What is it about your MBA program that students love the most?
Freedom of choice, framework to face ambiguity, and supportive community.
Tell us about one new course that has recently been added to your curriculum in the last year. How do you see this influencing the current class?
Booth’s new course, Scaling Social Innovation Lab, is an experiential learning course co-taught through the Social Enterprise Initiative by professors Christina Hachikian and Robert Gertner. In this class, students confront the challenge of scaling social sector institutions to deliver impact in many communities and serve many beneficiaries. Students work in teams to identify social issues and collaborate with an organization outside of Chicago that has developed a successful program addressing their chosen issue. Then the teams figure out the best strategy for bringing that social innovation back to Chicago, be it creation of a new organization or expansion of an existing organization into the local area. At the end of the class, teams present to a panel of government officials, local experts, and funders who could help make their proposal a reality. This lab course helps address the draw many students today face between balancing a passion to contribute to the social sector with a desire to pursue a career in or outside of the space. We see students at all points on the social impact spectrum, wanting to make a difference in the world around them—whether it’s through responsible practices within their companies, social entrepreneurism, serving on a board, or meaningful volunteerism. This new course is one more way Booth offers students the choice to make their two year experience exactly what they want.
University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Chicago Booth’s MBA is rooted in a discipline-based approach to education that allows our students and alumni to master the core functions on which all businesses and organizations are built—the principles of accounting, economics, statistics, and social sciences. Having that foundation provides a roadmap to be successful in ambiguous territory and lead confidently, even in unfamiliar markets. Our unique brand of flexibility gives students the academic freedom to maximize their two years and create learning opportunities specific to their interests—both in and out of the classroom. Students are also empowered to push past the known into new experiences and challenges, backed by a hugely supportive community of peers, faculty, and alumni.
