Courses Descriptions
Course content will focus on the professional application of Design Thinking, Customer Discovery & Social Change Theory that will help you develop effective solutions to real world problems.
Educational Objectives
This course introduces students to social and health entrepreneurship through case studies, key readings, and primary information resources. Students will become familiar with the social determinants of health, systems of public health, the science of team-based innovation, basic business fundamentals, and the essentials of social and health improvement through the lens of entrepreneurship. Students will begin to develop skills demonstrated by successful social entrepreneurs, including team building and leadership, negotiation, and working in complex social and cultural environments. They will explore the sources of funding for social enterprises, including philanthropy, governmental funding, and income generating, self-sustaining social enterprises.
This course provides an overview of the entrepreneurial process, while examining entrepreneurship from a range of several scholarly contexts, including the social, health and behavioral sciences. The course introduces the student to the language of entrepreneurship and covers the initial stages of idea formation and initial development of entrepreneurial opportunities. Emphasis is given in this course to developing theoretical frameworks for enhancing entrepreneurial success. Students will learn to engage with their ideas in early-stage market and rapid prototyping. Students will engage in both qualitative and quantitative approaches to understanding innovation. Students will learn the tools, methods, and self-reflection techniques necessary to bring new ideas to reality while also providing them with ways to learn about how to test the viability of and response to their ideas in the market. Learning through iteration is a key component of this course as it is expected that the first version of any idea is not likely the last. Human-centered design methodologies will be front-and-center in this course from the perspective of how to innovate based not on the ideas of the innovator but based first on the needs of the customer. This course will provide practical, real-world knowledge about the lean approach, human centered design, how to design a minimum viable product, when to pivot, and other aspects of entrepreneurial strategy. At the end of the course students will be able to develop a strategy to launch their ideas.
This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the essential elements of successful business strategy and financing. Students will create a business canvas and will gain an understanding of basic principles in accounting, financing models, equity financing, and investing. In addition, students will be exposed to different types of funding including crowdfunding, angel investors, grants, and venture capital. At the end of the course, students will be able to develop a sustainable business and financing model to advance their health or social innovation concepts. Emphasis will be placed on principles of growth strategies and scaling growth opportunities.
Students will learn how to conduct a market analysis and apply the marketing mix as it relates to health and social enterprises. Students will employ techniques to market their ideas effectively using best practices in digital marketing, SEO, social media, and public relations. Emphasis will be placed on customer discovery, determining segments and positioning, the importance of branding, consumer behavior, and strategic marketing management. By the end of the course students will be able to develop a marketing plan for their health and social venture and examining marketing needs in the context of their goals and business strategy.
Educational Objectives
Don't just get a job, create your own while striving to make the world a better place. Upon completion, you will be able to:
- Use the principles of human-centered design to identify societal, community, and individual needs.
- Apply concepts of innovation and entrepreneurship in new ventures and existing ventures.
- Identify and apply tools, methods, and self-reflection techniques necessary to evaluate the market viability of new ideas.
- Identify various social, health, and biomedical enterprise strategies and critically assess their effectiveness in economic development and social transformation.
- Demonstrate the ability to develop and execute a work plan leading to a social, health, or biomedical innovation.
- Build strong professional relationships with and draw upon the resources of faculty, community practitioners and entrepreneurs, student colleagues, and external advisors.
- Explain basic principles of accounting, financing models, equity financing, investing and different types of funding including crowdfunding, angel investors, grants, and venture capital.
- Develop a sustainable business and financing model to advance a health or social innovation concept, emphasizing principles of growth strategies and scaling.
- Conduct a market analysis and apply the marketing mix as it relates to health and social enterprises.
- Develop a marketing plan for a social, health, or biomedical venture.
Next Steps
Your path to success starts here