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MS Social Entrepreneurship (MSSE)

Master of Science in Social Entrepreneurship

MSSE

Whether for-profit or nonprofit, enterprises that balance social missions with financial missions can offer innovative solutions to problems in education, health care, poverty and health. Social entrepreneurs are designing and managing these impact organizations. From global microfinance to mission-based pharmaceutical companies to local workforce development programs, these enterprises and programs have their social mission as the driving force within their businesses.

With a Master of Science in Social Entrepreneurship from the Marshall School of Business, you will experience a business education geared to the unique aspects of social impact. You will be prepared uniquely to become a leader in the field. You will balance your head and heart as you embark on a career with meaning and attack the most pressing global challenges.

Master of Science in Social Entrepreneurship

  • PROGRAM PROFILE

    Pacing: Full-Time (Part-time option available for some U.S. citizens)

    Duration: 1-2 years (May start)

    Format: In-person

    Class Schedule: Weekday evenings and Saturdays (in person). Electives classes may vary.

    Student Profile: Early and mid-career professionals

    STEM Designation: For international applicants, this program is not eligible for the OPT-STEM extension

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM BENEFITS

Based in the Marshall School of Business and hosted by the Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab, the MSSE offers you a solid business foundation to create lasting social change.

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP CURRICULUM

Academic Overview

With an emphasis on best practices in management and leadership to solve the world's most pressing social challenges, the skills-based curriculum for the MSSE requires 30 units, consisting of seven required courses and four elective courses. You will learn from Marshall School of Business faculty— award-winning teachers, scholars, and practitioners – on the University of Southern California University Park Campus. In each required course, faculty members will teach their area of expertise through a social impact lens.

APPLYING TO THE MSSE PROGRAM

APPLICATION DEADLINES

  Deadline
Round 1 November 1, 2024
Round 2 January 15, 2025
Round 3 March 1, 2025
Round 4 April 15, 2025

International Applicants: We highly encourage you to apply for admission in Round 1 or 2, as we cannot guarantee an admission decision in Round 4 for international applicants due to visa and immigration matters.

MSSE STUDENT LIFE

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.

This includes improving students’ academic, professional, and social experience during their time here at USC Marshall.

  • 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.

    VISIT THE MSSE SA SITE MSSE Student Association

WHY MARSHALL

  • Four business professionals at an outdoor workshop.

    Career Pathways

    Marshall graduate students are actively sought by the world's leading companies Amazon, Google, Salesforce, BCG and Goldman Sachs. Benefitting from Marshall's deep industry ties, they are leaders in a range of industries from Technology, Entertainment and Interactive Gaming to Healthcare, Consulting and Financial Services.

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  • Joe Ucuzoglu, Deloitte Global CEO.

    Trojan Network

    The Marshall Trojan network links students and business leaders around the globe. Over 90,000 Marshall alumni worldwide create a proactive pay-it-forward culture that drives powerful career outcomes. There is simply no other alumni network quite like it.

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  • Two people in business casual attire walking outdoors near sunset.

    Real-World Learning

    Every Marshall graduate student has opportunities to integrate and apply what they learn in the classroom to real challenges outside the classroom. Learning by doing trains leaders to be visionary and resilient.

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  • USC Marshall professor Julia Plotts giving a presentation.

    Faculty Expertise

    USC Marshall faculty come from a wide array of backgrounds and disciplines. They engage in collaborative and inter-disciplinary teaching to explore business challenges and opportunities from a variety of viewpoints. They incorporate case studies, current events, career panels, and industry speakers to support academic content with real-world perspectives.

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  • Downtown Los Angeles at sunset.

    Global School in the Heart of LA

    Located in the heart of Los Angeles, USC Marshall is embedded in one of the most vibrant global economies and part of a large university community committed to a culture of collegiality, cooperation, and team work. Our students, faculty and alumni play leading roles in the industries that have built and continue to drive LA forward - from real-estate and accounting, to marketing and finance, to entertainment and tech.

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Pioneer For Change

This program is the first of its kind at a U.S. business school and is among the very few graduate degrees available worldwide that directly addresses social entrepreneurship. The program curriculum includes an exploration of the field of social enterprise and practice in feasibility analysis, impact investing, cause-related marketing, environmental sustainability, and global social impact.

The MSSE will give you the business knowledge and skills to make sustainable social impact. Students graduating from the MSSE may launch a social enterprise or play a key leadership role in an existing one. These enterprises may be stand-alone ventures or embedded in existing organizations.

MSSE FACULTY

  • Abby Fifer Mandell

    Abby Fifer Mandell
    • Senior Lecturer in Entrepreneurship

    Abby Fifer Mandell is an award-winning educator, user researcher, master facilitator and design strategist. As senior lecturer in entrepreneurship and former executive director of the Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab, Abby has guided hundreds of individuals and organizations to apply user-centered design to challenges faced by individuals and families worldwide. Community foci include older adults, farmworkers in California’s Central Valley, and adults diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Abby won the Academy of Management Innovation in Entrepreneurship Pedagogy Award in 2018 and the USC Mentoring Award for Faculty Mentoring Undergraduate Students in 2023. She co-teaches the Min Family Challenge with the Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship group at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. Abby is a frequent lecturer, workshop facilitator, and keynote speaker and has authored many works on user-centered design and strategy, including Human-Centered Design for Social Innovation Toolkit, 1st-13th ed. (2016-2023) and Design Strategy for Social Innovation Toolkit for Educators(2016). She is a Wexner Heritage Fellow and serves on the advisory board of United Parents and Students and Seismic Capital.

  • Duke Bristow

    Duke Bristow
    • Associate Professor of Clinical Finance and Business Economics

    Duke Bristow is an expert on corporate finance and corporate governance, particularly in the areas of private equity and director education. He has published papers in economics, engineering, and law journals, and has advised organizations on matters involving corporate governance and director education since 1998. His research and teaching has received support from the National Institutes of Health, the NASDAQ, the four largest international audit firms, and a dozen national law firms. Professor Bristow has served as a director, officer or executive in public, private and not-for-profit organizations.

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    Marshall School of Business
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    Los Angeles, CA 90089-2633

    Phone: 213-740-7846

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