MS Social Innovation

The Master of Arts in Social Innovation (MASI) program is designed for individuals with vision, leadership skills and an entrepreneurial mindset who want to tackle the world’s toughest challenges, such as poverty, climate change, and inequality. The MASI curriculum incorporates theory with field-based practicums, design thinking pedagogy, and the opportunity to participate in pitch competitions, in which students can create and test their innovative solutions for complex problems. MASI graduates have impactful, purpose driven careers in philanthropy, government and nonprofits. Others create economic, social and environmental value in the private sector, working in B-corps, social enterprises, consulting and corporate social responsibility. The MASI program is offered as a full-time 9-month or part-time program. The MASI program has both Fall and Spring enrollment periods.

Combined Degree Program: Bachelor’s Degree to Master of Arts in Social Innovation

The Master of Arts in Social Innovation Combined Degree Program is open to all undergraduate majors at the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering and the School of Business at the University of San Diego. Completion of the combined degree program results in the conferral of a Bachelor of Science (BS), a Bachelor of Arts (BA), a BS/BA, a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), or a Bachelor of Accountancy (BAcc) degree and a Master of Arts in Social Innovation. This program allows undergraduate students at the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering and the School of Business the ability to accelerate their academic career with a fast-track to graduate studies. Enrolled students may take up to 12 units of courses at the Kroc School during their junior and senior years and apply those courses to both their undergraduate degree requirements as upper-division elective units and to the MA in Social Innovation degree requirements. Up to three of the 12 units may be upper-division undergraduate courses, and students should consult with their undergraduate academic advisor and a Kroc School advisor when selecting courses for the combined degree program. As a full-time graduate student, the MA in Social Innovation program can be completed in 9 months post-undergraduate with a lighter academic load of 18 units to complete compared to the typical load of 30 units of graduate coursework in 9 months.

For courses at the Kroc School, all MA in Social Innovation combined degree students must begin with KROC 500 Foundations of Peace, Justice & Social Change (3 units). Following this, students may take the core courses, KROC 510 Leadership & Organizations (3 units), KROC 521 Social Innovation (3 units), and KROC 523 Social Entrepreneurship (3 units). 

To apply to this combined degree program, the Kroc School of Peace Studies does not require the GRE or a graduate school application fee, but requires the student to demonstrate academic achievement in their undergraduate courses with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. For students in the combined degree program, upon satisfactory completion of a BS, BA, BS/BA, BBA or BAcc degree with a minimum overall GPA of 3.0, the student will be admitted to the MA in Social Innovation program.

Additional Requirements For Admission

See Admission Page for basic admission requirements.