Graduate Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation GCert.SE&I
2008

Program Outline

 New in 2008

 A social entrepreneur is a change agent (either an individual or a group) who sees a social problem and uses entrepreneurial principles to help solve the problem, bringing about social change. The emphasis helping people to help themselves, without having to wait for governments or donors – in other words, social entrepreneurship can be seen as “do-it-yourself social change”.

Though social enterprises are often structured as businesses, their primary goal is social change. Profit is sought only for sustainability rather than for maximising wealth.

Those who would benefit most from studying this program are:

• Would-be social entrepreneurs, actively planning to set up a social enterprise
• People already working in not-for-profit organisations, who want to gain a more detailed understanding of possibilities and techniques
• People working in government and local authorities, or seeking an advisory position in this sector.
• Others who can benefit include social workers, environmental activists, non-profit sector managers, arts administrators, indigenous administrators, philanthropists, and natural resource managers.

The Graduate Certificate consists of four courses:

Social Entrepreneurship Foundations: An introduction to social entrepreneurship, using a wide range of case studies to reveal best practices, successes and failures, opportunities and constraints.
 

Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Examines entrepreneurship as the driver of innovation, managing innovative enterprises and start-ups, in a broader context than purely social entrepreneurship. This is an existing course, TECHCOMM 5016, coordinated by Professor Noel Lindsay.

Social Enterprise Development: This course provides some practical tools and conceptual frameworks for launching a new social venture. 

Social Venture Funding: Fundraising and capital raising for social enterprises, and the financial tools used to assess social value, including Triple Bottom Line, Balanced Scorecard, and Social Return on Investment. (This is not a course in accounting or financial management.)

Either of the latter two courses may be replaced by any other postgraduate course offered by ECIC, for students with specific interests in other areas of innovation and entrepreneurship.

Further all ECIC courses are run on an intensive basis: typically two full days in the classroom, a break of several weeks for assignment projects to be done, concluding with two further full days of face-to-face sessions. The courses in social entrepreneurship will consist mainly of case studies and discussions of students’ assigned reading. There will be no formal lectures. Further it is possible, to complete this program through distance education.

Related Programs

• Master of Innovation & Entrepreneurship
• Master of Project Management
• Master of Applied Project Management
• Graduate Certificate in Project Management
• Graduate Certificate in Science & Technology Commercialisation
• Graduate Diploma in Science & Technology Commercialisation
• Master of Science & Technology Commercialisation
• Bachelor of Engineering
• Bachelor of Computer Science
• Bachelor of Commerce

Admission Information

Admissions information for domestic and international students.

Domestic

Selection criteria:	Graduate entry only
How to apply:	Application and Admission
Annual tuition fees:	Commonwealth-supported place: $8,499 Australian Full-fee place: $8,480
General enquiries:	Student Centre

Career Opportunities

Gradutes may be interested in establishing their own social ventures, providing advice and expertise to government and/or non-government organisations either as employees or advisors

Graduate Attributes

• Knowledge and understanding of the content and techniques of a chosen discipline at advanced levels that are internationally recognised.

 • The ability to locate, analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from a wide variety of sources in a planned and timely manner.

• An ability to apply effective, creative and innovative solutions, both independently and cooperatively, to current and future problems.

• Skills of a high order in interpersonal understanding, teamwork and communication.

• A proficiency in the appropriate use of contemporary technologies.

• A commitment to continuous learning and the capacity to maintain intellectual curiosity throughout life.

• A commitment to the highest standards of professional endeavour and the ability to take a leadership role in the community.

• An awareness of ethical, social and cultural issues and their importance in the exercise of professional skills and responsibilities.

Useful Links

• Engineering & Technology Program Information Leaflet
• Education Centre for Innovation & Commercialisation
• Postgraduate Scholarships
• Student Centre enquiry form