Programme Specification
A statement of the knowledge, understanding and skills that underpin a
taught programme of study leading to an award from
The University of Sheffield
1
Programme Title
Entrepreneurship and Management
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Programme Code
MGTT172
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JACS Code
N100
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Level of Study
Postgraduate
5a
Final Qualification
Master of Science (MSc)
5b
Position in the QAA Framework for
Higher Education Qualifications
Masters
6a
Intermediate Qualification(s)
Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert), Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip)
6b
Position in the QAA Framework for
Higher Education Qualifications
Masters
7
Teaching Institution (if not Sheffield)
Not applicable
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Faculty
Social Sciences
9
Department
Management School
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Other Department(s) involved in
teaching the programme
None
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Mode(s) of Attendance
Full-time
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Duration of the Programme
One Year
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Accrediting Professional or
Statutory Body
None
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Date of production/revision
August 2013
15. Background to the programme and subject area
To succeed and be competitive in today’s and the future economy, it is crucial to have an understanding of
management and entrepreneurship, both at the individual and organisational level. It is important that individuals are
equipped with the relevant competency, knowledge and skill set in this area in order to create new businesses or
contribute innovatively to existing ones. This programme is aimed at enabling individuals, whether wishing to start
their own business or to work in an innovative business/industry to become effective leaders by understanding and
developing real knowledge. Entrepreneurial qualities have never been more important or more in demand from
existing companies and by those who want to start a new business. The course will enable students to develop
entrepreneurial skills to meet the needs of dynamic employers and to start their own businesses.
Through the programme, participants will acquire an awareness of key theories and concepts related to
entrepreneurship. By grounding the course in this key content, students will gain an understanding of why these
perspectives are important for the study of entrepreneurship and how they inform contemporary entrepreneurship
debates. Participants will also gain practical understanding of the challenges and barriers which face individual
entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial firms, along with understanding of the policy approaches taken to support
entrepreneurship. Through this learning, participants will develop their own entrepreneurial skills which will allow
them to make optimal decisions in complex situations.
The course is delivered by staff members at the University of Sheffield Management School – with staff from the
Centre for Regional Economic and Enterprise Development (CREED) in the lead. Academic staff work at the cuttingedge of research topics that are relevant to next generation leaders, such as entrepreneurship, innovation,
leadership, and evidence-based management; they are regularly sought after by private, social, and public sector
organisations as advisors on these and other topics. This ensures that students learn about the latest developments
in entrepreneurship research and other cognate areas. The University of Sheffield Management School in general
and CREED are widely known for their cutting-edge research and groundbreaking thinking. Further information about
the Management School is available on our website at http://www.shef.ac.uk/management
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16. Programme aims
The MSc in Entrepreneurship programme aims to:
1. Develop students’ understanding of theories and practices of entrepreneurship
2. Enable students to identify and critically evaluate the strategies adopted by individuals, organisations and
governments in meeting the challenges imposed by changing social, political and economic and environments.
3. Equip students with an understanding of the impact of entrepreneurs in complex and uncertain organisational
and environmental contexts.
4. Develop students’s ability to conduct rigorous research through independent work leading to the submission of a
management report.
5. Encourage and develop students’ self-awareness as practitioners of entrepreneurial skills
6. Provide knowledge and skills appropriate to commence or continue a career associated with the
entrepreneurship.
17. Programme learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding:
On completion of the MSc in Entrepreneurship, students will be able to demonstrate a critical understanding of
relevant knowledge related to:
K1
The principles and practices of entrepreneurship in different contexts
K2
The historical and contemporary debates related to entrepreneurship
K3
Cutting-edge topics in entrepreneurship (e.g. Corporate Entrepreneurship, Social Entrepreneurship,
Entrepreneurial Finance)
K4
The economic and social impacts of entrepreneurship
K5
The policy choices made by governments which aim to harness higher levels of entrepreneurship
K6
The impact of entrepreneurship on economic development
K7
Geographical clustering of entrepreneurship
K8
The principal methods of research relevant to the study of entrepreneurship and an ability to critically
evaluate this research and where appropriate propose new hypotheses
K9
Have a grasp of finance and accounting and strategic management in organisations
K10
An advanced knowledge and critical understanding, displaying originality, depth and insight, of a specialist
area of study at the forefront of the field of entrepreneurship
Students who are awarded the PG Diploma will be able to demonstrate K1-K9.
Students who are awarded the PG Certificate will be able to demonstrate some of K1-K9 representing modules with
a rating of at least 60 credits.
Skills and other attributes:
On completion of the MSc in Entrepreneurship, students will be able to demonstrate ability to:
S1
Apply creative and critical methods of appraisal in the context of entrepreneurship
S2
Identify and use relevant information for analysis and decision making in the context of entrepreneurship
S3
Communicate effectively using a variety of forms within both individual and group-based assignments
S4
Analyse problems relating to entrepreneurial ideas and ventures using appropriate concepts, theories and
techniques
S5
Reflect on their entrepreneurial style and apply self-awareness in team situations
S6
Complete successfully an independent research study in a specific area of entrepreneurship, involving the
skills of designing a research study, choosing appropriate methodology, conducting data collection and
analysis of findings in a systematic and creative manner leading to the production of a written report of the
project
Students who are awarded the PG Diploma will be able to demonstrate S1-S5.
