Programmes

Executive MSc Social Business and Entrepreneurship

  • Executive
  • Department of Management
  • Application code N2UC
  • Starting 2024
  • Home part-time: Open
  • Overseas part-time: Open
  • Location: Houghton Street, London

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The Executive MSc Social Business and Entrepreneurship is LSE’s ground-breaking programme for business leaders and entrepreneurs across the private, public and non-profit sectors.

Making a profit doesn’t have to mean compromising social purpose.

Our ground-breaking Executive Master’s in Social Business and Entrepreneurship goes beyond traditional business degrees by putting social purpose at the heart of business education, integrating sophisticated management training with a genuine commitment to social impact.

Conceived as an antidote to the MBA, the programme is aimed at students who wish to combine entrepreneurialism and business rigour with a commitment to public benefit, and conversely those who want to bring a social focus to business.

Through a cutting-edge curriculum guided by expert LSE faculty and leading practitioners across the philanthropy, public, and not-for-profit sectors, you will gain the knowledge, skills and entrepreneurial vision to develop your career in social business.

Studying alongside an outstanding class of like-minded peers from across the world, you will graduate with the knowledge, skills and networks to take the next step in your career in social business.

This programme is offered jointly by the LSE Marshall Institute and the LSE Department of Management. 

Programme details

Key facts

Executive MSc Social Business and Entrepreneurship
Start date September 2024
Application deadline None – rolling admissions
Duration 12 months part-time (four intensive classroom modules of 1-2 weeks, six weeks in total)
Applications 2022 58
Intake 2022 35
Financial support Scholarship scheme available through the Marshall Institute
Minimum entry requirement 2:1 undergraduate degree or international equivalent in any discipline
GRE/GMAT requirement Not required but will be considered
English language requirements Higher (see 'Assessing your application')
Location  Houghton Street, London

For more information about tuition fees and entry requirements, see the fees and funding and assessing your application sections.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for the Executive MSc Social Business and Entrepreneurship

  • A good Bachelor’s degree: UK 2:1 or higher, 3.5 GPA or higher, or equivalent (see international entry requirements)
  • A minimum of 4 years' full-time, relevant work experience. The majority of students on the programme will have 5+ years' experience.
  • 'Higher' level English language - IELTS or TOEFL:  if your native language is not English or if the language of instruction of your previous degree is not English (see our English language requirements)

You will also need to submit the following with your application:

  • two references: one academic and one professional reference, OR two professional references if you have been out of university education for more than five years
  • Academic Statement of Purpose: consisting of two parts (see below for details and requirements). Combined total of 1,200 words for both sections.
  • CV or resume

Please see the 'Assessing your application' section for more details

Assessing your application

In addition to meeting our entry requirements, you will also need to submit the following with your application:

  • two references: one academic and one professional reference, OR two professional references if you have been out of university education for more than five years
  • Academic Statement of Purpose: consisting of two parts (see below for details and requirements). Combined total of 1,200 words for both sections.
  • CV or resume

Academic Statement of Purpose requirements

The Academic Statement of Purpose consists of two parts. The total combined word count for both parts should not exceed 1,200 words.

1)      A personal statement: Your personal statement should persuasively explain why you want to do this programme. This may include your personal suitability such as career achievements and ambitions, what you hope to get out of the programme, your particular strengths, and what you will bring to the cohort. 600-700 words.

2)     For the second part, please submit your thoughts on the following statement. 400-500 words.

“The business of business is social improvement. Describe briefly the role of markets in social progress.”

See further information on supporting documents

You should also ensure you have the support of your current employer to attend all of the classroom teaching modules during the programme. View 2024-2025 programme calendar with module dates.

Competition for places at the LSE is high. This means that even if you meet the minimum entry requirement, this does not guarantee you an offer of admission.

We welcome applications from all suitably qualified prospective students and want to recruit students with the very best academic merit, potential and motivation, irrespective of their background.

We carefully consider each application on an individual basis, taking into account all the information presented on your application form.

