The Center offers a menu of courses taught by a distinguished faculty of established leaders in the field.
All courses are cross-listed between the full-time and part-time MBA programs. In addition, space permitting, Cal graduate students in other schools can enroll in these courses during the add/drop period of each semester.
Brief Course Descriptions
This one-unit course is designed to provide students with a working knowledge of the role of boards of directors in the nonprofit sector. Specifically, the course will explore the following aspects of boards in the nonprofit sector:
- Why they exist, their legal and fiduciary responsibilities, and the differences between for-profit and nonprofit boards
- How they should be structured, highlighting the traditional and Carver models of governance and various committee structures
- Effective board assessment tools and structures
- What they can achieve for a nonprofit organization and how they are most effectively staffed
- How they should interact with chief executives, staff, and community
- The impact of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act on the nonprofit sector and boards in particular
Professor: Lynne LaMarca Heinrich
In order to be an effective leader in the nonprofit field, one must have a solid grounding in financial management. This course is designed to develop the core financial management skills needed by board members and seniors managers in large and small organizations. Students will learn the tools and techniques for effective planning and budgeting as well as how to control, evaluate and revise plans. The course will address current regulations and issues that impact nonprofit financial management. The use and development of internal and external financial reports will be studied with an emphasis on using financial information in decision-making. Tools and techniques of financial statement analysis, interpretation and presentation will be discussed and practiced.
Instructor: Brent Copen
This course examines the roles and responsibilities of members of nonprofit boards of directors. Generally, they establish strategic direction, raise money, and exercise financial oversight. Students will identify and develop the leadership and management skills necessary to be an effective board member. Using board assessment instruments and self-assessment activities, the class will seek to determine “fit” between different types of boards and class participants.
Instructors: Lynne LaMarca Heinrich (Fall), Paul Jansen (Spring)
Professor: Jorge Calderon
Impact Investing Practicum is an eight week externship during which MBA teams complete a project with one of five impact investing firms arranged by Haas. Impact Investing Practicum helps firms develop solutions, creating value for the firm by leveraging the financial and social impact backgrounds and skills of Haas MBA students. For Haas students, Impact Investing offers un-matched experiential learning and exposure that we are able to arrange because of our unique thought leadership and history of student engagement and placement in this field. For this inaugural year, 8-12 FTMBA students will be selected.
Click here for Student Application Info and Dates. Applications are due October 16th.
Click here for Investment Firm Info and Application. Applications are due September 29th
Instructor: Run in conjunction with Adair Morse’s New Venture Finance course, and co-lead by Professor Adair Morse and the Center for Social Sector Leadership’s Nora Silver.
This course introduces students to strategic leadership issues in the nonprofit sector. The course covers key issues in founding, leading, managing, and governing nonprofit organizations and new nonprofit ventures. Major topics include: mission and theory of change, governance and accountability, strategy and strategic planning, nonprofit financial management, resource development, alliances and networks, capacity building, impact and leadership.
Instructor: Colin Boyle
Business strategies and public policies are intended to change outcomes such as raising incomes, increasing productivity, improving learning, or reducing illness. Whether or not these changes in outcomes are actually achieved are crucial public policy and business questions, yet are not often examined. This course covers the methods and applications of impact evaluations, which is the science of measuring the causal impact of a strategy, program or policy. Applications are drawn from wide range developing and developed country settings.
Instructor: Paul Gertler (Spring)