We are an “open door” institution. All of our curriculum materials, case studies, syllabi and supporting documents are available for use with all academic institutions around the world.
For full list of Dialogue of Civilization’s elective designation through the International Affairs Department, please click here
For a complete list of Regional and Global electives through the International Affairs Department, please click here
FAQ’s about the Dialogue of Civilizations program, please visit the IAF website here
“By participating in this program, I can honestly say that I learned a lot about social entrepreneurship, micro-finance, South Africa, and how the world works. I found class discussions very engaging and they often challenged conventional wisdom.”
Stephanie Page, Class of 2011, CBA Finance
Undergraduate Courses
Social Entrepreneurship is designed to provide students with an in-depth exposure to entrepreneurship in the social sector, a rapidly growing segment of the global economy.
ENTR2206: Social Entrepreneurship
Social Entrepreneurship is designed to provide students with an in-depth exposure to entrepreneurship in the social sector, a rapidly growing segment of the global economy. The course uses the case method to expose students to leading entrepreneurs who have developed and implemented business models to solve social problems such as extreme poverty, disease, illiteracy, and economic and social dislocation. Academic focus is on uniquely creative and driven people who have dedicated their lives to making a difference in the lives of others through values-based entrepreneurship. This course is the required core class for all SEI academic programs.
Global elective (International Affairs majors/minors only)
ENTR3219: Microfinance, Lending to the Poor
Investigates, analyzes, and addresses one of the core questions surrounding micro-finance: Can business, through micro-lending programs, truly address the needs of the desperately poor (3 billion people living on $2 or less per day) in a meaningful, scalable, and sustainable way—where government intervention and charitable relief have failed? The course seeks to enable students to engage in both a theoretical analysis and practical examination of the field of micro-finance and address the question of the impact of microcredit and micro-enterprise development on alleviating extreme poverty in developing countries. With the recognition provided by the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to micro-finance pioneer Muhammad Yunus, micro-finance is currently heralded as a successful global development tool.
ENTR4506: Advanced Studies in Social Entrepreneurship in the Developing World
Focuses on a single developing country. Offers an opportunity to analyze the role of socially-driven entrepreneurship or “social impact enterprises” (SIEs) in alleviating poverty and its symptoms (for example, disease, illiteracy and chronic unemployment) in that country. To prepare for an intensive field experience working with local SIEs on one or more hands-on projects, students have an opportunity to study the history, politics, and development of the country, with an emphasis on the role that private-sector initiatives have played and hope to play in addressing widespread poverty and with a focus on the failures and successes in economic and business development, economic growth, and poverty alleviation. Offers students an opportunity to develop a plan for a micro-investment strategy focused on these and/or similar businesses and organizations having a significant social impact in a developing country. Includes an optional nine-day field component in a developing country during spring break; students who do not participate in the field component are given an alternative research assignment. ENTR2206: Social Entrepreneurship is the required prerequisite necessary for this class.
Dominican Republic Field Research Study Program
ENTR3316: Micro-finance & Economic Development in Latin America
Regional Elective in Latin America (International Affairs majors/minors only)
Comparative Study of Cultures NU Core requirement (University wide)
ENTR3318: Business, Economics & History of Hispaniola and Latin America
Regional Elective in Latin America (International Affairs majors/minors only)
Comparative Study of Cultures NU Core requirement (University wide)
South Africa Field Research Study Program
ENTR3306: Global Development Entrepreneurship
Regional Elective in Africa (International Affairs majors/minors only)
Comparative Study of Cultures NU Core requirement (University wide)
ENTR3308: Business Economic History of Modern South Africa
Regional Elective in Africa (International Affairs majors/minors only)
Comparative Study of Cultures NU Core requirement (University wide)