Frequently Asked Questions

University of the Pacific Center for Professional and Continuing Education (CPCE)

& The Global Center for Social Entrepreneurship

 

Online Social Entrepreneurship Certificate Program

Frequently Asked Questions

 

QUESTIONS:
Basic Information

  1. How many courses will I need to complete in order to earn the Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship?
  2. When do the Certificate Program courses start?
  3. Does the sequence matter in taking the courses? Do I need to take one particular course before taking another?
  4. How long will it take me to finish the Certificate Program?
  5. What is the expected time commitment to complete course requirements?
  6. Do all of the required textbooks for the courses need to be purchased?
  7. Are internships required for the Certificate Program?
  8. Do I need to be a practitioner/staff member of a social mission organization to take the courses?
  9. What is a social entrepreneur? What is social entrepreneurship? What is a social entrepreneurial organization?

Enrollment

  1. How do I enroll in a class?
  2. How much do the courses cost?
  3. How do I pay for the classes if I am overseas?
  4. When is the deadline to enroll in the Certificate Program?
  5. What education level do I need in order to enroll in the Certificate Program courses?
  6. Can individuals enroll in the courses, or does it have to be a cohort/group?

Academic Credit & Grading Policies

  1. Does the coursework count towards undergraduate or graduate credits?
  2. How many units is each course worth?
  3. Can the Certificate Program courses be included in my current course load at Pacific without paying any additional fees?
  4. Will any of the courses be offered onsite at the University of the Pacific campus?
  5. Will I receive a letter grade or a pass/fail grade when I take an online course in Social Entrepreneurship?
  6. Is it possible to take an “Incomplete” in an online course?
  7. How will the assignments be graded?

Course Communication

  1. What kind of communication will I have with the professor? How often can I contact him? What if I have questions about the assignments?
  2. What kind of exchange will I have with other students taking the course? Is there an online chat room or other collective communication mechanism? Do we ever have any direct online contact with the professor?
  3. My English isn’t perfect – can I still successfully complete the courses?
  4. My internet connection might be too slow to view the videos that are embedded in the online course text. What can I do?

The Certificate: Value & Specifics

  1. Will these courses prepare me for a position with a social entrepreneurship organization?
  2. What is the distinct value of the certificate?
  3. What kind of certificate does the “Social Entrepreneurship Certificate Program” issue?

 

ANSWERS:

BASIC INFORMATION

  1. How many courses will I need to complete in order to earn the Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship?

    In order to earn the Certificate, all three courses must be satisfactorily completed: 1) Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship, 2) Business Plans for Social Entrepreneurial Organizations, and 3) Monitoring and Evaluation for High Impact Social Mission Organizations

 

  1. When do the certificate program courses start?
    The three courses run is succession, and the process restarts every summer. You may register for all three courses, or just one or two. This year, 2012, the course schedule is as follows:
     Course 1) Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship
    August 5    th to September 29th (2012)
    Course 2) Business Plans for Social Entrepreneurial Organizations
    October 14    th to December 18th (2012)
    Course 3) Monitoring & Evaluation for High Impact Social Mission Organizations
    January 6    th to March 2nd (2013)

 

  1. Does the sequence matter in taking the courses? Do I need to take one particular course before taking another?
    Although the courses are designed to build off of each other, involving advancing levels of business knowledge and real-world applicability, it is not required to take one course before taking the others. If a student feels that they have mastered the previous content and necessary knowledge, they may feel free to enroll in the more advanced course.

 

  1. How long will it take me to finish the Certificate Program?
    Each course is 8 weeks long. In 2012 the course schedule is as follows:
    Course 1) Introduction: August 5    th to September 29th
    Course 2) Business: October 14    th to December 18th
    Course 3) Monitoring & Evaluation: January 6    th to March 2nd
    Completing all three courses therefore takes seven months, with an approximately three week long break for Winter Holidays.