Please note that programme transfers within LSE are not permitted for Executive MSc Social Business and Entrepreneurship candidates. If you have been offered a place on another graduate programme at LSE you will not be able to transfer to EMSBE, and similarly you will not be able to transfer from EMSBE to any other programme once you have been offered a place. Therefore please consider your choice carefully before submitting your application.

When to apply

Applications for this programme are considered on a rolling basis, meaning the programme will close once it becomes full. However, we encourage you to apply as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

Programme structure and courses

Modular format for working professionals

The programme is designed for full-time working professionals, so you don’t need to take a break from your career in order to study.

Teaching is conducted in four short intensive classroom modules taught at LSE campus in London, each module being 1-2 weeks in duration. You will need to take a maximum of six weeks out of the office to attend the teaching modules over the 12-month programme.

In between modules, you can continue to work full-time in your home location, with access to an online learning platform which will complement the in-class sessions and maximise intersession communication. The modules are designed to be directly applicable to your work, meaning that learning from the classroom can be brought back to make valuable developments and innovations in the workplace from day one.

Curriculum overview

LSE is ranked as the #5 institution in the world for social science and management, and there is no better place to study social business.

In contrast to more traditional MBAs, we provide core business skills complemented by a global view of the social, political and economic context for business, as well as training in the practical delivery and evaluation of effective solutions to social problems.

An integrated series of courses will provide you with the knowledge, skills and entrepreneurial mindset to pursue a career in social business. You will take six courses:

  • The first two courses will introduce you to the political economy in which the social business operates, philosophical understandings of public benefits, and the definition and measurement of social impact.
  • The middle two courses will teach the basics of building a social business, introducing rigorous skills and concepts of marketing, strategy, entrepreneurship, organisational behaviour and resource mobilisation.
  • In the final two courses, you will be invited to learn and practice applied skills – first, to critically evaluate the opportunities and challenges faced by the purpose-driven corporation, and second, to develop the skills and strategies to navigate social entrepreneurial activities in different contexts.

While the courses are conceptually distinct, the modular structure is designed to teach several courses simultaneously, reflecting how the social and the business flow together in the real world. Some seminars will be taught by academics and expert practitioners in partnership, so that you can see how research is applied effectively in the workplace.

An altruistic entrepreneurship project runs alongside the courses for the duration of the programme. You will work in a group with fellow students to develop an entrepreneurial business proposal for social impact. The project is an opportunity for real world application of your learning and projects are designed with the potential for real-world implementation.

Courses

(* denotes a half unit)

The Hybrid Economy*
This course explores the economic and political context in which social businesses and social entrepreneurs work.  Its starting-point is historic and contemporary failures by the state, market and voluntary sector to resolve persistent social problems.  The course describes an emerging hybrid economy in which new organisational forms and new multi-actor collaborations blend outcomes, behaviours and structures from different sectors with the aim of achieving both social and financial returns.  It examines the competitive advantage and disadvantage of the hybrid social business as a remedy for state and market failure. The course focuses specifically on motivation and incentive theory, exploring how we can design robust organisations and institutions that respond both to altruistic and more self-directed motivations.  The course further explores the scope and nature of the political relationship between hybrid organisations and the state, and also ethical criticisms of the hybrid economy, focusing in particular on controversies about the introduction (or intrusion) of the market and business into the social or public realm.

Social Impact and Its Evaluation*
What is the public benefit?  And how can I know that what I do makes any real impact on the public benefit?  This innovative course sets out to support students in coming to their own resolutions of these dilemmas.  Its first section challenges students to consider the nature of public benefit. It introduces different philosophical conceptions of the good, and discusses whose conception of the good is the more important: the actor or agent, the beneficiary, the government or the wider society.  The second section introduces the concepts and techniques of impact measurement from the perspective of - and through specific examples of interest to – organisational leaders and policymakers and those who intend to commission social business and social enterprise interventions. 

