MBA in Entrepreneurship
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Small businesses have traditionally been regarded as the lifeblood of the American economy, but it’s not easy to create a successful venture. In reality, a significant number of businesses fail within a few years.
It’s important for aspiring entrepreneurs to arm themselves with the knowledge and experience it takes to start a lasting business. Earning a master of business administration (MBA) in entrepreneurship can provide a strong foundation of business skills, networking, and mentorship to assist people in bringing good ideas to fruition. Students not only learn how to start a business but also how to expand an existing company and how to effectively launch a new product or service.
Entrepreneurship MBA graduates may seek careers such as consultants, product development managers, business development directors, technology officers, startup founders, market strategists, and franchise managers, among many other roles.
Graduates who are employed by others typically can expect increased salaries and opportunities for advancement after graduating from an MBA program. And fortunately for working professionals who want to earn an advanced degree without relocating or giving up their jobs, there’s a variety of online MBAs—including some focused on entrepreneurship—to give them the flexibility to level up their knowledge.
Read on to discover what to expect from an online MBA in entrepreneurship, including discussions of typical coursework, program accreditation, and cost.
| Featured Entrepreneurship Programs | ||
|---|---|---|
| University of North Carolina | MBA@UNC Online MBA - Entrepreneurship | View Full Profile |
| Babson College | Online MBA - Entrepreneurship | View Full Profile |
| Ohio University | Online MBA - Business Venturing | View Full Profile |
| Syracuse University | Online MBA - Entrepreneurship | View Full Profile |
| Pepperdine University | Online MBA - Digital Innovation and Information Systems | View Full Profile |
Online MBA in Entrepreneurship Programs
Babson College’s F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business offers a unique online MBA program in entrepreneurship. Known as a global leader in business and entrepreneurship, Babson has coursework in finance; financial reporting; managing people and organizations; business analytics; marketing; pperations and information management; and strategy, among others.
This 45-credit degree program does not require GRE or GMAT scores to apply, but enrollees typically have five to ten years of work experience.
| Location: Wellesley, MA |
| Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) |
| Expected Time to Completion: 18 months or more |
| Estimated Tuition: $1,990 per credit |
| SARA Participant: Yes |
Southern New Hampshire University offers an MBA in entrepreneurship, either online or on-campus. Students complete 24 credits in business core coursework, nine credits in entrepreneurship coursework, and finish with a capstone project for three credits, for a total of 36 credits. Entrepreneurship electives include small business management, consulting, and franchising instruction. Applicants must have an undergraduate degree. GRE/GMAT exams are not required and neither is a campus visit. Depending on courses already taken during their undergraduate degree, students may be required to take basic business classes before acceptance to the MBA program.
| Location: Manchester, NH |
| Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges (school), Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (program) |
| Expected Time to Completion: One to two years |
| Estimated Tuition: $627 per credit |
| SARA Participant: Yes |
The Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University offers an online master of business administration in entrepreneurship program. Students take 36 credit-hours of business core coursework, 15 credit-hours of entrepreneurship coursework, and finish with three residency credits, for a total of 54 credit-hours. The entrepreneurship specialization is designed to teach the skills needed to start up a business or social venture. Students employed within an established business learn methods to build growth in their company. Applicants are required to have a bachelor’s degree and one year of professional experience. The GRE/GMAT exams are waived for students who have five or more years of professional experience. All the coursework is available on-campus or online; however, online students must attend three residencies for workshops and networking. Residencies are available in various locations, including overseas.
| Location: Syracuse, NY |
| Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (school), Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (program) |
| Expected Time to Completion: Two years |
| Estimated Tuition: $1,500 per credit |
| SARA Participant: Yes |
Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business and Management provides a wealth of online MBA specializations, including one in entrepreneurship. This program has competitive admissions and requires GMAT or GRE scores. A waiver is available for those with at least three years of professional experience and a STEM degree.
