Social Entrepreneurship and Systems Change

Social Entrepreneurship and Systems Change, offered by Harvard Business School through edX, is an introductory online course designed to examine how mission-driven entrepreneurs create lasting social impact by transforming broken systems. Led by Harvard Business School Senior Lecturer Brian Trelstad, the course explores what distinguishes social entrepreneurs from traditional entrepreneurs and how nonprofit and for-profit organisations can address challenges such as climate change, economic inequality, educational disparities, healthcare access, water scarcity, and food insecurity. It is particularly relevant for learners seeking practical strategies to build, grow, or strengthen a social enterprise.

Core Content

The curriculum is structured across six modules and explores the main stages and decisions involved in building a social enterprise. It covers the motivations behind social entrepreneurship, design thinking, new product development, legal structures, capital selection, impact measurement, and collaboration for long-term systems change. The course also examines trade-offs between mission and financial margin, as well as the choice between direct programme delivery and broader change through policy, partnerships, or shifts in public understanding. Case studies and interviews with social entrepreneurs connect these concepts with real organisational challenges.

Key Skills

Participants will develop the ability to identify the motivations and characteristics that distinguish social entrepreneurs, use design thinking to develop solutions to complex problems, and evaluate different business models in relation to mission and financial sustainability. The course also helps learners assess the trade-offs between direct service delivery and systems-level change, identify suitable forms of capital, measure impact, and build collaborations that support longer-term transformation. By the end of the course, learners develop a personalised strategy for applying social entrepreneurship principles to an issue or organisation of their choice.

Target Learners

This course is designed for aspiring and existing social entrepreneurs, nonprofit and mission-driven business leaders, students, and professionals interested in social innovation and systems change. It is particularly relevant for learners seeking to start, scale, or strengthen a for-profit or nonprofit organisation addressing social or environmental challenges. Harvard classifies the course as introductory, making it suitable for those new to social entrepreneurship as well as practitioners looking for a structured framework to guide their existing work.

Learning Format

Hosted on edX, the course is delivered in a flexible self-paced online format over five weeks, with an expected study commitment of two to three hours per week. The learning experience is structured across six modules and includes case studies, interviews with social entrepreneurs, frameworks, and applied reflection, allowing learners to progress at their own pace while building practical understanding step by step. The course is available through a free audit track, with an optional verified HarvardX certificate priced at $199.

Additional Benefits

The course offers practical value for learners who want to use business tools to address social and environmental challenges while pursuing deeper systems change. Its social entrepreneur’s roadmap provides a structured framework for moving from problem understanding to solution design, financing, impact measurement, and collaboration. Adapted from a Harvard Business School MBA elective, the course gives learners access to HBS insights and real-world cases in a more accessible online format. It can also be taken as part of Harvard Online’s Strategic Leadership for Mission-Driven Organizations professional certificate pathway.

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