Study small business and entrepreneurship in Groningen to kickstart your entrepreneurial career, by starting your own firm or contributing to the entrepreneurial spirit and success of another company.
What are the challenges technology-oriented start-ups face? How can small firms and family businesses incorporate sustainability and make a positive impact in today’s society? What knowledge and competencies do entrepreneurs need to gain in order to start up?
Start-ups and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) comprise over 95% of businesses in many countries. At the same time, larger firms aim to become more agile to exploit new opportunities. Thus, the likelihood that you will work for one of these companies is high. We want to prepare you for this!
Many management programmes focus only on large businesses, whereas SMEs and entrepreneurial firms have specific characteristics. The MSc Business Administration - Small Business and Entrepreneurship (BA-SBE) programme stands out by teaching you about the strategic and managerial challenges small business owners and entrepreneurs face. You will learn how small business owners and entrepreneurs can effectively manage their businesses in an increasingly complex business environment.
We put a lot of emphasis on practice orientation and work together with many entrepreneurs and small business owners with diverse backgrounds (e.g., industry, gender, age, nationality, social goals). There is value to learning from practice and that is why we organize guest lectures and other events where you can connect with business professionals (e.g. during our start-up and small business safari). You will be able to link the specific theories on SMEs and entrepreneurship to practice by working on real-life cases and interviewing small business owners and business challenges. We collaborate with Innokite where you can develop your own business idea.
Our graduates work as entrepreneurs, small business consultants, in entrepreneurial departments of large businesses, and for organizations supporting start-ups and small firms.
We give you the freedom to develop yourself in more than one topic. You can choose from a wide range of electives (e.g. sustainability, digital transformation, business consulting, energy transition) and build your curriculum depending on your interests.
Are you a future entrepreneur with a vision for sustainability, digital transformation and renewable energy? During the MSc BA – SBE you can take a focus area in any of these topics and gain the knowledge and competence necessary to make a change.
The specific organizational and strategic challenges of
start-ups and smaller firms as well as family firms are discussed.
Typical questions we discuss with you are: What factors affect the
successful launching of new ventures and the management of
entrepreneurial firms? How can established small and large firms
keep their entrepreneurial orientation? How can start-ups and small
firms deal with challenges in an environment that is getting more
and more complex? How to manage taking over a family firm? We
discuss these questions against the background of themes such as
sustainability and digitalization.
The course assignments are practice-oriented. For example, in the
course Applied SB&E projects you work together with a small
business owner and entrepreneur for several months. You work with a
group of students to solve a business challenge the company is
facing. In the other courses, we offer innovative teaching designs
such as 'Living Teaching Case' The final component of the programme
is devoted to writing a thesis including doing research. You can
choose a topic that you like. In other programs, such customization
is not always possible, and we know that students really appreciate
this.
The practical orientation of our studies is very beneficial for
your employability after finishing the programme. Our aim is to
make the theory-practice connection visible every day of your study
year.
Throughout the one-year programme, you have the opportunity to
specialize in various fields by taking elective courses and focus
areas. Are you interested in digital transformation? Follow the
Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence focus area. Or perhaps
you want to learn about sustainable business models by taking the
Future Prosperity and Sustainability route.
| Semesters | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CoursesCourse Catalog > | 1a | 1b | 2a | 2b |
| Entrepreneurship & Small Business Strategy (5 EC) | ||||
| Small Business Management (5 EC) | ||||
| Elective(s) MSc BA SB&E (15 EC) A few examples are: Business Ethics; Sustainability: Strategies, Innovation & Change; Data-driven Business Processes; Digital Transformation Strategy; Energy Transition & Innovation; Financial and Economic Organization of Healthcare Markets; Innovation & Entrepreneurship; Regulating Energy Markets. The full list of electives can be found on Ocasys. | ||||
| Applied SB&E Projects (5 EC) | ||||
| Research & Skills for MSc BA (5 EC) | ||||
| New Ventures & Entrepreneurship (5 EC) | ||||
| Master's Thesis BA SB&E (20 EC) | ||||
| Programme options |
|---|
| Future Prosperity and Sustainability Focus Area (specialization) Focus on the sustainable developments in our current society by the increasing influence of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. The upcoming impact of the SDGs force companies to redefine their purpose and seek a path for meaningful contribution. But, what are companies responsible for, and who bears the burden of the consequences? Your skills and knowledge will prepare you to actively contribute to the strategic developments in this dynamic field. |
| Leadership and Governance (specialization) The Leadership and Governance focus area provides you with a deep understanding of both macro-level governance frameworks and micro-level leadership processes. This dual approach enables you to understand the broader implications of governance and leadership, while also recognizing the conditions that shape behavior, decision-making and organizational dynamics. |
| Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence Focus Area (specialization) Focus on the digital transformation within our society and understand how to successfully implement digital transformation in business. A successful digital transition allows businesses to conquer markets, witness industries converging, and step into the realm of winner-takes-all dynamics, like dominating tech-giants like Google and Facebook. |
| Energy Transition and Climate Change Focus Area (specialization) Focus on the serious changes within the energy sector by dealing with issues such as how firms adapt to renewable energy, how the higher taxes are managed during this transition and how to deal with the weather dependent production of energy systems. Gain the knowledge and skills to shape a sustainable future in this evolving energy sector. |
| Master Internship (specialization) Opportunity to gain work experience by doing an internship in the second semester of your study. You will be rewarded 15 ECTS on top of your programme. Your thesis will be postponed to the third semester. |
A study exchange semester is not included in the one-year programme. If you wish to spend a semester abroad, you will need to extend the study period by a semester. Please discuss this with the programme coordinator as study exchanges are not facilitated by the MSc BA - SBE programme.
