Graduate Certificate in Social Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship at Portland State University

Portland State University

United States of America, Aberdeen

University Rank:#1201

The Social Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship at Portland State University is a Graduate Certificate program designed for students who want to build the knowledge and skills required for careers in this field. Delivered online at the university's main campus in Aberdeen, United States of America, the program is taught in English and takes 1 year to complete. Students study in a Full Time environment while preparing for future professional opportunities. The next intake starts on September 26, 2027.

About Graduate Certificate in Social Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship

Want to make a difference? Our social innovation and social entrepreneurship certificate will show you how.

Portland State University's social innovation and social entrepreneurship certificate equip you to bring meaning and purpose to your career in business or nonprofit leadership by training you to create practical, effective solutions to social and environmental challenges.

Whether you're a social entrepreneur starting something new, or an intrapreneur inside a mission-driven organization, this program can prepare you with the experience and skills to innovate. You can either design a new social venture-nonprofit, business, government program, or advocacy campaign-to address an issue that matters to you, or evaluate and suggest improvements to an existing organization of your choice.

Social Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship Graduate Certificate: Why

Online courses exceed the nationally-recognized Quality Matters rubric for excellence in online education
Accelerated two- and four-week field studies that augment classwork with real-world experience
Work on your idea, in your own areas of interest and passion, while learning top skills demanded by employers
Open to students from any program, inside or outside The School of Business

Disciplines

The School of Business

Requirements and Admission Criteria for Graduate Certificate in Social Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship at Portland State University

Entry Requirements

Copies of official degree certificate/diploma
Certified translation of transcripts
Financial documentation demonstrating adequate financial support for at least the first year of study

English Requirements

PTEMin 60
IELTSMin 6.5
TOEFLMin 80

Career Opportunities after Completing Graduate Certificate in Social Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship

Graduates have used the social innovation and social entrepreneurship certificate to design and launch new nonprofits, foundations, and businesses, advance careers in nonprofit leadership and corporate social responsibility, or find jobs at B Corps and sustainable businesses. Graduates of the social innovation and social entrepreneurship certificate program commonly go into fields such as:

Entrepreneurship
Intrapreneurship
Corporate responsibility
Nonprofit leadership
Civic engagement and outreach
Government administration
Community programming

SOCIAL INNOVATION AND SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP CURRICULUM

The social innovation and social entrepreneurship certificate consist of four courses. By the end of the sequence, you will refine a leadership and career purpose, apply Human-Centered Design best practices, use the Business Model Canvas to map out a venture, learn about funding sources, create a financial forecast, develop a plan for measuring and reporting impact, and practice effective storytelling and presentation. PSU graduate students may also take individual courses that are included in the certificate curriculum.

The four courses are:

MGMT 521 Design Thinking for Social Innovation
MGMT 522 Money Matters for Social Innovation
MGMT 523 Storytelling and Impact Measurement for Social Innovation
BA 526 Social Innovation Field Study, FIN 575 Impact Ventures, or MGMT 509 By Arrangement

Tuition and Fee Information for Graduate Certificate in Social Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship at Portland State University

Application Fee 65

How to Apply for Graduate Certificate in Social Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship at Portland State University

Complete the graduate application
Send the Graduate School’s Admissions office your official academic transcripts
Submit evidence of English language proficiency
Provide financial documentation demonstrating adequate financial support for at least the first year of study
Depending on the individual graduate program that you are applying for, additional department requirements may include:
- Personal essay or statement of purpose
- Letters of recommendation
- Standardized test scores, e.g., GRE (not required by all programs)
- Resume
- Writing samples
- Portfolio

Graduate Certificate in Social Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship at Portland State University

Portland State University

United States of America, Aberdeen