Subject guides / Social Entrepreneurship
Social Entrepreneurship
Also appears in programme titles as: Social Innovation · Impact Entrepreneurship
What a social entrepreneurship degree actually is
Some problems are too persistent for charity and too unprofitable for ordinary business — and social entrepreneurship is the discipline of building ventures that tackle them with market tools but mission goals: impact enterprises, social innovation, blended finance.
LSE's MSc Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship is the analytical flagship; Cambridge Judge's part-time MSt the executive route; ESCP and UAB add European options; Pepperdine the US programme.
What you study — and the bar to entry
Impact-venture design and business models, social innovation and systems change, impact measurement and blended finance, and the ecosystem (accelerators, impact investors) around it. Entry reads broadly — the field prizes ideas and evidence of doing over any specific degree. Cambridge's MSt targets working founders; LSE the analytically-minded. No quantitative bar beyond basic financials.
Where it leads
Founding or scaling social enterprises, impact-investing and blended-finance roles, innovation teams at NGOs and foundations, corporate-sustainability and shared-value functions, and ecosystem roles (accelerators, incubators). The honest note: many graduates join impact organisations rather than found ventures — the degree opens the sector, and founding is one path within it, not the only one.
Who it suits — and who it does not
A good fit if you are…
- Founders and aspiring founders of mission-driven ventures
- Professionals moving into impact investing and blended finance
- Development and nonprofit staff adding an enterprise toolkit
Probably not the right degree if…
- Applicants who want a conventional MBA — this is mission-first, not returns-first
- Those expecting the degree to fund or de-risk a startup — it teaches, it does not incubate for you
- Anyone uncomfortable holding commercial discipline and social mission in tension
Where to study it: the programme map
Five verified programmes: LSE (analytical flagship), Cambridge Judge MSt (executive/part-time), ESCP and UAB (Europe) and Pepperdine (US). Part-time formats flagged for scholarships.
| University | Official programme title | Length | Tuition (intl) | Experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESCP Business SchoolFrance | MSc in Impact Entrepreneurship | 24 mo | — | — |
| London School of Economics and Political ScienceUnited Kingdom | MSc Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship | 12 mo | GBP 37,500 | — |
| Pepperdine UniversityUnited States | MA in Social Entrepreneurship and Change | 20 mo | — | — |
| Universitat Autònoma de BarcelonaSpain | University Master's Degree in Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation | 12 mo | — | — |
| University of CambridgeUnited Kingdom | Master of Studies (MSt) in Social Innovation | 24 mo | GBP 34,500 | Two-year part-time MSt at Cambridge Judge, designed for working professionals. |
Every row verified against the official programme page; oldest verification 16 Jul 2026. Nothing here is a paid placement.
Application strategy and funding routes
LSE (£37,500, one-year, Chevening-compatible) is the analytical brand; Cambridge Judge's MSt is part-time (for working founders, but outside most scholarship rules); UAB and ESCP the European options; Pepperdine the US route. A concrete venture or impact problem — named, evidenced, tied to your country — beats abstract "I want to do good" every time, both in admissions and in scholarship essays.
Which scholarship funds which programme
Computed from each scheme's published rules (destination, level, course length) — not a guarantee; list-based schemes still require checking the official list.
- ESCP Business School — study destination outside the scheme
- London School of Economics and Political Science
- Pepperdine University — study destination outside the scheme
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona — study destination outside the scheme
- University of Cambridge — 24-month course exceeds the 12-month limit
- ESCP Business School — study destination outside the scheme
- London School of Economics and Political Science
- Pepperdine University — study destination outside the scheme
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona — study destination outside the scheme
- University of Cambridge
Frequently asked questions
Will this degree help me start a company?
It teaches the toolkit and opens the ecosystem, but it does not incubate or fund your venture for you. Many graduates join impact organisations rather than found — enter for the sector, with founding as one path within it.
Social entrepreneurship vs an MBA?
An MBA optimises for enterprise and returns generally; this field centres social mission and impact measurement. If your goal is impact-first ventures or the impact-investing side, this is the sharper fit.
Which scholarships fit?
Chevening/Commonwealth for LSE (one-year). Cambridge's MSt is part-time and usually outside scholarship rules; ESCP, UAB and Pepperdine sit in European and US scheme territory respectively.
Related fields
Sources
Official programme pages (linked per row above) · official scholarship rules and participating-programme lists · university admission regulations. Every data row records its source URL and verification date; stale rows are re-checked or removed.
Global Study Prep is independent and not affiliated with any university or scholarship programme. Programme details change — always confirm on the official page before applying.