Teaching Social Entrepreneurship in Public Affairs Programs: A Review of Social Entrepreneurship Courses in the Top 30 U. S. Public Administration and Affairs Programs

Abstract

Social entrepreneurship uses a radically innovative way to address social problems, with sustainable financing and a scale that can be expanded for broader social impact. Social entrepreneurship courses have a growing presence in U. S. public affairs programs, but the content of these courses has not yet been mapped. For this paper, we reviewed 16 syllabi from courses taught in U. S. schools of public affairs and administration, largely from schools ranked in the top 30 nationwide in 2012 by U. S. News & World Report. We identified patterns in program approaches, course content, and evaluation methods in order to offer information to others who may be teaching these classes now or in the near future. We conclude that the confluence of values, skills, and knowledge offered by public affairs programs is highly relevant to students who endeavor to be social entrepreneurs or intrapreneurs at any level of government or nonprofit organization.