Entrepreneurship and Business Development

See study programme

Autumn 2024 (3. semester)

ENT5016
7.5 sp
ENT5018
0 sp
Elective courses
OR327E
7.5 sp

Spring 2025 (4. semester)

ENT5018
30 sp
A master's degree in entrepreneurship and business development is a future-oriented study that will prepare the student for the labor market of the future. It contains both theory and practice towards helping students establish their own start-up company. In combination with practical experience, students will learn about entrepreneurship and business development. Students will learn how to identify opportunities, evaluate markets, manage innovation processes, develop new business and commercialize innovation. In the programme the students will learn how to contribute to innovation projects and commercialization of establish firms’ new product and service. The target group is students who want to help change the future through innovation and entrepreneurship. The group of students will be broadly recruited having different competencies to help create an exciting study environment. It gives students valuable experience of working in interdisciplinary teams. We welcome students with a background in nursing, aquaculture, IT, operations and management, economics and others.

The candidate’s learning outcomes
A candidate who has completed the education has the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge:

The candidate

  • has advanced knowledge of concept and business development
  • has advanced knowledge of key concepts, theories, and methods in innovation and entrepreneurship
  • has in-depth knowledge of how interdisciplinarity contributes to seeing, creating, and developing business opportunities
  • is able to reflect critically on how entrepreneurship can contribute to sustainable development
  • has knowledge of international research and variations in perspectives in the field of innovation and business development
  • has insight into idea creation and concept development, evaluation and analysis of innovation and business opportunities, business development, operation and management of business processes, as well as scaling up of business
  • has experience-based knowledge in teamwork and project management

Skills:

The candidate

  • can analyze existing theories, methods, and practices in entrepreneurship-related areas, and work independently with practical (i.e., startup-related) and theoretical (i.e., research-related) problem-solving
  • can explore entrepreneurial ideas and opportunities and contribute to innovation and change in both start-ups and established organizations
  • can work with complex issues, handle uncertainty, and create progress in projects that require problem-solving and learning along the way
  • can use knowledge of business development to start a business
  • can assess and analyze entrepreneurial ideas and opportunities to identify the further process with the aim of developing these into value-creating projects and startup companies
  • can use relevant theories and methodical approaches (from both entrepreneurship and innovation) about a specific problem
  • can use entrepreneurship competence to contribute to sustainable development
  • can make use of accumulated knowledge and previous experiences to act and experiment in different entrepreneurial contexts
  • can identify, collect, and critically use information from internal and external sources
  • can conduct independent research focusing on entrepreneurship and business development
  • can contribute to innovation projects and commercialization of own or others’ product and service ideas
  • can analyze international research in innovation and entrepreneurship
  • can analyze own and others’ knowledge and practice with entrepreneurship in light of current theories

General competence:

The candidate

  • can analyze relevant research-based knowledge about entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship in different environments
  • can discuss professional topics based on experience from own practice
  • can contribute to the development of an entrepreneurial and innovation community
  • can communicate independent work, both orally and in writing
  • is skilled at change processes, possess good analytical skills and a critical mindset
  • can utilize knowledge and experience necessary to act as change agents in various contexts, as well as master tools to seize entrepreneurial ideas and opportunities and convert this into business opportunities

The program requires Norwegian language skills, as the teaching language of the program is Norwegian.

Bachelor's degree or equivalent degree of at least 180 credits, in accordance with the Universities and University Colleges Act (§3.5 Academic regulations - accreditation) and Regulations on requirements for a master's degree (§3 Requirements for a master's degree of 120 credits).

In addition, applicants must meet one of the following three requirements for professional specialization:

Business and society - specialization with at least 80 ECTS in busniness, administration or social sciences

Health and welfare - specialization with at least 80 ECTS in health or social sciences

Life sciences and aquaculture - specialization with at least 80 ECTS in technological, biological or aquaculture subjects

Applicants must submit a motivation letter, transcript of records and a CV by the application deadline. Applicants with incomplete documentation will not be processed.

The CV must contain at least (maximum 2 pages):

Education (what, when and institution)

Work experience (what and when)

Voluntary / unpaid work / positions (what and when)

Course (what and when)

Applicants must qualify to be called for an interview. Candidates are selected based on a comprehensive assessment of grades, CV and motivation letter. Candidates who can refer to involvement in the CV and / or a motivation letter stating a clear motivation for the subject area and the study program will be emphasized in the selection for the interview.

Interviews will be conducted in May. Qualified applicants are ranked according to the interview on the basis of:

Letter of motivation. A score is given between 1 and 5 which counts for 20% of the total assessment.

Interview. At the interview, a score is given between 1 and 5 which counts for 80% of the total assessment.

If two students achieve the same total score, the score at the interview will decide.

The student must have passed a minimum of 45 credits to be able to start on the master's thesis.
Candidates with a master's degree in entrepreneurship and business development will have the skills and experience that make them suitable for a professional career within the entire national research, innovation and entrepreneurship system, which includes the public sector (such as advisory positions in Innovation Norway, the Society for Industrial Growth, incubators , business parks, business administration in municipalities / county municipalities, the Research Council, technology transfer offices), commercialization of innovation and spin-off activity in established business (eg careers in technology management, business development, and as an innovation analyst), in the consulting sector and as an entrepreneur of own companies, either alone and / or in teams with others and an academic career as a researcher / lecturer. With a strong core competence in feasibility research, as well as the development of general entrepreneurial skills and mindsets, this means that candidates with a master's degree in entrepreneurship and business development will be drivers for entrepreneurship, innovation and change in various industries and industries, in both private and public sector.
It is possible to qualify for a PhD. in Business Administration at HHN after the Master in Entrepreneurship and Business Development, provided that the student has a total of five years of higher education. A supplement of 30 credits must thus be calculated. The master's degree in entrepreneurship and business development meets the requirement for 90 ECTS specialization at master's level within a subject area that is relevant to the PhD. the project if the Ph.D. the project focuses thematically on entrepreneurship, innovation and / or business development.
It is possible to study abroad in the third semester of Master in Entrepreneurship and Business Development at Deakin University (Australia).It is also possible to stay abroad in the summer between the second and third semesters through collaboration with the Entrepreneurship School at the University of Oslo and through the elective subject LED5007 Management in practice.
No costs except semest fee and cyllabus.
Various forms of assessment adapted to each individual subject are used. Both written school exams, home exams, project assignments, case studies and other oral and written presentations are used, some individual and some in groups.
The final exam in the study program is the master's thesis.
The study program is evaluated annually by the students through course evaluations and study program evaluation. These evaluations are included as part of the university's quality assurance system.
Refer to applicable legislation, regulations and related guidelines.