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SEER Certificate Requirements

As part of the learning goals for the learning goals for the SEER certificate, students will fulfill requirements in three areas: Academic, Community and Service.

Academic Requirement

Students must complete six units from the list below. In addition, students will take STGY 645: Responsible Business Practice Capstone, which is a 2-unit elective course and therefore does not replace the STGY 659 core courses as part of the MBA program. All courses listed below are two (2) units with the exception of OTMT 672, ENTR 624, and ENTR 625 which are four (4) units each.

The following courses are available at one of the regional campuses (Calabasas, Encino, Irvine, or West LA) in addition to the Malibu campus.

BSCI 635 Leadership and Ethics
DESC 636 Project Management
DESC 637 Multiple Attribute Decision Analysis
ENTR 624 Building a Business Model
ENTR 625 Launching a New Venture
ENTR 661 Entrepreneurship and the Generation of New Venture Ideas
ENTR 662 The Feasibility of New Venture Ideas
ISTM 624 Big Data Management
ISTM 663 Managing DIIS Security, Privacy, and Ethics
OTMT 671 Cross-Cultural Management
OTMT 672 Organizational Dynamics and Managing Change
PGBS 693 Global Business Intensive
Course Number Name

The courses listed below are available at the Malibu campus.

STGY 640 Social Entrepreneurship
Course Number Name
BSCI 631 Leadership and Organizational Success
ECNM 649 Doing Business in Emerging Markets
LEGL 625 Public Company Law and Ethics: From IPO to Going Private
LEGL 630 Environmental Law and Business
MKTG 677 Consumer Behavior
OTMT 618 Designing and Managing International Organizations
OTMT 632 Organizational Development and Human Resource Management
OTMT 641 The Role of Business in Society
OTMT 643 Acquiring Wealth, Power & Success, Morally and Ethically
OTMT 644 SEER Metrics: Defining and Communicating

Alternatively, students can fulfill the academic requirement by completing 1) the Entrepreneurship concentration (i.e., ENTR 661, ENTR 662, ENTR 624 and ENTR 625) and 2) a business plan, as the final deliverable for ENTR 625, that adequately addresses the four SEER macro-values that has been reviewed by the SEER Committee. 

For a complete course description, please refer to the Academic Catalog. 

Community Requirement

All students pursuing the SEER Certificate are asked to join the Pepperdine chapter of Net Impact, a global leadership organization of more than 100,000 students and professionals committed to nurturing an extensive and influential network of current and future business visionaries who believe in making a profit while affecting a positive social and environmental change.  

Benefits of joining Net Impact include:

  • Career resources and a dedicated job board
  • Connection to vibrant local professional chapters hosting a variety of inspiring events and networking opportunities
  • Insights, including webinars and newsletters, to keep you up to date and informed on social and environmental business issues

 

In addition, by joining the gold-level Pepperdine chapter, FEMBA students have the opportunity to join their classmates in a variety of activities providing practical tools and knowledge on how to maximize positive business impact including:
  • Renowned speakers
  • Hands-on workshops
  • Networking events
  • Company tours
  • Opportunity to attend the annual National Net Impact Conference

This is an opportunity to differentiate yourself through a globally recognized organization and expand both your knowledge base and professional network. Many students include their Net Impact membership on resumes. 

Joining the Pepperdine Net Impact chapter is free and can be done through the Net Impact website.

Service Requirement

To help operationalize the SEER concepts and content, and to more meaningfully connect with the broader community, students are asked to complete a service requirement. The service may take place in a variety of forms (some options are listed below), and include volunteering, working for a social enterprise, or participating in a research project with a GSBM faculty member. The goal is to create positive impact for your community or society as a whole.  Furthermore, as many organizations are increasingly looking for employees with volunteer experience, this can only help you stand out from other candidates. 

Suggested service options include:

  • Attend Net Impact conference and submit report to faculty chair.
  • Help plan and coordinate a Net Impact project.
  • Help plan and coordinate the annual SEER Symposium. 
  • Hold a Net Impact or Challenge 4 Charity (C4C) officer position. 
  • Provide research assistance to a faculty member in a SEER area.
  • SEER-approved internship during school (5+ hours/week).
  • Submit a qualifying SEER-focused business plan to the Business Plan Competition.
  • Perform at least 15 hours of volunteer work, either through Pepperdine’s C4C, or to an established non-profit/charity organization.

Additionally, FEMBA students will be given credit for starting or participating in a social and/or environmental initiative at their respective workplaces.

 

To track volunteer hours and/or record other service activities, please follow the steps below:

  1. Visit Track it Forward.
  2. Create an account.
  3. Once your account is created you can start logging hours/activities.
  4. Hours/activities will be approved by the Director of the SEER Program.