Join a new generation of entrepreneurs and policy advisors! Discover what makes sustainable enterprises emerge, thrive, and be successful. Start your journey at Campus Fryslân's MSc Sustainable Entrepreneurship.
In Sustainable Entrepreneurship you will learn about sustainability challenges from different perspectives - from a startup entrepreneur, who has just begun their journey or a large organization, well-established in their branch to a policy advisor working on the regulations for different levels of government. You will be equipped with leadership and alliance-building skills in order to connect companies and institutions on their way to sustainability.
Leeuwarden is the capital and the economic and cultural centre of the greenest and most beautiful province of the Netherlands; Friesland. Leeuwarden is gaining popularity among students which makes sense since there's plenty to do in the historical centre.
Unique about our programme:
Our programme takes 12 months (one year) of full-time study. We coach your academic, leadership and entrepreneurship ambitions in four blocks of 10 weeks each. During these 12 months you will become an expert in all elements of the successful business model of sustainable entrepreneurship.
You will learn how to design (block 1), implement (block 2) and successfully manage performance (block 3). In block 4 you will develop your sustainable ambitions in your personal Leadership project.
Your research will focus on a case from regional, national or international companies. You'll find your project in collaboration with the Campus Fryslân's network. You may also adopt one of the UN's challenges of sustainability or a personal sustainability challenge. We are an international programme. Sustainable challenges are relevant for all nations, regions, cities, businesses or people. We are open to companies or challenges that will serve as your host during the entire programme.
| Semesters | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CoursesCourse Catalog > | 1a | 1b | 2a | 2b |
| Foundations of Sustainable Entrepreneurship: Introduction to Key Concepts and Practices (5 EC) | ||||
| Sustainable Entrepreneurial Strategy and Business Models (5 EC) | ||||
| Sustainable Leadership (5 EC) | ||||
| Contexts and Ecosystems of Sustainable Entrepreneurship (5 EC) | ||||
| Organisations (5 EC) | ||||
| Sustainable Networks and Supply Chains (5 EC) | ||||
| Measuring Sustainable Performance of Organisations (5 EC) | ||||
| Public Policy (5 EC) | ||||
| Research methods (5 EC) | ||||
| Qualitative project (15 EC, optional) | ||||
| Quantitative project (15 EC, optional) | ||||
In the leadership project you will conduct independent academic research following to your own design, focusing on solving a problem relevant to a corporate sustainability challenge. You can choose one of the two options in the Leadership project; A. The database project B. The case study project
Depending on your individual entrepreneurship ambitions and leadership profiles, you will work with regional, national or international sustainable organisations. You will develop and present your leadership project for supervisors, peers and stakeholders on the Circular Minds Conference.
| Specific requirements | More information |
|---|---|
| previous education |
To be considered for admission to this Master, you need to hold an academic Bachelor's degree that included business related courses and either a Bachelor's thesis and/or research methods courses. University of Groningen: Students with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration or International Business of the University of Groningen have direct access to the Master Sustainable Entrepreneurship. Other universities and degree programmes: Students with a Bachelor programme in Business Administration or International Business or a Bachelor programme in Economics, Spatial Planning, Behavioural and social sciences or Humanities from another University may be admitted. You have to submit your application to the Sustainable Entrepreneurship Admissions Board to receive information about your admissibility. HBO-degree (University of applied sciences): students with a degree in Business Administration or International Business or a comparable bachelor's degree may be (conditionally) admitted. Read more specific information here: https://www.rug.nl/cf/campus-fryslan/cf-masters/se/from-hbo-to-msc-. You have to submit your application to the Sustainable Entrepreneurship Admissions Board to receive information about your admissibility. To assess whether your educational/academic background meets the specific programme requirements, the Sustainable Entrepreneurship Admissions Board will consider the level and curriculum of your previous studies. You have the possibility to upload a substantial academic paper, e.g. your Bachelor's thesis or an essay, to demonstrate your research skills. On the basis of your application the Admissions Board will determine whether:
|
| language test |
Sufficient English language proficiency is required, except for native speakers from the following countries: United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and The Netherlands. The following documents are valid:
An exemption can be given by the Admission Board. |
| Type of student | Deadline | Start course |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch students | 01 July 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| 01 July 2027 | 01 September 2027 | |
| EU/EEA students | 01 May 2027 | 01 September 2027 |
| non-EU/EEA students | 01 May 2027 | 01 September 2027 |
Be aware that the table about the selection procedures refers to the country where you obtained your diploma, not your nationality. 'Dutch students' for example means students with a Dutch diploma.
