Undergraduate Berkeley Haas majors can focus on social sector leadership by taking Center for Social Sector Leadership classes. Cal students in other majors can also enroll in these classes, space permitting.
Brief Course Descriptions
Course #: UGBA 39AC-1 (3 units)
This class will anchor students in the structures and practice of American Philanthropy, and compare and contrast the variety of gift-giving and sharing traditions that make up American philanthropy. Both the cultural antecedents and their expression in this country will be explored from five ethnic and racial groups: Native American, European American, African American, Hispanic American, and Asian American, The role of religion and gender will also be explored. The goal is to gain a greater understanding of the many dimensions of philanthropy as it is practiced in the United States today. Our goal is to have students understand that at its core, philanthropy is about having a perspective and being able to bring the rich understanding and experience of values to the practice of giving. The course is designed for students to be exposed to different traditions of giving and the ways in which cultural experiences and perspectives drive values and action.
Instructor: Colin Lacon and Alicia Perez
Time: Wednesdays 1-4pm, N540 (Chou)
Course #: UGBA96-3 (1 unit)
Impact Start-Up Disco utilizes the Lean Launchpad and the Social Blueprint Business Design methodologies to frame the integral insights, strategies and practices that distinguish social ventures. It strives to create the conditions under which students become social venture designers, founders and leaders. Students work in interdisciplinary teams to explore an idea for a social venture.
Professor: Jorge Calderon
Time: One Weekend TBD, Fri 4:30-9:30pm, Sat 9am-4pm, Sun 12-4pm, N440 (Chou)
Course #: UGBA96-1 (2 units)
This course is rooted in the belief that all Berkeley students are leaders. The course will develop students’ leadership skills, attitudes, and knowledge, while encouraging and cultivating the creativity with which one exercises these skills and behaviors. Topics include self learning and creative self-expression, leading and working collaboratively with others, using cognitive and emotional empathy to better understand teammates and stakeholders, reframing challenges and opportunities, generating and testing creative solutions to a range of problems, and developing leadership presence as a way of operating in the world.
Professors: Doug Leeds, Bill Collins, Susan Houlihan, Ingrid Gavshon
Time: Thursdays 10am-12pm, N500 (Chou)
Course #: UGBA192N (2 units)
Based on an award-winning curriculum developed by UC Berkeley undergraduates (Bears Breaking Boundaries Innovation Award 2009), the course teaches participants how to be effective philanthropists. The class contributes $10,000 to nonprofit(s) selected by the class. To prepare for the contribution, students engage in interactive exercises and discussions to determine how to best expend the funds for maximum impact, guided by the instructors and renowned guests offering a variety of perspectives and frameworks. Students form teams to research and identify, perform due diligence, and recommend nonprofit organizations. The $10,000 contribution is a generous gift of the Learning by Giving Foundation. A second component of the course is the class’s creation of a symposium on effective philanthropy for the broader UC Berkeley undergraduate community.
Instructors: Colin Lacon and Alicia Perez