MBA Specialization in Social Impact
For UCLA Anderson MBA students
Leaders in Sustainability Certificate
For UCLA and UCLA Anderson graduate students
MGMT295F: Social Entrepreneurship - Business Models for Social Impact (4 units)
Introduction to different business models for social impact and to the fundamental opportunities and challenges of designing, funding, managing and scaling enterprises with a social mission.
The course introduces frameworks for understanding and analyzing problems facing society and cultivate critical thinking skills to identify diverse ways to address those problems through sustainable programs and enterprises.
This course fulfills the foundational course requirement for the Social Impact Specialization.
Offered spring quarter 2022
MGMT298D: Impact Creation, Analysis & Evaluation (4 units)
The role of investing in projects that create desirable social change has traditionally been within the realm of non-profit organizations and governments. Can private capital markets and for-profit organizations also play a significant role? This course provides a high-level overview of the areas in which you can create meaningful impact through your career, as well as taking a deep dive into impact evaluation.
This course fulfills the foundational course requirement for the Social Impact Specialization.
Not offered in 2021-2022
MGMT246A: Business and the Environment (4 units)
This course considers major questions about the role of business in mitigating environmental degradation. It puts emphasis on corporate strategies that deliver value to shareholders while responding to environmental concerns. For example, some firms successfully adopt environmental differentiation strategies to respond to customers environmental concerns; other firms use environmental concerns as a way to generate costs savings within the business; yet other firms seek to influence government regulation in order to impose their standard on competition. The course examines environmental issues in each of the main areas of the MBA program: finance, marketing, operations, supply-chain management, accounting, entrepreneurship and strategy.
This course fulfills the foundational course requirement for the Social Impact Specialization.
Not offered in 2021-2022
MGMT298D: Technology & Society: A Dynamic Relationship and The Changing Role of Leaders (4 units)
This course will look at the dynamic and disruptive nature of technology – – enhancing outcomes that benefit enterprises and society collectively in areas such as financial services, education and healthcare. It will look at the unique ability of new technologies whether based on high speed networks, artificial intelligence or cloud computing coupled with new business models such as the platform-based businesses and the shared economy to create transformational offerings which benefits both businesses and society. Cases exploring the disruptive effects of platform based, online education, low cost telehealth solutions and new digital platforms for payments and financial transactions which create a multiplier effect of economic growth in developing markets will be covered... Ultimately, this course will look at the changing role of leaders in all sectors –– in business and government and their role in supporting technology-based innovation to serve a multitude of stakeholders while minimizing unintended consequences and negative externalities.
MGMT298E: ESG & Sustainability Reporting (4 units) (New for Spring 2022)
Examination of the relevance of social and environmental risks and opportunities to Chief Financial Officers (CFOs), finance teams, accountants, and the capital markets. Emphasis on practical application and integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) within financial decision-making, investment, and external disclosure. MGMT 246: Business and the Environment is suggested, but not required.
Offered spring quarter 2022
MGMT298H: Impact Investing I & II (2 separate classes/4 units total)
Introduction to impact investing, navigating the issues faced in the emerging field of social venture capital. Note: this course spans 2 quarters (4 units total, 2 units per quarter)
Two-part series begins in fall quarter 2021 and ends in winter quarter 2022. Application required. Please visit the Anderson Venture Impact Partner webpage or email avip@anderson.ucla.edu for more information.
MGMT258A: Global Immersion: Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation in South Africa (2 units total)
MGMT225: Law & Management of Nonprofits (4 units)
Introduction to important legal, financial, and management issues confronting nonprofit organizations. Topics include how to start nonprofit tax-exempt organizations, qualifying and maintaining tax-exempt status under IRC Code Section 501(c)(3), corporate governance, political and legislative activity restrictions, and strategic planning, fundraising, nonprofit accounting, and employment law.
MGMT298E: Affordable Housing Development (2 units)
The course familiarizes students with the site selection and acquisition process, and explores the complexities associated with land use, entitlements, and the political landscape. The course teaches how to evaluate the various financing tools available to affordable housing developers, including low income housing tax credits, tax-exempt bond financing, and various federal, state and local funding sources. The course also evaluates disruptive technologies and influences in the housing industry.
MGMT298E: Leading for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (2 units)
Considerations of the challenges and opportunities of leading an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organization. This course considers the challenges and opportunities of leading an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organization, focusing on key insights and evidence-based strategies for addressing them. Recognizing that great benefit can come from full participation, authentic communication, and constructive collaboration in diverse communities, this course deepens insight into how leaders may evoke and sustain those experiences.
MGMT298E: Energy, Climate Change and Finance (2 units)
MGMT271A: Medtech Innovation I: Entrepreneurial Opportunities in Medical Technology (4 units)
MGMT275: Current Topics in Emerging Technologies: Health Care Technology (2 units)
MGMT421B: Choice Architecture: How to Nudge Others to Make Better Decisions (2 units)
MGMT250D-06: Corporate Governance (4 units) (New for Spring 2022)
This course provides the foundational knowledge needed to understand the role of corporate governance within a firm. It covers the key conflicts within a firm between shareholders and managers, and among various types of shareholders. It examines the role of corporate governance in managing and mitigating against these various conflicts and costs to the firm, and the responsibility of the board of directors in leading corporate governance efforts.
