Student Programs EMAIL

    Media Inquiries EMAIL Avni Shah, Communications & Editorial Specialist

    For all other questions, please call 213-740-9098.