3 universities bettering the world through dynamic business degrees

In the past, there was a common belief that governments should solve society’s greatest challenges. The social responsibility of business, economist Milton Friedman argued in a landmark New York Times essay, was to generate profit. Providing employment, eliminating discrimination, avoiding pollution and tackling other issues should be left to the politicians. 

Today, that view is changing. Businesses are part of the United Nations’s pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals. With every passing year, they are compelled to find solutions to societal issues far outside their core markets. What’s more, business is the only institution seen as competent and ethical, according to the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer, which surveyed over 32,000 respondents in 28 countries. 

Getting into the best business schools will teach you the foundation of corporate social responsibility. Above all, it inspires you to transform your entrepreneurial spirit into a force of good — turning ideas into world-changing products that positively impact your customers, society, and the world. To get started on your journey to saving the world, here are three schools with business degrees that transform students into potential future changemakers:

Viterbo University

With an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio, Viterbo University is able to provide personalised support for students to succeed. Source: Viterbo University

Located in La Crosse, Wisconsin — named as one of the top 25 best small college towns by USA Today — Dahl School of Business is more than just a place of learning; it’s a community that exudes camaraderie and excitement. Here, every student is valued as they learn to make a difference as an ethical and effective leader in organisations and society.

Take its MBA programme, for example. The programme aims to shape students into informed, ethical, and effective leaders who are committed to making a positive impact on organisations, the community, and the world. Core courses are current and dynamic: Leadership Skills in Organisations, Understanding the Numbers that Move the World, Global Finance, Complex Systems Change Strategies, Lean Six Sigma, Business Intelligence I: Mining, Metrics, and Stats. These are based on a framework of leadership and committed to an action-oriented approach to decision-making. As the MBA is designed with input from alumni and local employers, you’ll gain knowledge you can leverage in a wide range of in-demand areas, from data mining to human capital development. 

For those who aspire to be servant leaders in nonprofit organisations, business, government, health care, ministry, and education, consider the one-of-a-kind Master of Arts in Servant Leadership. Those seeking a broader examination of ethical leadership from different lenses will find the interdisciplinary Doctor of Education in Ethical Leadership a transformative preparation to become leaders who can meet the demands of 21st-century organisations. Current medical doctors, dentists and other healthcare professionals seeking to advance to leadership roles can join the MBA in Health Care Leadership to open and seize greater opportunities in their organisations and careers.

However, your education here isn’t solely about readying you for a thriving change-making career in business and beyond. Whichever programme you’re in, you’ll receive instruction in leadership, a feature that develops you into a strong leader who has a desire or passion for helping and serving others and making organisations and communities stronger. So what are you waiting for? Click here to learn more about Dahl School of Business.

UC Irvine

Paul Merage School of Business is reframing its curricula to offer a digital learning experience. Source: UC Irvine

New technologies such as augmented reality, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence are redefining many industries. To lead the disruption of today and tomorrow, Paul Merage School of Business is reframing its curricula to offer a digital learning experience. 

With its hybrid Fully Employed MBA classes and the expansion of BA undergraduate online offerings, they are changing how students take digital courses. Its digital learning team focuses on three-course design goals: intentionally minimising transactional distance, incorporating diverse opportunities for learning connections and designing active digital learning experiences. 

Every graduate student can learn from distinguished speakers. The Dean’s Thought Leadership Series features a diverse array of prominent international affairs practitioners for insightful perspectives and thought-provoking discussions on international relations, leadership, and other relevant topics that impact our focus areas — all led by the Dean of Paul Merage School of Business, Ian O. Williamson.

Such opportunities transform students into future leaders in a digitally driven world. Alum Ramin Mousavi is now making a difference as CEO of CathWorks, a startup that aims to solve a major crisis in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease, which accounts for half of the cardiovascular deaths in the country every year. 

Last year, Mousavi and his team entered a partnership with Medtronic, the largest medical device company in the world. Paying it forward, he’s now a member of the Dean’s Advisory Board and has mentored competitors in the New Venture Competition, which the Beall Centre runs for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

University of Miami

At the University of Miami, postgraduate business programmes are always improving. Source: The University of Miami Patti and Allan Herbert Business School/Facebook

University of Miami’s Herbert Business School is where you learn what you are capable of. This triple crown accredited school ensures you can achieve the career of your dreams by taking a leadership role in ethics education through its innovative academic programmes, extracurricular activities, community outreach, and research agenda. After all, one of the school’s core missions is to prepare students to be “principled leaders” who can effectively meet the ethical challenges they will face in the workplace. 

What sets this faculty apart is how its undergraduate, master’s, doctoral, and executive education programmes cover a wide scope of literacies that leaders, professionals and managers need. By boldly bridging disciplines and sectors, these programmes empower students to advance change and solve problems. 

If you’re looking for a programme that fits your busy schedule and commitments, check out the Online MBA. This programme — which can be completed in as little as 16 months — covers topics such as management, economics, marketing, finance, business law, and technology. A forward-thinking curriculum, combined with Miami’s unique position as a business hub and gateway to Latin American business, will help ensure you graduate prepared to take on new roles in international organisations.

A real-time component of this online MBA is two in-person immersion experiences at the University of Miami campus. The immersion experiences will last approximately three to five days and feature keynotes from industry insiders, group case studies, and a variety of networking opportunities.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International