Through high-profile case studies of corporate failures, discussions with experts in the field, and topical lectures, this course explores the fiduciary duties of the board of directors, its core responsibilities in relation to firm strategy, culture, and financial oversight, as well as functional topics such as board composition and operations that allow for the board to carry out its duties. Finally, the course also covers a number of important issues facing boards today including environmental and social concerns, board diversity, alternative models of governance, executive compensation, activist shareholders, and crisis management.
Offered spring quarter 2022
MGMT250D-23: ESG for Managers and Investors (4 units) (New for Spring 2022)
Sustainability reporting and addressing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues has become a mainstream practice for most large companies. This has been driven by requests from stakeholders: investors, customers, employees . In some jurisdictions, this reporting is becoming required by regulation. However, the approach to sustainability reporting, as well as the use of ESG factors in business decision-making, varies significantly across organizations.
This course explores the quickly evolving sustainability reporting landscape with an emphasis on how companies are assessing, measuring, managing, and reporting sustainability performance. The course will also emphasize the role of the chief financial officer in responding to this new landscape and feature prominent guest speakers from the finance community.
Offered spring quarter 2022
AMR, GAP, SMR Field Study Capstone Project (10 units)
UCLA Anderson's field study requirement is a real-world six-month consulting project that puts MBA teams to work in the U.S. and around the globe. Each year, a number of Applied Management Research (Full-time MBA), Global Access Program (FEMBA), and Strategic Management Research Program (EMBA) students focus their efforts of advancing the missions of nonprofit organizations and social enterprises through their capstone field study project. Whether evaluating new models for micro finance, improving supply chain efficiency, or evaluating growth and expansion strategies, students make a real, immediate and often profound impact.
If you would like your capstone field study project to counts toward your social impact specialization, please contact impact@anderson.ucla.edu. Subject to approval by the Impact@Anderson office.
Business Creation Option Capstone Project (10 units)
With the UCLA Anderson Business Creation Option, student entrepreneurs launch their companies while still in school. Students have the opportunity to formulate strategies for the sales, marketing, operations, finance, accounting and management departments, develop and test hypotheses, and conduct effective research that leads to a strategic business or implementation plan for their startups. Students take two prerequisite courses to prepare their business plans, work with teams made up of fellow students and apply to BCO during their first year. Selected projects will span two academic quarters during the second year (either during fall and winter, or winter and spring).
If you would like your BCO project to counts toward your social impact specialization, please contact impact@anderson.ucla.edu. Subject to approval by the Impact@Anderson office.
Independent Study (2 units)
Students may pursue an area of learning and research of interest to them under the guidance of a UCLA Anderson faculty member.
Please note a maximum of two independent studies (4 units total) can be applied to the social impact specialization. If you would like your independent study to counts toward your social impact specialization, please contact impact@anderson.ucla.edu. Subject to approval by the Impact@Anderson office.
Leaders in Sustainability Course
ENVIRON 277: Leaders in Sustainability (4 Units)
Course includes academically-based discussions on various sustainability-related themes, capitalizing on the wide mix of disciplines represented among participating students. Sessions feature UCLA faculty members, external speakers, and leadership skills to help students learn more about how to best put their interests in sustainability to use.
This is the common course for all students participating in the Leaders in Sustainability Certificate Program, including those from engineering, law, management, public affairs, public health, natural and social sciences and others. Please note students may apply only 4 credits from courses taken outside of UCLA Anderson to the social impact specialization.
ENVIRON 277: Leaders in Sustainability (4 Units)
Course includes academically-based discussions on various sustainability-related themes, capitalizing on the wide mix of disciplines represented among participating students. Sessions feature UCLA faculty members, external speakers, and leadership skills to help students learn more about how to best put their interests in sustainability to use.
This is the common course for all students participating in the Leaders in Sustainability Certificate Program, including those from engineering, law, management, public affairs, public health, natural and social sciences and others. Please note students may apply only 4 credits from courses taken outside of UCLA Anderson to the social impact specialization.
UCLA Fielding School of Public Health Courses
Sample Courses:
PUB HLT 200A: Foundations in Public Health (4 units)
Please refer to the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health website to see their schedule of classes.
Public Health courses not listed above may also be applied to the social impact specialization, subject to the approval of the Impact@Anderson office. Please send your request and class syllabus to impact@anderson.ucla.edu. Please note students may apply only 4 credits from courses taken outside of UCLA Anderson to the social impact specialization.
UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs Courses (Public Policy, Social Welfare, Urban Planning)
Please refer to the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs website to see their schedule of classes.
Courses taken at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs can be applied to the social impact specialization, subject to the approval of the Impact@Anderson office. Please send your request with the class description and syllabus to impact@anderson.ucla.edu. Please note students may apply only 4 credits from courses taken outside of UCLA Anderson to the social impact specialization.
UCLA School of Education and Information Studies Courses
Please refer to the https://seis.ucla.edu/UCLA Graduate School of Education & Information Studies website to see their schedule of classes.
