Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship
(PUBH 6590)

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Is This Program for Me?

Don't Just Study Public Health, Do Public Health in South Africa this Summer! (and learn with Archbishop Desmond Tutu!)

The course combines classroom and real-world experiences in South Africa, a country embracing the social entrepreneurial spirit andencouraging governmental and non-governmental collaborations to bring innovative solutions to complex public health problems in a rapidly changing country.  The first 4 weeks will be spent at the Foggy Bottom campus and then 2 weeks in South Africa.  Class time will include sessions focused on social entrepreneurship in the public health domain including: the planning process, marketing, measuring success, and frameworks for strategic and financial planning. The field experience portion of the course will take students to Cape Town and the surrounding communities to learn from and help local NGOs who provide public health services.  Students will brainstorm with organizations to strengthen projects or develop new ideas to excite social change, including meetings with social entrepreneurs to understand grassroots' needs of the public health infrastructure in South Africa. Students will also meet with some of South Africa’s philanthropists and community leaders, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Traveling to historic sites, dining on local cuisine, and experiencing the best of South Africa are also included.

The course was selected as the winner of the National Delta Omega’s Innovative Public Health Curriculum Award.

Eligibility:
1)    Graduate Students must have completed at least 12 credit hours in SPHHS courses with a minimum GPA of 3.3. 
2)    Public Health majors in the undergraduate program must be a senior with a minimum GPA of 3.3
3)    Non GW SPHHS students must have 3-5 years experience in public health/non-profit management OR 12 credits in public health/non-profit management courses with a minimum GPA of 3.3.

GW Professors

Amita Vyas (avyas@email.gwu.edu)
Blaine Parrish (blainep@email.gwu.edu)

Calendar

Application Deadline: March 15, 2013
On-Campus Dates: July 3-24, 2013
Overseas Dates: July 27-August 9, 2013

Additional Information

Cost Estimate
Draft Syllabus
Tentative Itinerary
Blog from Summer 2012 program
Graduate Certificate Information

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Other Helpful Links

• How to Apply to a Short-Term Abroad Program
• Eligibility and Payment for Short-Term Abroad
• Withdrawal & Refund Policy for Short-Term Abroad
• Cancellation Policy for Short-Term Abroad
• Pre-Departure, Health & Safety Orientation for Short -Term Abroad
• Health Insurance for Short-Term Abroad
• Non-Participant Accompaniment

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Feedback from Former Students

Question: What would you say to a student who is wondering if he/she should apply to this program?

Answer: It is an invaluable experience to see what you are learning about in class actually in action, in the field. It will no doubt be a memorable experience and will help you gain practical experience and exposure to issues that you can draw from in your career. Also, the faculty arrange everything, making it a much less stressful experience than if you just visited the country on your own.  (Kelly Healy, Summer 2011)

Question: What would you say to a student who is wondering if he/she should apply to this program?

Answer: This is an awesome experience for anyone interested in real-life, practical ground applications of public health and social entrepreneurship. It allows you to study how textbook scenarios are modified by reality, provides a great opportunity to compare US models with those in a developing world context, and broadens your thinking and analytical skills overall!  (Pavitra Srinivasan, Summer 2011)

Question: What did you get out of this program?

Answer: The caliber of the site visits we were able to participate in was unmatched. We met with reputable NGOs working in the field from small India organizations to large multi-national organizations. We got to see first-hand the programs they are working on while learning so much about the context - the culture and people of India. No classroom lecture can match what we learned in the field. (Kelly Healy, Summer 2011)

Question: What did you get out of this program?

Answer: The India Study Abroad Program is unique from other study abroad options in that it combines an unusual set of fields: social entrepreneurship, business, public health, and international development all together in one experience. It's a cross-cutting program and challenges students to thinking in a holistic manner about how issues are inter-related and how solutions need to be based in reality in order to succeed. (Pavitra Srinivasan, Summer 2011)