Graduate Certificate in Social Impact

The Graduate Certificate in Social Impact is designed for the next generation of highly skilled leaders from across sectors – not-for-profit, government, for-profit, large, and small – with a desire to drive positive social change.

The program focuses on building professional capacity in how managers and entrepreneurs lead, organise, innovate, finance, scale, change and transition organisations to deliver greater social impact.

With interest growing in the concept of a social license to operate (SLO), you will explore how corporates can operate at the intersection of profit and purpose by incorporating social impacts into their strategies.

You will enhance your understanding of the powerful dynamics of the new social economy with its goal of transforming existing economic models to address a range of societal challenges.

In this respect, you will acquire knowledge of the latest global trends in economic thinking and practice and how these can propel a just transition towards a sustainable and inclusive economy.

Moreover, you will gain an in-depth understanding of how business, social enterprise, government, foundations and community organisations can work together to create a values-led economy.

Study at Australia’s #1 Business School

UNSW Business School has been ranked the #1 business school in Australia by AFR BOSS for the last two years in a row*. That means our business education leads the way in career impact, quality and reputation, giving you a strong competitive advantage. Our career-focused education equips you for long-term success and empowers you to become an adaptive thinker to thrive in a fast-changing world. Further, you’ll have access to state-of-the-art facilities and be taught by world-class teachers and academics.

^{*AFR BOSS 2023 Best Business School Rankings}

Shape your study to suit your goals

If you’re a busy professional or live outside Sydney, this course gives you the convenience to shape your study around your needs. The entire course takes less than a year to complete. Choose between studying either online or on campus, face-to-face – whichever works for you best. 

Gain a strong competitive edge with employability

UNSW students are sought after by employers, having been recognised for producing the Most Employable Graduates in the AFR Top100 Future Leaders Awards* for four consecutive years. Plus, studying social impact at UNSW means you’ll become part of an urgently required new generation of global leaders with a socially conscious framework.

^{*AFR Top 100 Future Leaders Awards 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023}

This innovative and dynamic program is geared towards professionals across a range of roles and sectors who have a passion for developing and broadening their social impact skills.

This course is ideal if you:

• Desire an impactful leadership career in social enterprises or are already in the not-for-profit sector and want to enhance your professional capacity to create social value.
• Aspire to hold an executive position in a for-profit organisation committed to maximising social benefit and meeting corporate ESG (environmental, social and governance) responsibilities through business practices and products.a for-profit organisation committed to maximising social benefit and meeting corporate ESG (environmental, social and governance) responsibilities through business practices and products.
• Aim to become a senior public administrator working with community groups or a public service executive with a responsibility for developing the public policy framework that integrates social impact and sustainability.
• Work for a foundation that seeks to ensure its social investment delivers desirable social impact.