Objectives  

The M.S. in Innovation and Entrepreneurship (MSIE) prepares students for successful business careers in entrepreneurial new ventures, entrepreneurial finance (venture capital/private equity), or innovation-related roles in mature organizations (product planning, product marketing, product development, etc.). This degree complements baccalaureate or advanced degrees in a business, scientific or engineering discipline, and is valued by employers in technology-related or consumer products industries.  

The program provides students with a solid foundation in the management disciplines essential to the successful innovation of new ideas, new products and new business models, whether in the context of an entrepreneurial startup or within the more structured environment of a mature organization.    

Prerequisites  

Prerequisite knowledge in statistics is a requirement for the program. Candidates who have not taken equivalent courses will need to take OPRE 6301 to meet the statistics requirement. Degree credit is not earned for program prerequisites.

Degree Requirements  

The University’s general degree requirements are discussed here.

The Master of Science in Innovation and Entrepreneurship degree has been designed for students with or without previous educational background in innovation and entrepreneurship. The M.S. degree is obtained by completing a 36-hour program, beyond prerequisite courses, consisting of: (a) basic core courses; (b) courses in a selected concentration area; and (c) electives.  

The student may elect to submit a Master’s thesis, which counts as three credit hours toward the total course requirements.

The MSIE degree requires 18 hours of basic core courses, which provide a solid foundation in the management disciplines essential to the successful innovation of new ideas, new products and new business models, including foundational courses in entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial finance.  

The curriculum also provides two concentration areas, the first focused on entrepreneurial startups (New Venture concentration) and the second on the challenges of managing entrepreneurial innovation within the more structured environment of a mature organization (Innovation within the Corporation concentration). The student must take a minimum of 12 hours within one or the other of the designated concentration areas.  

An additional six hours of electives may be chosen from among any of the concentration area courses not already taken, the other ENTP electives offered or, with permission, from among any of the other SOM offerings in the ACCT, BPS, FIN, IMS, MIS, MKT, OPRE, or OB areas.  

Basic Core Courses (18 hours)¹ 

Each candidate must satisfactorily complete the 18-hour basic core consisting of the following courses:

ACCT 6305 Accounting for Managers
OB 6301 Organizational Behavior
MKT 6301 Introduction to Marketing
BPS 6310 Strategic Management²
ENTP 6370 Entrepreneurship
ENTP/FIN 6315 Entrepreneurial Finance²  

1  Business statistics is required as a prerequisite for the degree program. Candidates who have not taken an equivalent course will need to take OPRE 6301 to meet the statistics requirement. If required, OPRE 6301 may be included as an additional elective in completing the degree program.

2  FIN 6301 is a prerequisite for both BPS 6310 and ENTP/FIN 6315. The FIN 6301 requirement will be waived if the student has satisfactorily completed an equivalent course with a grade of B or better. If required, FIN 6301 may be included as an additional elective in completing the degree program.

Concentration Area Courses (12 hours)

Each candidate must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours within the selection of courses offered within one or the other of the two concentration areas:

New Venture Concentration

ENTP 6387 Forecasting Industry and Technology Futures
ENTP 6390 Business Model Innovation
ENTP 6380 Entrepreneurial Marketing
ENTP 6385 Entrepreneurial Business Strategies
ENTP 6378 Managing the Emerging Enterprise

Innovation within the Corporation Concentration

ENTP 6387 Forecasting Industry and Technology Futures
ENTP 6390 Business Model Innovation
ENTP 6375 Technology and New Product Development
ENTP 6388 Managing Innovation within the Corporation
ENTP 6398 The Entrepreneurial Experience

Elective Courses (3-6 hours)  

Students are required to complete a sufficient number of elective hours to earn a minimum of 36 hours toward the M.S. degree. These courses may be chosen from among: (a) the courses listed in the concentration areas above; or, (b) the entrepreneurship courses listed below:

ENTP/FIN 6316 Private Equity
ENTP 6382 Professional Selling
ENTP 6392 Entrepreneurship in the Social Sector
ENTP 6395 Topics in Innovation and Entrepreneurship

With faculty permission, a student may substitute up to two electives from other SOM offerings in the ACCT, BPS, ENTP, FIN, IMS, MIS, MKT, OPRE, or OB areas.  

For Further Information:

Dr. Joseph C. Picken	Madison F. Pedigo	James A. Parker, Asst. Director
Program Director	Associate Director	Graduate Recruiting
School of Management, 4.412	School of Management, 2.411	School of Management, 4.808
800 West Campbell Road SM 20	800 West Campbell Road SM 43	800 West Campbell Road SM 20
Richardson, TX 75080-3021	Richardson, TX 75080-3021	Richardson, TX 75080-3021
(972) 883-4986 [email protected]	(972) 883-4481 [email protected]	(972) 883-5842 [email protected]