| Specific requirements | More information |
|---|---|
| previous education |
Below you will see a table with 'transfer options'. Please check the entry requirements for your Bachelor's degree (from a research university of a university of applied sciences). If your degree is not mentioned in the table below, you can still apply via a Pre-Master's programme. For information on application and entry requirements, please check https://www.rug.nl/feb/premaster. The information about entry requirements is an indication of your admissibility. Every application will be reviewed individually by the Admissions board so the admission decision may differ from the indication in this table. |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| All Universities of applied sciences |
Via a pre-master with a maximum of The Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) has introduced the 30 EC and 45 EC Pre-Master's programmes. Depending on the HBO degree you will obtain, you will be able to follow the 30 EC or 45 EC variant. Read more: https://www.rug.nl/feb/premaster |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration | University of Groningen | No additional requirements |
| Econometrics and Operations Research | University of Groningen | No additional requirements |
| Economics and Business Economics | University of Groningen | No additional requirements |
| International Business | University of Groningen | No additional requirements |
| Industrial Engineering and Management | University of Groningen | No additional requirements |
| Psychology (NL) | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements More information:In addition to your BSc programme, you will need to complete a set of (extra) courses. For information, please contact the study advisors: https://www.rug.nl/feb/studyadvisors. |
| Sociology | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements More information:In addition to your BSc programme, you will need to complete a set of (extra) courses. For information, please contact the study advisors: https://www.rug.nl/feb/studyadvisors. |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Econometrics and Operations Research | Erasmus University Rotterdam | No additional requirements |
| Economics and Business Economics | Erasmus University Rotterdam | No additional requirements |
| Fiscale Economie | Erasmus University Rotterdam | No additional requirements |
| International Business Administration | Erasmus University Rotterdam | No additional requirements |
| Business Administration | Erasmus University Rotterdam | No additional requirements |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Public Administration Science | Leiden University |
No additional requirements More information:For profile Economics, Public Administration and Management. |
| Computer Science | Leiden University |
No additional requirements More information:For profile Informatica & Economie. |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Business Analytics | Maastricht University | No additional requirements |
| Business Engineering | Maastricht University | No additional requirements |
| Econometrics and Operations Research | Maastricht University | No additional requirements |
| Economics and Business Economics | Maastricht University | No additional requirements |
| Fiscale Economie | Maastricht University | No additional requirements |
| Global Studies | Maastricht University |
Via a pre-master with a maximum of You need to first complete the 45 EC (or less) Pre-Master's programme. For information about the Pre-MSc application and entry requirements, please check https://www.rug.nl/feb/premaster. |
| International Business | Maastricht University | No additional requirements |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Accountancy | Nyenrode New Business School | No additional requirements |
| Business Administration | Nyenrode New Business School | No additional requirements |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration | Radboud University Nijmegen | No additional requirements |
| Economics and Business Economics | Radboud University Nijmegen | No additional requirements |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| International Business Administration | Tilburg University | No additional requirements |
| Economics | Tilburg University | No additional requirements |
| Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation | Tilburg University | No additional requirements |
| Econometrics and Operations Research | Tilburg University | No additional requirements |
| Fiscale Economie | Tilburg University | No additional requirements |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Actuarial Science | University of Amsterdam | No additional requirements |
| Business Administration | University of Amsterdam | No additional requirements |
| Business Analytics | University of Amsterdam | No additional requirements |
| Econometrics and Data Science | University of Amsterdam | No additional requirements |
| Economics and Business Economics | University of Amsterdam | No additional requirements |
| Fiscale Economie | University of Amsterdam | No additional requirements |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| International Business Administration | University of Twente | No additional requirements |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Economics and Business Economics | Utrecht University | No additional requirements |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Management and Consumer Studies | Wageningen University | No additional requirements |
| Economics and Governance | Wageningen University | No additional requirements |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Business Analytics | VU University Amsterdam | No additional requirements |
| Econometrics and Operations Research | VU University Amsterdam | No additional requirements |
| International Business Administration | VU University Amsterdam | No additional requirements |
| Business Administration | VU University Amsterdam | No additional requirements |
Students with a Dutch diploma can apply directly to Studielink. More information on the steps to apply .
