MSt in Social Innovation

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

Overview

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; and
• 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 across 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.

Applicants for this course should have achieved a UK II.i Honours Degree. Students for this course are also expected to have: a minimum of two years of working 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.