In this specialization you will learn how to create societal impact through Social Entrepreneurship. Social Entrepreneurship describes the discovery and sustainable exploitation of opportunities to create social change. We will introduce you to examples of Social Entrepreneurship and guide you through the process of establishing a venture to address a social or environment problem. You will form of team and study a problematic issue to learn more about the source of the problem. We will equip you with frameworks identifying opportunities, support your team, and outlining your idea. You will develop your idea and iterate on your business model throughout the Specialization, and conclude with completing a business plan.
Social Entrepreneurship Specialization
Become a Social Entrepreneur. Turn social problems into opportunities and establish a viable social enterprise to initiate change.
Offered By
How the Specialization Works
Take Courses
A Coursera Specialization is a series of courses that helps you master a skill. To begin, enroll in the Specialization directly, or review its courses and choose the one you'd like to start with. When you subscribe to a course that is part of a Specialization, you’re automatically subscribed to the full Specialization. It’s okay to complete just one course — you can pause your learning or end your subscription at any time. Visit your learner dashboard to track your course enrollments and your progress.
Hands-on Project
Every Specialization includes a hands-on project. You'll need to successfully finish the project(s) to complete the Specialization and earn your certificate. If the Specialization includes a separate course for the hands-on project, you'll need to finish each of the other courses before you can start it.
Earn a Certificate
When you finish every course and complete the hands-on project, you'll earn a Certificate that you can share with prospective employers and your professional network.
There are 3 Courses in this Specialization
Course1
Identifying Social Entrepreneurship Opportunities
4.6
104 ratings
This Course will clarify the definition and meaning of Social Entrepreneurship and will focus on the need to learn about the source and root of a social problem. You will be introduced to different perspectives about Social Entrepreneurship and you will learn about complementary and opportunistic assets which will help you to detect an opportunity and develop an idea of how to create a business for social change.
From a practical perspective you will be asked to initiate a team formation process and start to think about a problem topic that you want to address with your social venture in the future. You will work in a team to research this topic and will gradually start to think about a particular opportunity and identify a purpose for your social venture project.
Course2
Social Business Model and Planning for Social Innovation
4.6
44 ratings
In this course we will take the social business opportunity that you have identified in the first course to a higher level. Specifically, you will develop a business model using the Business Model Canvas. Gradually you will also start writing your business plan. Moreover, you will be able to assess different organizational forms and select the one that is appropriate for your developed business model. By the end of the course you will be able to compare different social impact investment methods and choose the right funding strategy for your social venture.
Note: It is highly recommended to have completed Course 1: 'Identifying Social Entrepreneurship Opportunities' before you start with this Course!
Course3
Unleashing the Impact of your Social Enterprise
4.6
22 ratings
In Course 3 of this Specialization you will first of all learn about Social Impact Assessment. Hence you will be able to develop a method to evaluate the social mission that you achieve while implementing your business plan. Next you will outline an appropriate communication strategy for your social enterprise and will demonstrate how to market your products and services to beneficiaries and other customers. Here you will employ an adaptable communication strategy as you move from early adopters to a broader market share.
Furthermore you will determine growth strategies and how you can scale or replicate your business plan internationally in order to reach a larger number of beneficiaries. In particular you will discuss organic growth, social franchising, and an open source approach. Finally, you will evaluate exit strategies. Thus you will review options social enterprises have when they need to finance their growth but the original funders can not or do not want to finance the expansion.
Course 3 will be completed by your Capstone project, which will ask you to submit the final business plan of your social venture.
Note: It is highly recommended to have completed Course 1 & 2 of the Social Entrepreneurship Specialization before starting this Course!
Instructor
Kai Hockerts
Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility
About Copenhagen Business School
Centrally located in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, Copenhagen Business School (CBS) is one of the largest business schools in Europe with close to 23,000 students. CBS offers world-class research-based degree programs at undergraduate, graduate, and PhD levels as well as executive and other post experience programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the refund policy?
Can I just enroll in a single course?
Yes! To get started, click the course card that interests you and enroll. You can enroll and complete the course to earn a shareable certificate, or you can audit it to view the course materials for free. When you subscribe to a course that is part of a Specialization, you’re automatically subscribed to the full Specialization. Visit your learner dashboard to track your progress.
Is financial aid available?
Can I take the course for free?
Is this course really 100% online? Do I need to attend any classes in person?
This course is completely online, so there’s no need to show up to a classroom in person. You can access your lectures, readings and assignments anytime and anywhere via the web or your mobile device.
Will I earn university credit for completing the Specialization?
This Specialization doesn't carry university credit, but some universities may choose to accept Specialization Certificates for credit. Check with your institution to learn more.
How long does it take to complete the Specialization?
The Specialization is composed of 3 courses and each course takes about 5 weeks to complete. Hence about 18 weeks are needed to finish the whole Specialization, if you want to take all courses in a row. However each course starts every 6 weeks, so you can freely choose when to take a course.
What background knowledge is necessary?
You do not need any specific background knowledge. The only thing you need is special interest, extraordinary passion and an enthusiastic motivation to start a social venture.
Do I need to take the courses in a specific order?
Yes, the courses are structured by chronological order. Each course builds on the acquired knowledge form the previous learning outcomes. If you have a certain experience in the field of entrepreneurship and/or social enterprises you might be able to step in course 2 or 3 right away. However, there is highly valuable feedback and advice from experts, researchers and practitioners in all courses that you should not miss out.
What will I be able to do upon completing the Specialization?
You will be either a founding member of a social entrepreneurship startup venture or ready to work as an employee of an existing social venture. You can also choose to become a board member or mentor for social entrepreneurship in your community or start interacting with Social Entrepreneurship in the public sector.
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
Coursera provides universal access to the world’s best education,
partnering with top universities and organizations to offer courses online.
© 2018 Coursera Inc. All rights reserved.