Courses taken at the UCLA Graduate School of Education & Information Studies can be applied to the social impact specialization, subject to the approval of the Impact@Anderson office. Please send your request with the class description and syllabus to impact@anderson.ucla.edu. Please note students may apply only 4 credits from courses taken outside of UCLA Anderson to the social impact specialization.
UCLA Institute of Environment and Sustainability Courses
Sample Courses:
ENVIRON 277: Leaders in Sustainability (4 Units)
ENVIRON 200A: Issues and Methods in Environment and Sustainability (4 units)
ENVIRON 240: Food, Energy, and Water Systems Management Seminar (1 unit)
Please refer to the UCLA IoES website to see their schedule of classes.
Courses not listed above may also be applied to the social impact specialization, subject to the approval of the Impact@Anderson office. Please send your request and class syllabus to impact@anderson.ucla.edu. Please note students may apply only 4 credits from courses taken outside of UCLA Anderson to the social impact specialization.
UCLA School of Law Courses
Please refer to the UCLA School of Law website to see their schedule of classes.
Courses taken at the UCLA School of Law can be applied to the social impact specialization, subject to the approval of the Impact@Anderson office. Please send your request and class syllabus to impact@anderson.ucla.edu. Please note students may apply only 4 credits from courses taken outside of UCLA Anderson to the social impact specialization.
REQUIRED: Leadership Project
All LIS students are required to demonstrate leadership on a project related to sustainability. The project should address at least two out of three of the components of sustainability—environment, social equity and economics—and should have measurable performance outcomes. Projects may overlap with capstone projects, can be related to one's graduate studies or completely unrelated, and can be completed individually or with a group.
For more information, please visit the Leaders in Sustainability website or contact Harrison Levy at hlevy@ioes.ucla.edu.
REQUIRED: Leaders in Sustainability Course: ENVIRON 277 (4 units)
This course includes academically-based discussions on various sustainability-related themes, capitalizing on the wide mix of disciplines represented among participating students. Sessions feature UCLA faculty members, external speakers, and leadership skills to help students learn more about how to best put their interests in sustainability to use. This is the common course for all students participating in the Leaders in Sustainability Program, including those from engineering, law, management, public affairs, public health, natural and social sciences, and others.
REQUIRED: Three Sustainability-Related UCLA Graduate Courses (12 units)
This course includes academically-based discussions on various sustainability-related themes, capitalizing on the wide mix of disciplines represented among participating students. Sessions feature UCLA faculty members, external speakers, and leadership skills to help students learn more about how to best put their interests in sustainability to use. This is the common course for all students participating in the Leaders in Sustainability Program, including those from engineering, law, management, public affairs, public health, natural and social sciences, and others.
To see a list of sample courses across the UCLA graduate schools, click here. Please note that this is not a complete list of all possible courses related to sustainability at UCLA. Because departments change their course listings, timing, professors, and even content quarterly, please visit department pages to find the most current information. If you find a course that addresses sustainability and is relevant to the curriculum, please submit the course description and syllabus for approval by emailing Deepak Rajagopal, LiS Director, at rdeepak@ioes.ucla.edu or Alfredo Lezama, LiS Student Coordinator, at lezamora@g.ucla.edu.
REQUIRED: Leadership Project
All LIS students are required to demonstrate leadership on a project related to sustainability. The project should address at least two out of three of the components of sustainability—environment, social equity and economics—and should have measurable performance outcomes. Projects may overlap with capstone projects, can be related to one's graduate studies or completely unrelated, and can be completed individually or with a group.
For more information, please visit the Leaders in Sustainability website or contact Harrison Levy at hlevy@ioes.ucla.edu.
REQUIRED: Leaders in Sustainability Course: ENVIRON 277 (4 units)
This course includes academically-based discussions on various sustainability-related themes, capitalizing on the wide mix of disciplines represented among participating students. Sessions feature UCLA faculty members, external speakers, and leadership skills to help students learn more about how to best put their interests in sustainability to use. This is the common course for all students participating in the Leaders in Sustainability Program, including those from engineering, law, management, public affairs, public health, natural and social sciences, and others.
REQUIRED: Three Sustainability-Related UCLA Graduate Courses (12 units)
In addition to ENVIRON 277, students are required to take three additional elective courses. These three courses, chosen by the student, must be sustainability related. At least one of these courses must be outside the student’s home department. A course is not automatically “in” or “out”, as the LIS office approves portfolios of courses rather than specific courses. A student has to demonstrate subject matter breadth in order to get the LiS Certificate. Courses must be letter graded and be at the graduate level (200 and above).
To see a list of sample courses across the UCLA graduate schools, click here. Please note that this is not a complete list of all possible courses related to sustainability at UCLA. Because departments change their course listings, timing, professors, and even content quarterly, please visit department pages to find the most current information. If you find a course that addresses sustainability and is relevant to the curriculum, please submit the course description and syllabus for approval by emailing Deepak Rajagopal, LiS Director, at rdeepak@ioes.ucla.edu or Alfredo Lezama, LiS Student Coordinator, at lezamora@g.ucla.edu.