Now that the admissions cycle for Fall 2021 is drawing to a close, we’re beginning to gear up for the Fall 2022 entry cycle, which means we’re doing a pivot over here on the blog: while we’ve been focusing on the needs of our admitted students for the last few months, now I’ll be shifting my focus to those of you who are just embarking on your journey to find the right program. Over the next few months, I’ll be doing a spotlight on our six programs to help you figure out if one of Heller’s programs is right for you. Up first…
The Social Impact MBA
What is it? The Social Impact MBA gives you all the same skills as a traditional MBA (like accounting, financial reporting, leadership and organizational behavior, strategic management, operations management, etc), but all with an eye towards social justice. In this program, you’ll learn how to use the skills associated with a business degree to solve social problems.
Who’s it for? Our typical MBA student has about 3 years of work experience, although we do sometimes admit students with less experience with strong academic credentials. Over a quarter of our domestic students are service organization alumni (Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Teach for America, City Year, etc). We believe that our program attracts people who are uniquely innovative, hardworking, collaborative, warm and dedicated to social change. Our students hail from diverse backgrounds and professional experiences but all of them cultivate the skills and professional relationships here at Heller to graduate and manage for a mission.
What kinds of classes will I take? You’ll take 68 credits in just 16 months, including participating in at least one experiential learning opportunity, the Team Consulting Project. You’ll take required courses like Data, Models and Decisions; Social Justice, Management and Policy; and Leadership and Organizational Behavior, as well as electives like Environmental Economics and Policy; Building Microfinance Institutions and Partnerships; and Managing the Triple Bottom Line. Depending on the Social Impact MBA concentration you choose, you’ll be able to focus on the sector you’re driven to innovate.
Where will it take me? After graduation, about half of our students continue in non-profit roles, about a quarter continue in roles in government, academia, or international organizations, and a fifth continue in for-profit roles. Recent graduates are currently working as Program Managers for the Stonewall Community Foundation, Program Associates for the Health Policy Commission, Communications and Engagement Directors for Sustainable Business & Innovation at Nike, and Managers of District Partnerships for Transforming Education. Alumni who have been out of school for ten or more years have titles like Executive Director of Strong Women, Strong Girls, Executive Director for the LGBT Center of Raleigh and Deputy Town Manager of Lexington, Massachusetts.
How is Heller’s program different? Heller’s Social Impact MBA is more than a few extra classes tacked onto a traditional MBA program as a concentration, social impact is woven through our curriculum and baked into every aspect of the student experience. Our six MBA concentrations (Social Entrepreneurship and Impact Management; Healthcare Management; Public Management; Sustainable Development; Child, Youth and Family Services Management; and Social Policy and Management) leverage many research institutes and centers at Heller, a top-10 school of social policy, so you have the opportunity to dive deep in the areas that are of interest to you. The program is also only 16 months and condenses two years of study into four consecutive, intense semesters – ideal for people eager to return to the workplace and quickly put their new skills into action.