 

  1. What is the expected time commitment to complete course requirements?
    A student can expect to spend 3 to 5 hours per week working on course assignments. This time is spent reading, reflecting, and preparing weekly assignments. However, the end of course project for the second course, Business Plans for Social Entrepreneurial Organizations, will take more time than that, as students are required to write a business plan.

 

  1. Do all of the required textbooks for the courses need to be purchased?
    All of the required textbooks will need to be read. Some may be available at local libraries or have free text online. The course textbooks have been carefully chosen, and will represent valuable additions to the library of persons interested in social change. All of the required textbooks are available through many online dealers and retail stores, including Amazon.com. Please order your books as soon as possible, since shipping can take considerable time in certain parts of the world. If your book is running late, many of the questions and exercises at the end of each online chapter in the courses can be successfully completed if the online text has been carefully read and analyzed, so students should continue to move forward through the courses while waiting for their required textbooks to arrive.

 

  1. Are internships required for the Certificate Program?
    Students are encouraged to carry out internships, but it is not a mandatory part of the program. Students interested in internships may contact Spencer Ton at the Global Center for Social Entrepreneurship at ston@pacific.edu .

 

  1. Do I need to be a practitioner/staff member of a social mission organization to take the courses?
    Certainly not. While practitioners/staff members of social mission organizations are ideally suited to enrich the theoretical topics that are covered in the courses with their practical experience, the courses are designed for anyone interested in creating social change. This includes students and university professors, persons working in the nonprofit sector, persons interested in starting a social enterprise, persons working in organizations which fund social mission organizations, business leaders, community and elected leaders, and anyone looking to make a career change or simply enhance their knowledge base. The courses are designed for anyone concerned with the future of our planet and its people ‐ for anyone who asks himself or herself what one person could do to make a difference.

 

  1. What is a social entrepreneur? What is social entrepreneurship? What is a social entrepreneurial organization?
    The courses in the Certificate Program use definitions for these terms developed by Sally Osberg (Skoll Foundation) and Roger Martin (Dean, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto) in their seminal article “Social Entrepreneurship: The Case for Definition”, in the     Stanford Social Innovation Review, Spring 2007. The definitions are below. But, more simply, we identify social entrepreneurs as people who identify a chronic social or environmental problem and use entrepreneurial principles to create innovative for-profit businesses, social enterprises, or sustainable nonprofits that permanently eradicate the underlying causes.
    Social Entrepreneur: “Someone who targets an unfortunate but stable equilibrium that causes the neglect, marginalization, or suffering of a segment of humanity; who brings to bear on this situation his or her inspiration, direct action, creativity, courage, and fortitude; and who aims for and ultimately affects the establishment of a new stable equilibrium that secures permanent benefit for the targeted group and society at large.” (From Roger Martin and Sally Osberg, “Social Entrepreneurship: The Case for Definition”, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Spring 2007, Pp. 34‐35.)
    Social Entrepreneurship: ʺThe art of: (1) identifying a stable but inherently unjust equilibrium that causes the exclusion, marginalization, or suffering of a segment of humanity that lacks the financial means or political clout to achieve any transformative benefit on its own; (2) identifying an opportunity in this unjust equilibrium, developing a social value proposition, and bringing to bear inspiration, creativity, direct action, courage, and fortitude, thereby challenging the stable state’s hegemony; and (3) forging a new, stable equilibrium that releases trapped potential or alleviates the suffering of the targeted group, and through imitation and the creation of a stable ecosystem around the new equilibrium, ensuring a better future for the targeted group and even society at largeʺ. (From Martin & Osberg, p. 35.)
    Social Entrepreneurial Organization: A social mission organization that brings about social change through direct, hands‐on action, and has scaled up its social impact to bring about widespread, systemic change at the regional, national or international level. An easily identifiable social entrepreneur usually leads the Social Entrepreneurial Organization. In short, a social entrepreneurial organization practices social entrepreneurship. (From Martin & Osberg, p. 35)

 

ENROLLMENT

  1. How do I enroll in a class?
    You may register online by visiting the course website and clicking on the “Register Now” button (http://globalctr.org/social-entrepreneurship-certificate-program/), or by accessing the registration website directly (https://bssprd.pacific.edu:1532/flexreg/index.jsp?frc=SOCENT). If you have any problems registering, please call 800.959.5376 or email cpce@pacific.edu.

