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 organise 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 VentureLab North where you can develop your own business idea.
Our graduates work as entrepreneurs, small business consultants, in entrepreneurial departments of large businesses, and for organisations 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 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, personalised 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.
