Master of Science in Business and Social Impact
Utrecht University
Key Information
Campus location
Utrecht, Netherlands
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
1 year
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
EUR 2,209 / per year *
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
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* EU/EEA, Surinam or Swiss students; €20,750: International students
Scholarships
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Introduction
Towards a Sustainable Way of Doing Business
Businesses increasingly have to reinvent themselves to meet the demands of a world characterized by societal challenges such as climate change, population growth, migration, and globalization. Pressure from consumers, regulators, and other stakeholders stimulates organizations to combine financial and social goals, rather than focusing solely on shareholder value. More than ever, businesses need strategic renewal and value creators with transformative leadership qualities to help steer them in the desired direction. Do you want to experience the opportunities, challenges, and dilemmas that businesses face today? Do you want to develop the knowledge and skills required to assess and enhance business ecosystems? Do you want to become an expert in designing new strategies for societal value creation? Our new and innovative Master’s program in Business and Social Impact provides you with a solid grounding in economics & management and equips you with practical skills, tools, and networks for a rewarding career with organizations that lead the way on corporate social responsibility.
Research Expertise
This program is based on Utrecht University’s world-class research in business strategy, organization, marketing, entrepreneurship, and innovation. The academic staff of Utrecht University School of Economics (U.S.E.) excel in integrating business perspectives with broader socio-economic issues. This comes to the fore in our Sustainable Finance Lab, the Social Entrepreneurship Initiative, and its link with the business world and policy practice.
Program Outcome
The Master’s in Business and Social Impact provides you with:
- The tools, skills, and techniques to transform businesses and strengthen their social value creation;
- Market analysis and empirical techniques for such analysis, including customer development;
- Strategy creation abilities. Special attention is paid to redesigning strategies to meet (new or existing) missions and values in line with the SDGs;
- Competences for dealing with tensions and synergies between businesses’ growth ambitions and social goals;
- Knowledge of the types of finance that businesses aiming to create social value can draw upon.
Curriculum
In this Master’s in Business and Social Impact, you will focus on:
- The role of business in today’s society;
- Understanding and appreciating the wider context of business and business ecosystems, along with the various stakeholders;
- Developing strategies for doing business for society, in connection with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);
- Dealing with the challenges, opportunities, tensions, and dilemmas that come with combining financial and social value;
- The role of marketing in doing business;
- Obtaining and managing finance for a business that combines financial and social goals.
Career Opportunities
Graduates from the MSc Business and Social Impact are experts in identifying opportunities for businesses to do more and do better for society and developing the organizational strategies to make this happen. This expertise is highly sought after by employers, including medium-sized enterprises, large (multinational) corporations, and family businesses. Read more about possible career prospects.
Possible Careers
With this Master’s program, students develop the academic and professional skills to prepare for work in businesses that do more and better for society. You will know how to develop organizational strategies to make this happen.
After finishing your studies, you can start your career in one of these areas:
- Corporate social responsibility (CSR) expert, manager, controller, or adviser;
- Social marketer;
- Sustainable finance expert;
- Social business developer;
- Start-ups;
- Consultant;
- Policymaker.