Foundations of Social Business I*
This course focuses on three critical aspects of social business: entrepreneurship, strategy, and leadership. It includes within its coverage both existing organisations and start-ups as vehicles for social change, and ‘intrapreneurs’ as well as entrepreneurs.  Students will be introduced to the main elements of entrepreneurial planning including the lean start-up, rapid prototyping, scaling and resource ­gathering. They will consider the main techniques for planning and implementing activities to take advantage of entrepreneurial opportunities, including customer journeys, sources of advantage, competencies, and the resource-based view of the firm. They will examine the complexity of accounting for multiple bottom lines, a process which highlights the challenge of managing for both purpose and profit. 

Foundations of Social Business II*
The social business, as any other firm, has to understand its environment and undertake consequent activities to enable sustainability and effectiveness; this challenge is complicated by the requirement to achieve not only profit or financial sustainability, but also environmental sustainability and mission-driven social impact. Foundations of Social Business II specifically introduces students to three critical aspects of this interaction between the social business and its environment: social finance; marketing; and technology.    The course looks in detail at the varieties of financing available to social ventures (impact finance, social finance, grant finance), and introduces emerging social finance mechanisms that are enabling innovative collaborations and resourcing to solve social problems.  Social businesses must be able to analyse and respond to the markets in which they are situated, and the course explores the concepts and tools of marketing.  Finally, no business, whether social or commercial, can ignore the emerging importance of technology as an opportunity and perhaps a threat.  The course explores the use of technology, including AI, to analyse and to respond to complex task environments. 

Social Entrepreneurship in Context
This course focuses on how social entrepreneurs, policy makers, impact investors and other stakeholders understand and function in contexts that are unstable, complex and contradictory. Doing so, requires a distinct set of skills from the social entrepreneur as they navigate the context within which they are embedded, to generate the social, environmental and market returns they seek.  To whom do social enterprises turn in fragile states, where the rule of law is weak, and they need to do business? How do social enterprises work in isolated or marginalised communities where there is physical, social, and political exclusion? How do social enterprises that are established to address patriarchy, function within the patriarchal community? These questions flag some of the contextual paradoxes social entrepreneurs face, as they deliver social and environmental value through their enterprises. These paradoxes have a profound effect on social entrepreneurial action and determine the strategies, skills and tools needed to navigate context. As such, this course deepens learnings of the EMSBE programme, building on the motivation, hybridity, organisational structuring, and operational approaches that are taught as part of the programme. This course takes a multi-disciplinary approach, drawing from management, sociology, entrepreneurship, and development studies to present a view of social entrepreneurship across four contextual dimensions: political, social, market and field.

The Purpose-Driven Corporation*
Social and environmental purpose is critical to the current business and leadership agenda.  Large commercial sector companies are increasingly wrestling with challenges to their legitimacy and considering how to support senior staff in approaching questions of social impact, justice, harm mitigation and moral purpose – whether as corporate social responsibility strategies or more profoundly integrated within the core objectives of the firm.  This course takes on the key debates in this field and provides a framework for action for senior managers.  First, it considers the emerging landscape of the purpose-driven corporation and the different labels in this field, from the conscious corporation to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and to the benefit corporation.  Second, it explores theoretical propositions concerning, and the empirical evidence for, the concept of ‘shared value’. Third, it addresses the challenge for the modern firm of providing an account of its social performance, examining the theory and practice of accounting for environmental and social impact through Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria and other systems of social accounting.  Fourth, it examines the role of the various stakeholders in the purpose-driven corporation, including shareholders, managers, employees and consumers.  Finally, the course explores how to integrate ESG management and a social and environmental focus into business practice.   