Students who are awarded the PG Certificate will be able to demonstrate S1-S5 to a more limited extent.
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18. Teaching, learning and assessment
Development of the learning outcomes is promoted through the following teaching and learning methods:
Lectures are used to communicate subject-specific knowledge and understanding, to guide the general direction of
students’ engagement with each subject to develop analytical skills and to stimulate critical reflection.
Web sites and handouts provide questions, activities and case-studies to enhance understanding through
exercises and illustrations and to promote critical reflection by students of the linkages between theory and practice.
Seminars enable students to develop their understanding of the subject matter through discussion of review
questions and the analysis of case studies based upon real organisational challenges. Students also prepare
presentations on their case study analysis to develop communication and other transferable skills.
Group work allows students to develop transferable skills and understanding by debate and collaborative working,
and engage in self-reflection.
Tutorials are used to respond to students’ enquiries, to provide feedback on progress and to promote reflection and
analysis. Students have one-to-one supervision to help them prepare their Project Dissertations (S5). Students have
one-to-one communication through the use of face-to-face meetings, email and telephone contact.
Tutor and self-directed private study as well as preparation for tutorials and assessment are significant components
of each student’s personal development.
Opportunities to demonstrate achievement of the learning outcomes are provided through the following
assessment methods:
Essays allow the student to explore a prescribed question in an open format and structured as the student deems to
me most appropriate to develop a critical argument through synthesising the relevant debates.
Literature reviews are intended to allow the student to engage with key readings on a given topic in depth where
the emphasis is on considering particular readings in depth rather than integrating them into an argument
Group work/presentations represent an important aspect of the assessment where students are expected to work
together in developing a piece of work or presentation. Working in group also aides peer learning.
Individual presentations allow students to demonstrate their grasp of a given topic in a non-written format.
Reflective blogs are intended to provide a more informal and discursive method of assessment where students can
reflect on what they have experienced during the fieldtrip and discuss how they consider their perception to relate to
the literature.
Research proposals allow students to work through the process of project planning in a closed environment. The
intention is that the project planning skills will be developed across the course and the assessed proposal forms a
road map.
Business plans are an important form of assessment for management related degrees, and the assessment will
enable students to demonstrate their understanding of the business planning process.
Project dissertations give students the opportunity to undertake an extended independent piece of research into a
project of their choosing. The intention is that this final piece of assessed work will bring together the skills from
across the course.
Collectively these different forms of assessment are intended to test knowledge and understanding (K1-10) and skills
(S1-6) learning outcomes, while also allowing candidates to demonstrate their understanding of the topics covered
using different techniques and transferable skills.
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19. Reference points
The learning outcomes have been developed to reflect the following points of reference:
Subject Benchmark Statements
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/AssuringStandardsAndQuality/subject-guidance/Pages/Subject-benchmark-statements.aspx
Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (2008)
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Pages/The-framework-for-higher-educationqualifications-in-England-Wales-and-Northern-Ireland.aspx
University Strategic Plan
http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/strategicplan
Learning and Teaching Strategy (2011-16)
http://www.shef.ac.uk/lets/strategy/lts11_16
The University of Sheffield, Faculty of Social Sciences and Management School Learning and Teaching Strategies
20. Programme structure and regulations
The programme for the MSc in Entrepreneurship has 135 credits of core taught modules. The dissertation counts for
45 credits. Students may only proceed to the dissertation with the permission of the Board of Examiners: the Board
will need to be satisfied, based on the results of the taught part of the programme, that a student has a good chance
of completing a satisfactory dissertation.
Detailed information about the structure of programmes, regulations concerning assessment and progression and
descriptions of individual modules are published in the University Calendar available on-line at
http://www.shef.ac.uk/govern/calendar/regs.html.
21. Student development over the course of study
The first semester covers the foundations of entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial economies, corporate
entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship. The second semester enables students to integrate the knowledge
and skills acquired in the first semester into more complex situations, and to develop a deeper understanding of
cutting-edge topics in the context of entrepreneurship.
The Masters stage enables students to demonstrate their ability to undertake a sustained investigation, drawing on
relevant aspects of the knowledge, understanding and skills gained in the earlier stages. This stage is of crucial
importance as students will learn how to answer questions and make decisions by gathering scientific evidence. A
scientific approach to complex situations will turn managers into analytical thinkers, and equip them to critically
evaluate evidence and make optimal decisions. These skills will be of great benefit to students’ future careers.
22. Criteria for admission to the programme
The normal entry requirements will be the holding of an honours degree (2.1 or above at Undergraduate level) from
an approved Institution. There are no particular subject requirements. Appropriate work experience and other
qualifications may be considered in lieu of the normal requirements.
Applicants whose first language is not English will also be required to provide an International English Language
Test Score (IELTS) of at least 7.0 with a minimum in any of the four categories of 6.0.
Detailed information regarding admission to the programme is available at http://www.shef.ac.uk/prospective/
23. Additional information
None
This specification represents a concise statement about the main features of the programme and should be
considered alongside other sources of information provided by the teaching department(s) and the University. In
addition to programme specific information, further information about studying at The University of Sheffield can be
accessed via our Student Services web site at www.shef.ac.uk/ssid.
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