 

  1. How much do the courses cost?
    Each course individually is $895. But, if you register for all three at once, you will receive a discount of $300, for a total package cost of $2,385. University of the Pacific alumni receive a 15% discount per course.

 

  1. How do I pay for the classes if I am overseas?
    Registration is online, so you may pay using any of the accepted electronic methods. Registration can be accessed via the following link: https://bssprd.pacific.edu:1532/flexreg/index.jsp?frc=SOCENT

 

  1. When is the deadline to enroll in the certificate program?
    The registration deadline for Course One (Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship) is July 20th, 2012. For updates on registration deadlines as future courses approach, please check the website information page. http://globalctr.org/social-entrepreneurship-certificate-program/

 

  1. What education level do I need in order to enroll in the Certificate Program courses?
    Undergraduate students may take the courses beginning in their sophomore year. Graduate students may take the courses at any time during their graduate studies, and professionals and social mission organization practitioners may take the courses for continuing education credit or non-credit.

 

  1. Can individuals enroll in the courses, or does it have to be a cohort/group?
    Individuals may enroll. Groups are also welcome, but the course fee is applied per person.

 

ACADEMIC CREDIT & GRADING POLICIES

  1. Does the coursework count towards undergraduate or graduate credits?
    The successful completion of each course bestows the student with three (3) academic units. Completing all three courses earns nine (9) units. The credits/units are considered “extension credits,” and are exactly the same as academic credit/units. The credits will appear on your transcript as “academic credit.” If you are a continuing student, your academic institution (domestic or international) will decide whether or not these credits may be applied to the pursuit of your degree. You may check with your institution in advance of enrolling to ensure that the credit will transfer.

 

  1. How many units is each course worth?
    Each course is worth three undergraduate units. For more details please see question #16.

 

  1. Can the Certificate Program courses be included in my current course load at Pacific without paying any additional fees?
    You are welcome to take the program as a currently enrolled Pacific student, but the fee will still apply. The program is considered Professional Education and is separate from the normal academic load.

 

  1. Will any of the courses be offered onsite (Pacific campus)?
    Currently the courses are not being offered on any of the Pacific campuses.

 

  1. Will I receive a letter grade or a pass-fail grade when I take an online course in Social Entrepreneurship?
    All students receive letter grades. The grading scale is found below:
    A = 93 – 100 C = 73 – 76

A‐ = 90 – 92 C = 70 – 72

B+ = 87 – 89 D+ = 67 – 69

B = 83 – 86 D = 60 – 66

B‐ = 80 – 82 F = less than 60

C+ = 77 – 79

 

  1. Is it possible to take an “Incomplete” in an online course?
    Because the professor teaches these courses part time while running his own social mission organization, it is difficult to accommodate students who want to receive an Incomplete and send in assignments outside the established time-frame for classes. Under extraordinary circumstances, however, the professor may consider allowing a student to take an Incomplete. Students granted the opportunity to take an Incomplete must work with Professor Burt to determine a date when incomplete material is due.

 

  1. How will the assignments be graded?
    Graded assignments for the courses include end of chapter questions and exercises based off of the online text, short papers, and a final exam or end of course project. The professor will consider mastery of the material, critical and coherent analysis of the content, application of theory to practical experiences the student has had, citing of evidence, as well as the expression of original ideas in the grading process.
    When an end of course project is required, the professor will expect to see the student relate the theory which has been covered in the course to practical applications included in the end of course project (i.e. case study of a real social entrepreneurial organization; business plan for a social entrepreneurial organization). Students should also demonstrate accomplishment of the course learning objectives, as expressed in the course syllabus, in the end of course project.

