Social Impact MBA

Program Overview

Effective Fall 2024, the Heller Social Impact MBA is merging with the Brandeis International Business School MBA. Learn more.

Today, it’s no longer all about the bottom line.  At Heller, it never has been.

Heller’s Social Impact MBA prepares you to take on leadership roles in the nonprofit, public and for-profit sectors – roles where you’ll have lasting, sustainable, and positive impact on society through ethical, mission-driven organizations. The Social Impact MBA is a rigorous program designed to give you the strategic management, leadership and financial skills you will need to meet the unique challenges of mission-driven organizations. You’ll graduate equipped for a broad range of career opportunities across sectors in an increasingly collaborative economy. 

A Mission-Driven Education

We’ve led the way in mission-driven management education for over 40 years – and for us, that means much more than a few extra classes tacked onto a traditional MBA. At Heller, social impact is woven through every fiber of our core curriculum and baked into every aspect of the student experience. It’s not a concentration: it’s a fundamental part of what we do. 

Inside the Classroom

In the classroom, you will learn about socially responsible leadership in classes that are taught using the case method, where you will put yourself in the shoes of a case protagonist and explore a real life organizational dilemma. You will master the fundamentals of management, including strategic visioning; budgeting; workplace operations assessment; mobilizing diverse groups; and financial statement analysis. But unlike other MBA programs, you will be immersed in classrooms where all faculty and students are deeply committed to advancing social change.

Outside the Classroom

Outside the classroom, you will tackle real-world challenges for mission-driven organizations during your 4-month Team Consulting Project. You’ll have opportunities to enhance your skills and expand your network through our Board Fellows Program, the Brandeis Net Impact Chapter, and through social entrepreneurship activities such as the Heller Startup Challenge.

Dual Degrees

An interdisciplinary approach can go a long way toward seeing the full picture. Go further by pursuing one of our popular dual degrees, including the dual Social Impact MBA/Master of Public Policy, or the dual Social Impact MBA/MA in Sustainable International Development. Securing a second degree will double your professional networks and broaden your job prospects upon graduation.

Scholarships

All applicants, both full-time and part-time, will be considered for merit-based partial-tuition scholarships based on their academic and professional background.

Applying

GRE and GMAT tests are optional for both full-time and part-time students.  The application deadline is July 1.

AACSB Accreditation

The Heller School’s business degrees—the Social Impact MBA and the Executive MBA for Physicians—are accredited by AACSB, the accrediting organization for the best business schools worldwide. Less than five percent of all business programs have earned AACSB accreditation. 

Only the best business schools can meet the consistent, demanding requirements of AACSB accreditation. Attending an AACSB-accredited program means that you are not only getting the best education, it also sends a message to employers that you’ve met the highest standards in the industry.

Why Heller?

Our students have founded new ventures, interned with sector leaders, led social media campaigns, measured impact for leading organizations, and implemented sustainable development projects around the world.

During their time at Heller, students gain real-world experience through the capstone Team Consulting Projects, our unique Board Fellowship program, and other field opportunities that combine business skills with social impact.

There are endless opportunities to get involved in social impact work at Heller. If you're looking for an MBA program that will challenge you to think beyond profits and help you make a real difference in the world, look no further than the Heller Social Impact MBA.