Learn More About Doing Good in the Classroom

Back to All News

March 10, 2020

Be a dreamer. A creator. A leader. A changemaker. As you plan out your first semester at UMD, we thought you may be interested in some of the courses that explore and engage in nonprofit leadership, philanthropy, social innovation, and doing good at UMD. Courses are offered across campus, available to any major.

From single courses to a nonprofit leadership and social innovation minor, there are plenty of ways to learn more about what it means to do good at UMD, in your communities, your careers, and throughout your lives.

This is not a class where we come in, get lectured at, and take a test. We are learning real world lessons while doing hands-on assignments that have the capacity to create true social change.

Alex Senior

Relevant Courses

BMGT289A Social Enterprise: Changing the World through Innovation and Transformative Action

In this course, students will hear from real-life social entrepreneurs, explore current day social issues of sustainability, climate change, leadership, disruptive innovations, and create or blueprint business plans to generate positive social change. This class will focus on innovative thinking skills, personal narratives, and social interaction strategies and plans.

Learn more here.

COMM107D: Oral Communication- Principles and Practices

ENES467: Engineering for Social Change

Critical analysis of issues at the intersection of engineering, philanthropy and social change. How engineering design, products and processes have created social change in the past and will do so in the future through both intended and unintended consequences. Topics covered include energy, sustainability and climate change, autonomy, the digital future, low cost engineering, manufacturing, philanthropy, ethics and the impact of electronics on society, among others. Faculty and external experts will engage with students on these topics. Students will broadly engage with organizations involved in using technology for positive social impact.

Learn more here.

ENGL398B: Writing for Social Entrepreneurship

Designed for students who want to develop the skills needed to start a successful social venture--a start-up business with a social mission or a new nonprofit program. The course centers on a major writing project such as a business plan, a website design plan, a fundraising proposal, or a concept paper for a new nonprofit organization. Students produce other communication projects that social entrepreneurs use to develop their businesses and nonprofits, such as presentations or pitches to prospective investors/donors, marketing materials, and a job announcement. Students will learn from local social entrepreneurs who share their experiences of using writing to succeed in the field.

Learn more here.

ENGL398N: Writing for Non-Profit Organizations

Examines professional writing and communication work in the non-profit sector. Students will analyze the audiences and document genres that they may encounter in real-world non-profit work and will learn how to compose many of these documents, from press releases and other public relations material to position papers, reports, and grant proposals. Students may also have the opportunity to add a service-learning component to the course by working with and for an area non-profit.

Learn more here.

HESI320: Social Action Seminar

The use of leadership theories to inform the practice of addressing social issues in society, on campus, or within the surrounding community. Students will: identify a current and compelling social issue; explore the historical, social, and political aspects of social issues; identify and select applicable leadership theories to confront the social issue; create and develop a plan that integrates leadership theories and the social issue; and implement and evaluate the overall social action project.

Learn more here.

IDEA258A & 258C: Innovation and Making Change

PLCY213: Foundations of Nonprofit Leadership & Social Innovation

PLCY310: Nonprofit Leadership and Social Innovation in Action

PLCY388D: Innovation and Social Change-Do Good Now

PLCY 388G: Special Topics in Public Policy; Global Perspectives on Leading and Investing in Social Change

This course will define philanthropy and explore how a person or group can deploy resources to achieve a positive and lasting impact. During the semester, the class will go through the challenging and exciting process of ultimately granting approximately $7,500 to an organization that we believe can use these resources to achieve an impact on an issue of international significance.

Learn more here.

Before taking this class, social change seemed like a huge insurmountable goal. But now, I have practical tools and techniques to make a change. As a result, change doesn't seem so scary anymore.

Tesfe Freshman

Learn About the Nonprofit Leadership and Social Innovation Minor

Most of the class activities push me to think outside the box, and this has helped me rewire my thinking and understanding of how change could happen. I loved it.

Yuan Junior