Studies & Degrees in Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship Study Programs
Entrepreneurship is the study of how a new business, product or organisation is created, from the first idea to a working venture. It is taught as a subject in its own right and as a set of skills inside business, engineering and design degrees. The European Commission's EntreComp framework describes entrepreneurship as a competence with 3 areas (Ideas & Opportunities, Resources, and Into action), each split into five specific competences.
Students learn to detect opportunities, test an idea with customers, write a business plan, find funding and manage a young company. Typical courses cover business models, finance for start-ups, venture capital, intellectual property, marketing, sales and team leadership.
Qualifications and levels
- Bachelor's degree. Some universities offer a full degree in the subject. In Spain a bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits. Universidad Camilo José Cela, for example, teaches a Grado en Emprendimiento y Gestión de Empresas of 4 years and 240 ECTS credits, on campus in Madrid and in Spanish. During the degree students create their own company and present the project to a panel of teachers, investors and entrepreneurs.
- Minor or concentration. In the United States entrepreneurship is often a major, a minor or a concentration added to another degree. Worcester Polytechnic Institute offers a minor of six courses that is open to all its students, regardless of major. At the University of Washington, the Arthur W. Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship supports students from all majors with courses, workshops and competitions.
- Master's degree. A master's degree usually takes one or two years. The University of Jyväskylä offers a two-year, full-time master's programme in International Business and Entrepreneurship of 120 ECTS credits, taught in English. EU Business School Barcelona offers a one-year Master in Innovation & Entrepreneurship of 60 ECTS credits in English. EAE Business School offers a Máster en Emprendimiento e Innovación of 60 ECTS credits in Spanish, taught full time over 10 months.
- Short courses and support programmes. Many universities run incubators, boot camps and venture competitions that do not lead to a degree. Hofstra's Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, for example, organises boot camps, workshops and mentor sessions.
Check what kind of qualification a programme awards. In Spain an official master's degree (máster universitario) has 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. Universities also award their own lifelong-learning qualifications, such as the Máster de Formación Permanente, and the law requires them to be clearly distinguished from official degrees. EU Business School states that its master leads to a título propio (Máster de Formación Permanente) awarded by Universitat de Vic – Universitat Central de Catalunya and to a private degree from EU Business School Switzerland. EAE states that its graduates receive a Máster de Formación Permanente from the Universidad Internacional de la Empresa (UNIE) and a master's from EAE Business School. For any other programme, ask the school what recognition the qualification has.
Fees depend on the school. In October 2026 EU Business School lists €5,450 per term for its one-year master in Barcelona. The University of Jyväskylä lists a tuition fee of €12,000 for its programme, which applies to students from non-EU/EEA countries.
Where to study it
This directory lists 79 active schools that teach entrepreneurship. The United States has 45, Spain 10 and the United Kingdom 5. France, Slovenia and Switzerland have 2 each.
In Spain the listed schools include EU Business School Barcelona, ESEI International Business School and Global Business School Barcelona, all in Barcelona, and the Centro Universitario Internacional of Universidad Pablo de Olavide in Seville. In the United States the list includes the University of Washington, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Hofstra University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Elsewhere, the listed schools include Lancaster University in the United Kingdom, the University of Jyväskylä in Finland, VIA University College in Denmark and EU Business School Munich.
English is the usual language of instruction in the United States and the United Kingdom, and in the international programmes named above in Finland and Barcelona. Universidad Camilo José Cela and EAE teach in Spanish.
Careers
Some graduates start their own company. Others join a family business or a start-up, or lead new products inside an established company. A degree does not make a venture succeed; results depend on the idea, the team, the funding and the market.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) notes that small businesses are typically the entry point for entrepreneurs. It also tracks how many new business establishments survive from year to year, and reports that survival rates vary by industry: health care and social assistance ranks among the highest, and construction among the lowest. For those who go on to run a company, the BLS counted 3,890,600 jobs for top executives in the United States in 2025 and projects growth of 5 percent from 2025 to 2035. These roles typically require at least a bachelor's degree and considerable work experience.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a degree to become an entrepreneur?
No. Nobody needs a qualification to start a business. A degree gives structured training in finance, marketing and management, time to test an idea and access to mentors and investors.
Can I study entrepreneurship without a business background?
Yes, in many cases. Worcester Polytechnic Institute opens its minor to students of any major, and the Buerk Center at the University of Washington works with students from all majors and disciplines. Master's programmes set their own admission requirements, so check them with each school.
Is a master's in entrepreneurship an official degree in Spain?
It depends on the programme. Some are official master's degrees and others are the university's or the school's own qualifications, which Spanish law requires to be distinguished from official degrees. Ask the school before you enrol.