| Type of student | Deadline | Start course |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch students | 15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 |
| 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
| 15 October 2026 | 01 February 2027 | |
| EU/EEA students | 15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 |
| 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
| 15 October 2026 | 01 February 2027 | |
| non-EU/EEA students | 15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 |
| 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
| 15 October 2026 | 01 February 2027 |
| Specific requirements | More information |
|---|---|
| previous education |
To be eligible for admission to this Master, you need to hold an academic Bachelor's or Master's degree from a research university in one of the following - or closely related - fields: Business Economics, Business Administration, Econometrics and Operations Research, Economics and Business Economics, International Business, Technology Management. To assess whether your educational/academic background meets the specific programme requirements, we will consider the level and curriculum of your previous studies. For more information, please visit: https://www.rug.nl/feb/apply-msc. If you have any questions concerning admission to this programme, please contact our Admissions Office: https://www.rug.nl/admissions. |
| language test |
IELTS Academic overall score 6.5 (Speaking 6, Writing 6.5); TOEFL internet-based overall score 90 (Speaking 20, Writing 24); Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency (overall score 176, Speaking 169, Writing 176). |
| other admission requirements |
Not meeting the pre-education requirements for direct entry? Please read more about our pre-Master programmes. |
Students have to apply via Studielink and the Progress Portal (replacing the previous system, Online Application System OAS) of the University of Groningen. After you apply for the programme of your choice, the Admissions Office will evaluate your educational background and assess your eligibility. Your application will be assessed on an individual basis. More information on how to apply.
| Type of student | Deadline | Start course |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch students | 15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 |
| 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
| 15 October 2026 | 01 February 2027 | |
| EU/EEA students | 15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 |
| 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
| 15 October 2026 | 01 February 2027 | |
| non-EU/EEA students | 15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 |
| 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
| 15 October 2026 | 01 February 2027 |
Testimonials of entrepreneurs
"We had a great experience working with students from the MSc Small Business and Entrepreneurship programme at UG. Their insights and recommendations helped us working on a critical business challenge exploring potential future markets, and their dedication and fresh perspectives were invaluable." - Richard Rushby (Co-Founder SG Papertronics)
"I am very happy about working with the MSc Small Business and Entrepreneurship students who prepared a great report for my early-stage venture. Their analysis of our start-up challenge provided important insights contributing to our future strategy." - Mariska van der Hoek (CEO - modAlgae)
As a graduate of the MSc Business Administration Small Business and Entrepreneurship, you will have contemporary and practical knowledge, the ability to drive action and see opportunities in SMEs along with the entrepreneurial skills to embark on various career paths. You may find work in several positions such as an entrepreneur, SME manager, corporate entrepreneur, or SME consultant or you might start your own company.
such as banks, consulting firms, venture capitalists/financial investors, governmental organizations at different levels, franchising firms, platform organizations, or accounting firms.
Our education is research-driven. This means that you will be taught by top researchers, who are actively engaged in studying small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurship in different industries.
Important topics are, for example, entrepreneurial skills, SME strategy and management, corporate entrepreneurship, start-ups, family firms, venture capital, entrepreneurial finance, collaborative networks of entrepreneurs/SMEs, institutions, and entrepreneurship and small business policies.
Your education will be informed by the latest research developments in the SB&E field. The aim is not to primarily train researchers. Instead, the purpose is to give students a state-of-the-art perspective on the field, which can be applied in a practical context, while at the same time developing analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
The MSc Business Administration - Small Business and Entrepreneurship's unique focus on dynamics, innovation, and hands-on learning aligns with my aspirations. The course content delves deep into small business dynamics, innovation, and effective entrepreneurship strategies. The professors take a keen interest in each student's growth which fosters a strong sense of community and collaboration among peers. Also, I like that there is a balance between theory and practical application, this prepares me for my future career. We work on real-life cases and help companies develop effective strategies. At the faculty, real-world issues are tackled through a business lens, such as sustainability topics and digital innovations.
I chose the MSc Business Administration - Small Business and Entrepreneurship for its hands-on experiences and case studies, enhancing my business acumen as a small company founder. This programme stands out due to its intimate, personalized teaching approach with small class sizes and real-life entrepreneurs providing us with case studies. Additionally, I joined the Learning Community focusing on Business Value of AI, a practical complement to the programme. Furthermore, the 'Start-up Safari' exposed me to different start-ups and entrepreneurs, enriching my understanding and application of concepts taught in the programme.
