The University of Michigan School of Social Work announced the launch of a new Master of Arts in Social Impact Leadership program last month that will begin in fall 2026. Starting as a full-time residential program before expanding to include a part-time online option in fall 2027, the program aims to prepare students to tackle complex social problems through leadership across nonprofit, government and private sectors.
Students in the program will complete leadership-focused courses on impact measurement, financial literacy and digital skills. They will also complete a year-long community-based project with professional mentorship.
In an email to The Michigan Daily, Katie Richards-Schuster, associate professor of social work, wrote the program reflects a shift toward preparing students to address complex social problems through cross-sector leadership.
“The launch reflects the growing recognition that today’s complex social challenges require leaders who can work effectively across sectors – nonprofit, government, and for-profit – with specialized skills in areas like impact measurement, financial management, and technology integration,” Richards-Schuster wrote. “There’s an increasing demand for professionals who can bridge traditional silos and apply evidence-based approaches to create meaningful social change.”
In an interview with The Daily, John Tropman, professor of social work, said the program builds on the Social Work School’s long-standing strength in macro-level social work. Macro social work focuses on the big picture – as opposed to individual-level social workers — and includes non-profit leadership, policy advocacy and organizational development.
“We have one of the bigger macro programs among social work schools, and we have been a leader in macro, so we do have quite a bit, but we’re trying to beef that up a little bit by having also a second degree,” Tropman said. “Sometimes the reputation of social work tends to fall on the clinical side, so that if people have another degree in social impact, that looks pretty good. I think it strengthens the credentials of somebody who might be misinformed about the macro side of social work.”
Richards-Schuster wrote the program’s curriculum was intentionally structured to connect theory with practice through hands-on projects.
“Students will work on real-world social impact projects throughout the program, moving from conceptualization through implementation and evaluation,” Richards-Schuster wrote. “The curriculum is structured around ensuring students connect academic learning to practical application. Students will apply frameworks like root cause analysis, systems thinking, and theories of change to their actual projects.”
Social Work student Katherine Maugh told The Daily she would recommend the program to peers who are passionate about leadership and social justice.
“This program is centered around community-based projects and social justice values, and that is a huge part of what makes it like social work,” Maugh said. “I feel like especially people (who) are super passionate on social impact leadership and kind of community-based levels of change in action would benefit from this program.”
Richards-Schuster said careful planning is being used to protect the program from the financial disruptions seen elsewhere at the University.
“We feel fortunate that the MA program is not affected by some of the same disruptions that have impacted other academic programs at the UM,” Richards-Schuster wrote. “The MA will start as a small program to ensure sustainable support and growth.”
Tropman said the Social Work School is also considering other opportunities for professional development similar to the Ross School of Business executive education programs.
“What we don’t have, which the Ross Business School has, is an executive education program,” Tropman said. “So if you were, let’s say, a 35 year old associate director of a social work agency, and you wanted to improve your leadership skills in order to get to the next level, you probably don’t need a degree, but you may need a certificate. And so we were also thinking about developing a certificate program, but that’s not on deck right now.”
Richards-Schuster said early responses to the program have been enthusiastic.
“We have started to receive many inquiries about the program and are excited about the level of interest in the program thus far,” Richards-Schuster wrote. “We look forward to growing the program to meet interest over time.”
Daily Staff Reporter Kayla Lugo can be reached at klugo@umich.edu.
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