 

COURSE COMMUNICATION

  1. What kind of communication will I have with the Professor? How often can I contact him? What if I have questions about the assignments?
    After registration, the professor will make the initial contact with the student via an e‐mail welcoming the student to the class and providing a general logistical guideline to the course, including the course website. At any time during the course, the professor may be contacted via email with questions and/or comments about course content or assignments. The average student contacts Professor Burt about once or twice a week, and he replies to student e‐mails as quickly as possible, generally within 24 or 48 hours. Personal feedback and comments are supplied on all major assignments. Skype meetings may also be arranged.

 

  1. What kind of exchange will I have with other students taking the course? Is there an online chat room or other collective communication mechanism? Do we ever have any direct online contact with the professor?
    Each course has an online chat room set up which students may take advantage of to communicate with one another. Ongoing “live contact” with the professor is not currently a part of the course design, and most communication is via email or videos, but skype appointments can be made as necessary.

 

  1. My English isn’t perfect –can I still successfully complete the courses?
    Many of the world’s most pressing problems and a large amount of the world’s most successful social entrepreneurs are found in countries where English is not the first or main language. Being a native Spanish speaker, Professor Burt is very understanding of the difficulties students may have with English. However, writing must be literate enough so that egregious spelling and grammar mistakes do not distract from the content, and all work must be the student’s own or cited properly. American standards of citation and anti-plagarism are strictly enforced.

 

  1. My internet connection might be too slow to view the videos that are embedded in the online course text. What can I do?
    Within each course website there will be a “Resources” section. If the student is unable to see the embedded videos that are linked to YouTube, they can be downloaded directly to the student’s computer from the “Resources” section. Special efforts have been made to make sure the videos in the Resources section are not “heavy” and can be downloaded easily. Some students in regions where the internet service is slow have solved this problem by asking a local IT person to download all of the course videos onto a CD or DVD, this way the student does not have to continually wait for the link to the online video to work, and can view the video as frequently as he/she wants.

 

THE CERTIFICATE: VALUE & SPECIFICS

  1. Will these courses prepare me for a position with a social entrepreneurship organization?
    The courses will give the student a background in social entrepreneurship that will certainly enhance his or her preparation to work within a social entrepreneurial organization. They will also give the budding or established social entrepreneur a solid theoretical framework in which to develop his or her initiative. The required readings, conceptual framework, and citations in the courses are from the most respected practitioners (social entrepreneurs) and academics in the field. The end of course projects will give students a genuine taste of the practical applications of their learning. All courses give students access to cutting edge knowledge and equip them with the understanding necessary to tackle real issues within the developing field of social entrepreneurship.

 

  1. What is the distinctive value of the certificate?
    For professionals, these courses will not only expand your knowledge of the field of social enterprise, but also teach you how to utilize the latest business techniques, relieve dependency on fundraising, and stay abreast of market opportunities. For undergraduate and graduate students, these courses can count toward graduation credits and enhance business and field knowledge. As the continuing education arm of the University of the Pacific, CPCE is a respected provider of adult and professional education. A certificate is widely recognized proof of the successful completion of a high-caliber, in-depth course of study. The Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship can be used in improving your future career opportunities, legitimizing the creation of your own enterprise, seeking employment with a for-profit or nonprofit business, seeking professional advancement, to evidence your skill sets, for teaching purposes – the possibilities are endless.

 

  1. What kind of certificate does the “Social Entrepreneurship Certificate Program” issue?
    In addition to academic credit, upon satisfactory completion of all three courses students also receive a Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship. The certificate is a “professional training certificate,” which states that the student has succeeded in a rigorous course of study on social entrepreneurship, and is certifiably knowledgeable on the topic. Professional Training Certificates illustrate the specialized and proficient qualifications of the recipient in a legitimate and reputable way. The Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship also states that academic units have been awarded.

 

 

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