Program Overview

Social Responsibility and Ethics - Certificate

The Social Responsibility and Ethics (SRE) Certificate is available to business students who seek to distinguish themselves in the field of socially responsible business, whether their unique interests lie in environmental sustainability, social entrepreneurship, or ethical leadership. Interested students need to register with the SRE office, then meet with CESR's Program Manager, and must graduate with a 3.00 GPA.

Requirements

• Required Courses and Credits:
  • Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours
    ---|---|---
    Business Core|
    BCOR 2301| Business Law| 1.5
    BCOR 2302| Business Ethics and Social Responsibility| 1.5
    Business Coursework|
    Select three of the following courses. All courses have the minimum prerequisites of 52 credits completed and the completion of BASE 2104. Some courses have additional prerequisites.| 9
    ORGN 3030| Critical Leadership Skills|
    CESR/ORGN 3040| Fundamentals of Socially Responsible Leadership|
    CESR 3050| Sustainable Space Governance|
    CESR 4000| Leadership Challenges|
    CESR 4005| Business Solutions for Global Development|
    CESR/MGMT 4130| Sustainable Operations|
    ORGN 4100| Global Business Ethics|
    ORGN 4300| Leading Diverse and Inclusive Organizations|
    CESR 4430| Corporate Boards in Action|
    ESBM 4830| New Venture Creation|
    CESR 4850| The Sustainable Firm: Strategies and Practice|
    Total Credit Hours| 12
• Experiential Learning:
  • SRE students gain practical experience working in a field of their personal interest within sustainability and/or social responsibility. Examples include:
    • Internship (for-profit or nonprofit). Acceptable internships will be characterized by substantive work that adds value to the organization and contributes to the student's learning. Internships must be approved for SRE credit.
    • Service learning through the Education Abroad Office. The Office of International Education offers study abroad programs focused on service learning, generally spanning one academic quarter or semester in the host country, during which the student will participate in, and gain credit for study in a school of higher education partnered with work for local institutions and non-governmental organizations on service projects that promote community development.
    • Related coursework. CESR 4005, MGMT 4140 and advisor-approved courses may count toward the Experiential Learning requirement toward the Business Coursework requirement, but not both.
  • Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours
    ---|---|---
    MGMT 4140| Project Management| 3
    CESR 4005| Business Solutions for Global Development| 3
    ESBM 4830| New Venture Creation| 3
    Advisor-approved independent study in a related topic; or an advisor-approved internship of an appropriate nature|
• Personal Reflection and Exit Interview:
  • Before graduation, students synthesize their academic and experiential experiences and set goals for their future. Students write a short essay (2-3 pages), reflecting on their experience and setting out the values that will guide their conduct and their careers. Students then meet with a staff or faculty member associated with the certificate program for their exit interview.

Learning Outcomes

By the completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Recognize and apply ethical principles and social responsibility in business decision-making.
• Understand the business case for sustainability including specialized knowledge of market trends and social/environmental risks and opportunities.
• Develop and demonstrate effective communication skills that provide strategic influence across multiple stakeholders.
• Learn and apply sustainable technologies to effectively solve problems in dynamic environments.