| Specific requirements | More information |
|---|---|
| previous education |
To be considered for admission to this Master, you need to hold an academic Bachelor's degree that included business related courses and either a Bachelor's thesis and/or research methods courses. Students with a Bachelor programme in Business Administration or International Business or a Bachelor programme in Economics, Spatial Planning, Behavioural and social sciences or Humanities from a research University may be admitted. You have to submit your application to the Sustainable Entrepreneurship Admissions Board to receive information about your admissibility. Please use this step-by-step guide for more information regarding your eligibility and your specific application procedure: https://www.rug.nl/cf/centre-for-sustainable-entrepreneurship/education/step-by-step-guide To assess whether your educational/academic background meets the specific programme requirements, the Sustainable Entrepreneurship Admissions Board will consider the level and curriculum of your previous studies. You have the possibility to upload a substantial academic paper, e.g. your Bachelor's thesis or an essay, to demonstrate your research skills. On the basis of your application the Admissions Board will determine whether:
|
| language test |
Sufficient English language proficiency is required, except for native speakers from the following countries: United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and The Netherlands. The following documents are valid:
An exemption can be given by the Admission Board. |
| Exam | Minimum score |
|---|---|
| C1 Advanced (formerly CAE) | C1 |
| C2 Proficiency (formerly CPE) | C2 |
| IELTS overall band | 6.5 |
| IELTS listening | 6 |
| IELTS reading | 6 |
| IELTS writing | 6 |
| IELTS speaking | 6 |
| TOEFL internet based | 90 |
| Type of student | Deadline | Start course |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch students | 01 July 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| 01 July 2027 | 01 September 2027 | |
| EU/EEA students | 01 May 2027 | 01 September 2027 |
| non-EU/EEA students | 01 May 2027 | 01 September 2027 |
Be aware that the table about the selection procedures refers to the country where you obtained your diploma, not your nationality. 'Dutch students' for example means students with a Dutch diploma.
MSc. Sustainable Entrepreneurship prepares you for a meaningful
career with the perspective of tackling world challenges.
Sustainability is relevant for careers in multinationals such as
Royal Haskoning, Rabobank and Tauw but also in fast-growing niches
in biobased and high-tech sectors and startups. Policymaking
institutes nationwide also increasingly require new employees to
define their personal career ambitions in line with sustainable
development. International organizations such as Deloitte consider
in-depth knowledge and skills as a prerequisite for trainee
programmes.
The CSE believes we can balance and preserve our valuable systems. Sustainable entrepreneurs generate new business models which substantially reduce social and environmental impacts whilst simultaneously improving the quality of societies. The CSE wants to create a circular society. This translates in new programmes for university students, business leaders, and academic scholars, whom we provide with all knowledge and competencies they need to make sustainable entrepreneurship successful.
With this master, my knowledge about sustainability has increased a lot. I am now able to advise companies and friends about sustainable actions. As we are a small group, the classes are very dynamic and that allows us to learn faster and also collaborate with every classmate. On the other hand, I found the master program very academic. It teaches you how a sustainable entrepreneur is but, in my case, a classmate and I had to become an entrepreneur outside the university.
Germán Ramos Garcia
What I really like about this master is that the complexity of sustainability and entrepreneurship challenges our critical thinking in the face of controversial circumstances. The programme tests our judgement to evaluate a situation, a company and our own leadership. This programme won't teach you the tips and tricks to run a business daily, but it will show and encourage you to think of alternative ways of doing business other than the conventional solely money-driven fashion.
Roxanne Cacpal
