An introduction to social entrepreneurship, meaning the use of
innovation to address obstacles to well-being that exist in
communities and society. Students learn by engaging in social
entrepreneurship practices as they introduce meaningful ideas to
people and communities through a semester-long project.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students: The semester-long project will be adjusted in rigor and complexity for graduate students.
Athena Title
Intro to Social Entrepreneur
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will apply the methods taught in this course to their selected setting to see the situation through the eyes of the people involved. Then they must identify a need where they might help through their semester project. Synthesizing what they learn through empathy exercises and then using their observations to derive meaningful needs is evidence of critical thinking.
Students will gather data through their situation analysis and translate that data into insights that can drive their project.
Students will communicate with their client to share project status and findings; students must complete two presentation to communicate findings and recommend a course of action
Students will work from the perspective of the people involved in their topic. Empathy is the foundation of their work. They must be aware of others and recognize their responsibility to them in their work.
Students will generate creative and innovative ideas to address the need they identified in their empathy work. They must also find creative and innovative ways to bring their idea to life in the form of a prototype.
Students will work in teams to complete their semester-long projects. This approach teaches them that leaders are not always named - often they are discovered by the ways in which they work with others. It also helps them discover what kind leader and collaborator they want to be in the world.
Students will describe social entrepreneurship in your own words and from your own experience.
Students will explain the methods of social entrepreneurship and their importance.
Students will discuss the role of social entrepreneurship in communities and societies in the world.
Students will compare and contrast social entrepreneurship with other forms of entrepreneurship.
Students will reflect on your experience and what you have learned about your desired path in social entrepreneurship.
Topical Outline
Gaining Empathy
The Influence of Environment
The Wonders of Design
Concept Testing
Social Entrepreneurship
The Concept of Well-Being
The Product of our Environment
Our Own Worst Enemy
The Social Autototality of the System
The Superheroes of Social Entrepreneurship
Strategic Storytelling
Lateral Thinking
X-Shaped People
The Possibilities of Change
Institutional Competencies
Analytical Thinking
The ability to reason, interpret, analyze, and solve problems from a wide array of authentic contexts.
Creativity & Innovation
The capacity to combine or synthesize existing ideas, images, or expertise in original ways and the experience of thinking, reacting, and working in an imaginative way characterized by innovation, divergent thinking, and risk taking.
Social Awareness & Responsibility
The capacity to understand the interdependence of people, communities, and self in a global society.
