SEEK faculty member Clinical Professor Anne Cohn Donnelly  Photo © Mary Hanlon

Program Info

FAQ

How can I receive more information about the program?
Our Web site provides the most comprehensive information available on the Social Enterprise at Kellogg (SEEK) program. If you would like more information, please contact us. You can also talk to current students, through the Social Impact Club.

Does the SEEK Program offer its own separate degree?
All Kellogg School students receive an MBA degree. The school offers a SEEK major and a SEEK major with nonprofit specialization which provides specific courses directed at students interested in pursuing a career in the sector and at those planning an active involvement as a volunteer leader with nonprofit organizations.

What are the admission and tuition requirements?
For complete information on applying to the Full-time MBA program at the Kellogg School, please visit the Full-time Admissions Web site. If you live in the greater Chicagoland area and want to get your MBA degree while you continue working, explore the Part-time MBA program.

How do I apply?
Contact the Kellogg School Admissions office at 847-491-3308 or visit their Web site.

On average, how many students major or concentrate in Social Enterprise each year? The Kellogg School finds significant interest in this area evidenced by course enrollment and student interest in the Social Impact Club (over 400 members in 2005). Recent trends indicate growth in the number of students actually “majoring” in Social Enterprise. If we combine the total majors in the two programs that joined to form Social Enterprise, BASE and PNP, Social Enterprise would be the third largest major. Given 2005 is the first year students can major in Social Enterprise, we will have more details as the year progresses as to the exact number of majors. However, we have also found that many students participate in SEEK courses to develop a specific skill set that complements another Kellogg School major.

What are some examples of current curriculum options?
The Social Enterprise curriculum is created to be flexible to meet student interest in a variety of areas. All students are required to take one and a half general strategic courses focused on the “non-market” environment: Values in Crisis Decision Making and Strategies in Non-Market Environments. From there, students can select a track of coursework that meets their academic needs. For example, students interested in the nonprofit field, may select the nonprofit course Finance, Strategy and Mission in the Nonprofit Sector as their additional core course. This can be supplemented with a number of nonprofit related courses including Leadership in Fundraising & Marketing and Nonprofit Board Governance. Students focused on the public or governmental sector, may choose Public Policy Analysis for Managers as their core course. Additionally, Values Based Leadership provides a strong foundation for general management careers as well as opportunities in corporate social responsibility. That course paired with other Management & Strategy courses would support a student’s interest in consulting or general management.

Where can I find information regarding Social Enterprise Professors?
Please refer to our list of MBA Program Faculty. The Kellogg School also has an online directory of all current faculty.

What are some examples of positions that Kellogg graduates of the Social Enterprise Program hold?
Given that Social Enterprise was inaugurated in 2005, there are no graduates with this specific major yet. However, the Kellogg School has a strong history of placing our graduates in “non-traditional” fields as well as in traditional general management, consulting and socially responsible business. Specific examples of each of these alumni are highlighted in our Alumni Profiles. In addition to their chosen professional careers, Kellogg alumni serve as board members, volunteers, solicitors and donors for a wide variety of nonprofit and non-governmental organizations.

Why did the Kellogg School of Management create the SEEK program?
Kellogg created SEEK to provide a rigorous, relevant experience for students interested in the intersection between management and society. SEEK is focused on building leadership skills and awareness to help Kellogg’s graduates be socially responsible, global leaders. Socially responsible global leaders are not characterized by where they work (for profit, nonprofit, government) but by combining a principled leadership approach with superior management skills and the ability to think and act strategically in an environment characterized by various stakeholders, value systems and constituents.

Have the course offerings changed over time?
The SEEK program launched in the fall of 2005 and combined the academic curriculum of the Public Nonprofit Program and the Business and the Social Environment Program and supplemented those courses with new offerings in Values Based Leadership, Values, Ethics and Strategic Crisis Management, and Public Policy Analysis for Managers. This program is designed with the core courses in Values and Crisis Decision Making and Non Market Environments and an additional required course from the following list – Values Based Leadership, Mission, Strategy, Finance, Public Policy Analysis for Managers and Strategic Management in Non-Market Environments. Additional courses are available in Leadership in Marketing and Fundraising, Social Entrepreneurship, Board Governance of Non-Profit Organizations, Local Public Economics and Business Strategy.

Why should students participate in the SEEK program?
SEEK prepares students to be socially responsible global leaders regardless of the sector they select upon graduation. The traditional academic model prepared students for a specific, long-term career path. In today’s global society, individuals move among sectors, often participating in multiple sectors simultaneously. (Think of the investment banker serving on the board of a local nonprofit, a product manager serving as Village Trustee, of the finance professional working with a microfinance entity.) The curriculum of the SEEK program offers students the skills to manage successfully in a variety of for profit corporations including management consulting, CSR, financial services, consumer products; nonprofit organizations including educational institutions, social service agencies or consulting firms; and governmental entities including local, state or federal agencies.

Specifically, how does SEEK prepare students for careers in the nonprofit sector?
Building on Kellogg’s long tradition of educating nonprofit leaders, both staff and board members, the SEEK program provides curricular and co-curricular activities enabling students to gain critical thinking and management skills related to the nonprofit sector. Specific course offerings including Mission, Finance and Strategy in the Nonprofit Sector, Nonprofit Board Governance and Leadership in Marketing and Fundraising provide practical applications of management theory. In addition, the Social Impact Club presents seminars, speakers and the Innovating Social Change conference to deepen students understanding of the nonprofit sector. Finally, there are resources through the Career Management Center and the Center for Nonprofit Management that will help students pursue summer internships and full time opportunities in the nonprofit sector nationally and internationally.

If I am not interested in a career in nonprofit management, is the SEEK program relevant for me?
Yes, the SEEK program provides opportunities for students who want to be successful socially responsible global leaders. These leaders will serve a variety of sectors throughout their careers. SEEK courses within Kellogg’s MBA curriculum provide skills and awareness valuable for management consultants, CSR professionals, leaders of social enterprises, consumer products executives, financial services professionals, and many others. All these leaders participate in shaping the social and political environments of their organizations in a responsible fashion.