University College Dublin

Innovation Enrepreneurship & Design

Programme Overview
Create your own tech start-up while earning a Smurfit Master's in a structured and supported environment with world class mentors and lecturers guiding you on the way.

This part-time Master's is ideally suited to science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) graduates who have a minimum of three years work experience who want to play a leading role in creating new knowledge-based businesses.. The unique design combines the academic rigour and theoretical grounding of a traditional Master's with extensive practical experience involving the creation of actual new ventures or new lines of business inside a firm.

What will I learn?
Innovation and entrepreneurship are the engines of economic growth and are now seen as critical competencies for firms operating in competitive markets. Participants will learn the theory and practice of innovation and entrepreneurship enabling them to lead in this important and growing area.

Competencies in creating and leading teams that can design and develop successful new lines of business inside current firms and new stand-alone ventures

Knowledge and application of the repeatable processes that can be employed to identify, develop and validate new business ideas

A comprehensive understanding of entrepreneurial logic, business model design, and a design thinking approach to new product and service creation in knowledge-based businesses

Those who complete the course will develop:

•An ability to analyze and evaluate consumer needs, and design and lead new business development teams and processes to deliver knowledge-based solutions into the marketplace.

•An analytical perspective on the role of innovation and entrepreneurship in serving the needs of society and in the creation and sustainability of modern businesses.

•Practical skills in identifying and creating new business opportunities that are appropriate for a firm or founding team, and the markets they wish to serve.

Course features
This unique course combines core modules designed specifically for this programme, option modules from other MSc courses, and extensive practical application involving the creation of actual new ventures or new lines of business inside a firm. The course is delivered and supported by highly experienced international academic faculty members and leading practitioners within the innovation and entrepreneurship eco-system.

Participants benefit from the combined expertise of three leading Irish institutions: Smurfit School's strength in core business and innovation management, National College of Art and Design's industrial design expertise, and input from experts at NovaUCD, our leading incubator of technology firms.

The two-year, part-time format involves twice-weekly evening classes and is structured to facilitate study, practice and professional life.

Entry requirements

You must have a minimum second-class honours degree (or equivalent) in science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM) and have considerable work experience.

Applicants who do not meet the above entry requirements may be considered on a case by case basis, dependent on work experience and/or other qualifications.

English Language Requirements
If English is not your first language an English language qualification is required for admission to all of our courses. The exception to this rule is if you have completed your primary degree or an entire third level qualification through English, in an English speaking country.

Transcripts
An academic transcript is a document(s) provided by the academic institution where you undertake your studies. This is an official document which states all of the subjects you have undertaken during your studies and what grade you have achieved in each of those subjects, including your overall final grade if you have completed your qualification. Official or original academic transcripts are documents printed on the official headed paper of the institution where you studied and should be stamped by that institution. If this document is not in english you should arrange to have it translated.

Duration

2 years part-time.

Careers or further progression

Graduates of this course will find career opportunities in the following areas:

Starting their own ventures
Fast growing young companies
Entrepreneurial multi-national companies
Venture capital / consultancy

Further enquiries

Email: smurfit.admissions@ucd.ie or phone (01) 716 8885.

Subjects taught

Delivered part-time over 2 years with twice-weekly evening classes, this programme involves an academic component—with 7 taught modules and a major paper—and a practical component involving a 20-month practicum where students create actual new ventures or new lines of business inside existing firms.

Core Modules:
Foundations in Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice

Design in Enterprise

Leading Creativity and Innovation Processes

Intellectual Property and Business Law for New Ventures

Finance and Funding for New Ventures

Optional Modules:
Data Driven Marketing

Economic Foundations of Strategy

Managing Global Sourcing

Managing Organisational Integrity

Organisational Behaviour

Digital Business Model & e-commerce

Managing Design and Development (in ICT)