Social Innovation for Leaders of Today
A New Approach to Leading Change
The Doctor of Social Innovation is designed for experienced professionals who see opportunities to bring about meaningful change in their organizations, professions, industries, communities and society. Rather than preparing students to enter a new profession, the DSI provides advanced doctoral training that equips professionals to build on their existing expertise, develop innovative solutions to complex challenges and lead those innovations from idea to action.
Today's leaders must do more than identify problems or generate new ideas. They must understand the people and systems affected by a challenge, work collaboratively with key stakeholders, draw upon evidence and diverse perspectives, and develop solutions that respond to real needs. Just as importantly, they must be able to build support for new approaches, navigate complexity and lead the organizational, community and systems change required for innovation to take hold and create meaningful impact.
Diverse Backgrounds. Shared Purpose.
The interdisciplinary nature of the DSI creates a dynamic learning environment where experienced professionals from different disciplines learn with — and from — one another.
Our students may include:
- Healthcare executives
- Nonprofit and community leaders
- Government administrators
- Educators and higher education leaders
- Behavioral health professionals
- Technology and innovation leaders
- Corporate and mission-driven executives
- Social entrepreneurs
- Military and veteran-serving professionals
- Philanthropic and foundation leaders
- Public policy professionals
- Consultants and organizational development leaders
The diversity of experiences within each cohort reflects the collaborative nature of innovation and prepares students to work effectively across disciplines, professions, and sectors.
Leading Innovation Across Sectors
Social innovation can happen wherever people are working to improve organizations, systems, and society. DSI students and graduates lead across the public, private, nonprofit, healthcare, education, philanthropic, entrepreneurial and technology sectors, applying innovative thinking to the challenges and opportunities they encounter in their professional settings.
Whether transforming an organization, launching a new initiative, improving services, influencing policy, strengthening systems or developing a new approach to a persistent challenge, DSI professionals are prepared to devise innovative solutions and lead the change necessary to move them from idea to implementation and impact.
Learning Through Application
Innovation is not confined to the classroom. Throughout the program, students connect doctoral learning to the real-world challenges and opportunities they encounter in their organizations, communities, and other professional settings. They apply innovative thinking, human-centered design, systems approaches and change leadership to develop and advance solutions, engage key stakeholders and build support for new approaches.
Students also learn to test, evaluate, and refine innovations on the path to implementation and impact. This applied approach allows working professionals to apply their learning in real time while developing the advanced knowledge and leadership capabilities needed to lead innovation throughout their careers.
A Community of Leaders
The DSI brings together experienced professionals committed to innovation, collaboration, and meaningful change. Students develop lasting relationships with faculty and peers from diverse professional, disciplinary, and cultural backgrounds, creating a global network of leaders who bring different perspectives to shared organizational and societal challenges.
As members of the USC Trojan Family, DSI graduates join a worldwide community of leaders working across sectors, professions and communities to shape the future through innovation and leadership.