About the Course

course description

This is a 6-credit experiential learning course that gives students an opportunity to work directly for social ventures under the guidance of a faculty instructor and professional mentors.

You will have opportunities to manage teams, solve real-life problems, and gain hands-on business experience, which will strengthen your soft skills, help you implement academic business concepts in a practical way, and will greatly improve your ability to compete in the job market.

The course is offered in both sem 1 and sem 2 and each of the semesters has its own recruitment process and timeline - please refer to the Apply page for more details.

What is social entrepreneurship?

Social entrepreneurship is one of the most exciting business trends in the past several decades. By combining the efficiency of business education with the nobility of helping society, many hope that social ventures will be able to help to cure ills suffered by the most vulnerable.

The importance of social entrepreneurship is gaining recognition worldwide and is increasingly popular in Hong Kong.

Social Entrepreneurship

How does the course work?

Students commit to work 10 hours per week for their respective company which starts and ends at the same time when the semester. There is no class time or final exam but there are some orientation sessions as well as voluntary seminars or talks throughout the semester that the students are encouraged to attend to make the best out of their time in the course. Students might or might not be required to work from an office (some social enterprises are very small and have no office space). Also, see the course syllabus for more information on assessment & grading.

Who can apply?

Students from all faculties, including exchange students*, are encouraged to apply.

*Please note that while exchange students are able to take this course, they will not be offered formal internships because of their visa status. Instead, exchange students will be given instructor-supervised course projects relating to strategic aspects of our partner social enterprises.

When & HOW DO I APPLY?

SEMESTER 1 (FALL), SEMESTER 2 (SPRING), SUMMER SEMESTER

To start the course in the Fall Semester, students need to apply in August
To start the course in the Spring Semester, students need to apply in January

To apply, fill out the application form and include your CV/Resume and Cover Letter (see the "apply" section for more information). It is advised to apply early as placements are limited and preference will be given to students who applied earlier. Applications are received and considered directly by the social enterprise(s) of interest that the students are applying to.

NOTE: Students cannot add the course manually on Moodle; they will have to be accepted by the social enterprise first after which they will receive a registration link.

Anything else?

Applicants may be invited to attend interviews for evaluation of the following:

Specific knowledge in relevant areas (anything you claimed on your CV such as design skills, programming, etc.)
Interpersonal and communication skills (do you communicate professionally?)
Organizational skills with the ability to work independently and self-motivate
Analytical skill and the ability to strategize and solve abstract problems