To qualify for the award of Graduate Certificate in Social Impact at Swinburne, students must complete four units of study (50 credit points) comprising:

• One core unit of study
• Two units of study from the Graduate Certificate suite
• One unit of study from the Graduate Certificate suite or another postgraduate program offered by Faculty of Business and Enterprise

The Graduate Certificate in Social Impact is offered part-time only. Part-time students normally undertake two units of study per teaching period. Units of study are either taught in the traditional mode of one (three-hour) night class per week over a 12-week semester or more commonly in 'block mode' (usually 2 x 3 days over a 12-week period). Students are expected to spend a minimum of the equivalent class contact hours per week in private study and/or team project work.

Option 1
Complete core unit of study:
HSI401 Social Impact: Entrepreneurs and Social Innovation
And the following three units of study:
HSI402 Corporate Responsibility and Accountability
HSI403 Leadership for Social Impact
HSI404 Social Investment and Philanthropy

Option 2
Complete core unit of study:
HSI401 Social Impact: Entrepreneurs and Social Innovation
And two of the following units listed below:
HSI402 Corporate Responsibility and Accountability
HSI403 Leadership for Social Impact
HSI404 Social Investment and Philanthropy
And one approved unit drawn from another postgraduate program offered by Faculty of Business and Enterprise.

There is an evident growth in community concern about the consequences for the community – positive and negative – of the interplay of business, private wealth and philanthropy, and government. Lately the term ‘social impact’, alongside such others as ‘the social economy’, social entrepreneurship, and social enterprises, has been employed to recognise these interactions.

The growing economic importance of the not-for-profit sector and rising levels, and new forms, of corporate community investment are not yet reflected adequately in the teaching and resourcing of management education in Australia. At the same time the dynamism of the market needs to be directed toward social innovation.

These forces, and the rethinking required by the global economic crisis, require that business leaders of today and tomorrow be equipped with academic support in integrating the goals of an inclusive and sustainable global economy into their corporate behaviours. New skills must be available to those who seek a leadership career in business, social enterprises, community agencies; for those, already in the sector, who wish to enhance their skills; to those who wish to contribute their commitment and experience in a voluntary capacity to the governance of not-for-profit institutions; and to donors, philanthropists and social investors. Themes covered include knowledge of the creation of social value, the dynamics of social enterprise, the foundations of social innovation and the measurement of social impact.

At the completion of the Graduate Certificate in Social Impact, it is expected that students will have: 

• Developed their skills and capacities as analysts of social impact in their roles or intended career in business or community organisations 
• Strengthened their ability to conceptualise social enterprise dynamics in carrying out ethical and practical business processes 
• Deepened their understanding, through reflective experience, of how they might manage themselves as applied social investors in their roles as leaders/ managers/ consultants/ researchers 
• Explored ways of working collaboratively in order to understand and contribute to personal and organisational responses to social impact 
• Become capable of discerning the many organisational opportunities for social innovation through their work

Leadership positions in the developing fields of social impact, social innovation, social investment and social entrepreneurship.

Swinburne University of Technology aims to produce graduates who are capable and have high development potential in their chosen professions. The Graduate Certificate in Social Impact is designed to develop and show evidence of the following Swinburne graduate attributes. Graduates will be:

Capable in their chosen professional areas in that they:

• Will be informed and knowledgeable about the current issues, theories and practices relevant to social impact including corporate social responsibility, social leadership, the non-profit sector, philanthropy and social investment 
• Will appreciate and respond confidently and appropriately to areas of uncertainty and debate within this discipline and their environment
• Will develop pertinent skills and abilities in social impact research
• Will be able to engage in informed critical inquiry, including reflection of their own performance

Entrepreneurial in that they will be able to: 

• Think creatively and innovatively whilst being aware of appropriate risk levels and critical perspectives
• Have the ability make links and connections between developments in the rapidly evolving field of social impact
• Identify and work with other relevant individuals and organisations relevant to their current or intended job roles

Operate effectively and ethically in work and community situations through: 

• Having a sense of social responsibility and its application
• Being aware of and meeting ethical and community standards appropriate to their professional role in a given community context
• Seeking opportunities to contribute to community wellbeing through professional practice

Adaptable and manage change through:

• Being aware of ‘self’ and their propensities and motivations concerning responsiveness and openness to change
• Developing a general capacity for flexibility and curiosity
• Understanding skills and dynamics associated with working with others in change environments
• Having multi-faceted research and problem solving skills

Be aware of environments in that they will:

• Have respect for multiple and diverse points of view
• Have a broad understanding of the social impact of their professional role and their settings, and of corporate social responsibility in the broader society
• Be able to evaluate the impact of their professional decisions in diverse and different situations

The total tuition fee is dependent upon the combination of units of study selected by the student. Fees are reviewed each year.

For information about Swinburne's fees visit the Fees website.