The Altruistic Entrepreneur Project
This course crystallises the academic learnings from across the degree programme into an applied experience.  It runs concurrently with course delivery across all modules.  Students will work in groups, supported by faculty, to develop an entrepreneurial business proposal for social impact, moving through idea generation, initial design and formal proposal.  The proposal may be a new organisation, or it may be an activity within an existing organisation with explicit social benefit. The project creates a space for real world application of students’ learning; development of the project concurrently with programme delivery enables substantive interaction between project work and core skills learning.  The course mirrors the development of the programme overall by requiring students to address questions of context (and relation to state and private actors), questions of strategy and market development, financing, and reporting as well as personal leadership, communications and persuasion.  The project will culminate in a presentation to external experts.

For the most up-to-date list of courses please visit the relevant School Calendar page. 

You must note, however, that while care has been taken to ensure that this information is up to date and correct, a change of circumstances since publication may cause the School to change, suspend or withdraw a course or programme of study, or change the fees that apply to it. The School will always notify the affected parties as early as practicably possible and propose any viable and relevant alternative options. Note that the School will neither be liable for information that after publication becomes inaccurate or irrelevant, nor for changing, suspending or withdrawing a course or programme of study due to events outside of its control, which includes but is not limited to a lack of demand for a course or programme of study, industrial action, fire, flood or other environmental or physical damage to premises.

You must also note that places are limited on some courses and/or subject to specific entry requirements. The School cannot therefore guarantee you a place. Please note that changes to programmes and courses can sometimes occur after you have accepted your offer of a place. These changes are normally made in light of developments in the discipline or path-breaking research, or on the basis of student feedback. Changes can take the form of altered course content, teaching formats or assessment modes. Any such changes are intended to enhance the student learning experience. You should visit the School’s Calendar, or contact the relevant academic department, for information on the availability and/or content of courses and programmes of study. Certain substantive changes will be listed on the updated graduate course and programme information page.

Teaching and assessment

Assessment

Courses will be assessed through a variety of methods including papers, presentations, take-home exams and group work with an emphasis on integrated assignments that help students understand how to put into practice the various components of effective management and social impact delivery. 

The entrepreneurial project will be assessed through a mixture of group presentations, creation of a business proposition and an extended essay. You can view indicative details for teaching and assessment methods and contact hours for each course in the Course Guides listed in the Programme Regulations.

Academic support

You will also be assigned an academic mentor who will be available for guidance and advice on academic or personal concerns.

There are many opportunities to extend your learning outside the classroom and complement your academic studies at LSE. LSE LIFE is the School’s centre for academic, personal and professional development. Some of the services on offer include: guidance and hands-on practice of the key skills you will need to do well at LSE: effective reading, academic writing and critical thinking; workshops related to how to adapt to new or difficult situations, including development of skills for leadership, study/work/life balance and preparing for the world of work; and advice and practice on working in study groups and on cross-cultural communication and teamwork.

LSE is committed to enabling all students to achieve their full potential and the School’s Disability and Wellbeing Service provides a free, confidential service to all LSE students and is a first point of contact for all disabled students.

 

Teaching faculty

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Professor Stephan Chambers – Programme Director
Professor in Practice and Director of the LSE Marshall Institute

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Dr Kerryn Krige
Senior Lecturer in Practice, LSE Marshall Institute

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Professor Sir Julian Le Grand
Professor of Social Policy, LSE Marshall Institute

Connson Locke

Professor Connson Locke
Professor (Education) of Management, LSE Department of Management

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Dr Eva Neitzert
Visiting Fellow, LSE Marshall Institute

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Dr Jonathan Roberts
Teaching Director and Senior Lecturer in Practice, LSE Marshall Institute

Student stories

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Class profile- international and diverse

LSE attracts outstanding students from a diverse range of international backgrounds each year, and the Executive MSc Social Business and Entrepreneurship programme is designed to bring a variety of global perspectives to the classroom.

In 2022, we welcomed students from a broad mix of backgrounds, including corporate business leaders, executives from the public and non-profit sectors, and entrepreneurs wishing to launch or scale-up their own socially-focused business venture.

The programme is designed for working professionals with at least 4 years’ experience in any industry. Executives from around the world will bring their talent to the classroom to form a close community of like-minded peers, and graduate as a cohort of global leaders in the field of social business.

