How We Are Different

College | Programs | Departments | Centers | Faculty

Imagine the challenge of eighteen intensive months working with highly motivated colleagues, knowledgeable world-class faculty, and experienced field partners. Imagine researching, planning and building an enterprise that will have a significant business impact and make the world a better place. It will be intense, it will be challenging, it will be frustrating, and it will be rewarding. The GSSE is definitely not for everyone, and it is certainly not your average MBA or graduate program.

Comprehensive Design
The GSSE Masters of Science in Business Administration is designed to provide a foundation in business principles, building your ability to apply them to the great social and environmental problems of our time. For the GSSE degree, each course has been specifically designed to emphasize an entrepreneurial approach, developing world markets, and both for-profit and non profit organizations. You will take core courses in traditional areas such as marketing, management, accounting and finance, as well as cross disciplinary courses, such as social entrepreneurship, and topical seminars in microfinance and ecological perspectives for business.

Students
Each year, the CSU Global Social and Sustainable Enterprise (GSSE) program will bring together an entering class of 25 students from around the world, with a 50/50 split of U.S. and international students. You will continue with this same close-knit group of 25 students for the entire program. Because of the international make-up of the GSSE student group and the diverse skill sets (e.g.: engineering, business management, not-for-profit economic development, etc.) You will learn as much from each other as from our faculty.

Project and Field Experience
An essential component of your experience at CSU will be a team-based project, including summer field work, most likely in a developing country. From your first semester through graduation, you will be working to develop enterprises that address real world problems. Some of the project ideas will come from you and your colleagues, while others will come from concepts identified by our GSSE partner organizations.

Partnerships
A distinguishing strength of the GSSE program is its partnerships with leading international organizations. Our project partners work in areas such as environmental conservation, microfinance, public health, alternative energy and agriculture. These partners will play a key role in the program: helping identify projects for your student teams, mentoring teams, supervising your field work and advising on your final project work. In return, they will benefit from interacting with our students and faculty, receiving significant assistance on projects, and having a pipeline of graduates from which to recruit.

Program Overview - Picture of a man working

"We are continually faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems."
John W. Gardner