The online MBA in entrepreneurship has courses such as entrepreneurship and the generation of new venture ideas; building a business model; launching a new venture; and the feasibility of new venture ideas. The core business classes include behavior in organizations; quantitative analyses for business operations; accounting information and control systems; financial management of the firm; and marketing management, among others.
| Location: Malibu, CA |
| Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) |
| Expected Time to Completion: Two years or more |
| Estimated Tuition: $1,920 per credit |
| SARA Participant: No |
An online MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Kenan-Flagler Business School requires 34 credits of business core curriculum and 32 credits of entrepreneurship electives for a total of 66 credits. Entrepreneurship coursework focuses on subjects such as new ventures discovery, business discovery, and technology management. All coursework is available online; however, online students are required to attend immersion weekends at the end of each quarter. Students may attend all four, but are only required to attend two. The costs of the immersions, except for travel, are included in the tuition. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree and a minimum of two years of professional work experience. GRE/GMAT testing may be waived depending on the number of years worked and the kind of work experience.
| Location: Chapel Hill, NC |
| Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (school), Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (program) |
| Expected Time to Completion: Two years |
| Estimated Tuition: $1,728.45 per credit |
| SARA Participant: Yes |
Utica College offers an MBA in entrepreneurship that’s fully online or a blended format of online and on-campus classes. Students complete 15 hours of business core coursework, 12 hours of entrepreneurship coursework, and finish with a capstone project, for a total of 30 credit-hours. The entrepreneurship coursework is designed to enable professionals to bring their product or service ideas to market. Students learn about business models, how to perform audience/market analysis, create revenue streams, and develop a prototype. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree and two years work experience, but they aren’t required to take GRE/GMAT exams or visit campus.
| Location: Utica, NY |
| Accreditation: The Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (school), candidate for accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (program) |
| Expected Time to Completion: Two years if part-time |
| Estimated Tuition: $650 per credit; plus $70 per online course |
| SARA Participant: Yes |
Strayer University offers an abundance of online MBA programs, including a concentration in digital entrepreneurship. This innovative program comprises 54 credits in courses such as high growth digital start-up management; digital business operations; and technology and product management. The core classes in this unique program include leadership and organizational behavior; strategic management; business communications; managerial economics and globalization; marketing management; financial accounting for managers; business statistics; and law, ethics, and corporate governance.
Notably, Strayer University does not require GMAT or GRE scores or any professional work experience to apply. It offers four start dates per year.
| Location: Washington DC |
| Accreditation: Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) |
| Expected Time to Completion: 15 months or more |
| Estimated Tuition: $597 per credit |
| SARA Participant: Yes |
The Northeastern University D’Amore-McKim School of Business offers a master of business administration in innovation entrepreneurship program that’s either fully online and partially online and on-campus. Students must complete 13 business core courses and five electives, for a total of 50 credits. Students may opt for a dual degree and obtain an online or on-campus master of science (MS) in finance with their MBA. The innovation entrepreneurship coursework includes classes such as managing operations, services and retail business creation, new venture creation, global social entrepreneurship and innovation, entrepreneurial finance for high tech companies, and new product development. Online applicants must have an undergraduate degree and five years of professional experience. If they have less than five years experience, GMAT scores are required. Students are not required to visit the campus. Online MBA students can complete a campus-based residency for a one-week intensive course in place of one elective. Online MBA students in good standing who have completed one year of core coursework may opt for an international field study residency. Locations vary.
| Location: Boston, MA |
| Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges (school), Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (program) |
| Expected Time to Completion: Two years |
| Estimated Tuition: $1,560 per credit |
| SARA Participant: Pending |
Professors to Know in Online MBA in Entrepreneurship Programs
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Edmund (Ted) Clark, MBA Northeastern University
Edmund (Ted) Clark is an associate academic specialist and the executive professor of entrepreneurship and innovation at Northeastern University D'Amore-McKim School of Business, where he teaches entrepreneurship, small business management, marketing, and the management of family businesses. He is experienced in business startups, consulting, developing business-to-business strategy, and financial services. He on the board of directors for the Family Firm Institute and is co-chair of the Massachusetts Family Business Awards program. He holds an MBA and a BS in industrial technology.
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Patricia Swann, MA Utica College
Patricia Swann is an associate professor in the Utica College MBA program, a senior faculty member who specializes in public relations and the former dean of Utica’s School of Business and Justice Studies. She has won numerous national, state, and local awards for her career activities and writing, including a widely-used textbook. She has a bachelor of arts in mass communication and a master’s of arts in public relations. Notably, she has more than 20 years experience working in the communications industry, as well as extensive experience as a dean and instructor.