Student videos

Amma, UK

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Hector, Mexico

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Ieva, Lithuania

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Thomas, USA

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Careers

Career development with the Executive MSc in Social Business and Entrepreneurship

This programme offers you a platform to become a leader in social business, whether you would like to set up your own entrepreneurial venture, progress your career in your current organisation, or transition to a new job role or industry.

By joining the programme you will become a part of LSE’s prestigious network of over 200,000 students and alumni worldwide, including business leaders, heads of state and Nobel laureates. You will develop the knowledge, skills and networks to pursue a broad range of career paths according to your individual goals, including:

  • Launching your own entrepreneurial venture, for example developing and leading a profit-making business to create positive social impact
  • Progressing your career in the private sector, for example leading your company’s corporate social responsibility function, or running socially-focused ‘intrapreneurial’ projects for a profit-making firm
  • Playing a leadership role in the public or not-for-profit sectors, for example with a socially-focused charity, NGO or think tank

LSE Careers

LSE Careers has links with many leading employers, and offers a wide range of resources to assist you in your career development. 

Fees and funding

Every graduate student is charged a fee for their programme.

This tuition fee covers:

  • tuition
  • course materials
  • some meals and events in London

Please note that travel and accommodation for the London teaching modules is not included in the fees. 

Tuition fees 2024/25 for Executive MSc Social Business and Entrepreneurship

Home students: £35,317
Overseas students: £35,317

The Table of Fees shows the latest tuition amounts for all programmes offered by the School.

There are several payment options available to pay your fees once you are a registered student. Please contact the LSE Fees Office (fees@lse.ac.uk) with any questions.

For this programme, there is a pre-registration fee of £2,500 to gain early access to online programme materials (this will be deducted from the overall tuition fee). 

Fee reduction

Students who completed undergraduate study at LSE are eligible for a fee reduction on the Executive MSc Social Business and Entrepreneurship, subject to eligibility criteria.

Funding for your programme

Scholarships

 

The Marshall Institute is delighted to offer a scholarship scheme for outstanding candidates.

All candidates who wish to be considered for a scholarship must complete the scholarship application form. Candidates must also have submitted a complete programme application (including references) for the September 2024 intake of the Executive MSc Social Business and Entrepreneurship in order to apply for the scholarship.

To find out more about our scholarship offering, including how to apply, visit our Scholarships page.

Employer sponsorship

We provide customised professional development related to each student’s current employment role, and the programme can therefore be hugely beneficial to your company or organisation. The return on investment for your organistion at the end of the programme will be a fully developed employee with a unique skills set, and the talent to drive growth, success and innovation.

We encourage you discuss this directly with your employer and make a case for their financial sponsorship if this is appropriate, as they will gain valuable return on their investment in sponsoring you. 

External funding opportunities

A wide range of funding opportunities are available to students from across the world who plan to study on a postgraduate programme in the UK, provided by a number of organisations and charities. We recommend that you search our Awards pages and apply for any appropriate funding available to you, including scholarships, grant schemes, and fellowships.

Bank loans and government loans

  • UK residents: Professional and Career Development Loans (PCLDs) are available to students who have lived in the UK for three years prior to taking out the loan (regardless of whether they are employed or not)
  • non-UK residents: For non-UK students, banks in your home country are also likely to offer student loans. Contact large banks based in your local region to find out about your options
  • your government may also have a student loan scheme, for example with Federal Student Aid in the United States. Contact the Education Ministry in your home country, or your national Embassy in London, to find out more about any government loan schemes available to you

Make sure a loan is right for you

If you’re considering taking out a loan to fund your studies, make sure you think about this decision carefully and choose an option with repayment terms which will be affordable and reasonable for you after you graduate.

Contact us

We encourage you to contact our Programme and Admissions Team to discuss the programme, and its suitability for your background and career goals.

Email: marshallinstitute.emsbeenquiries@lse.ac.uk

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