Graduate Program

Students looking for an opportunity to develop their entrepreneurial skills in a dynamic environment that simulates the real world will find what they're looking for in the Entrepreneur Program. Here, graduate students can complete an emphasis in entrepreneurship or can experiment with a semester course.

Our nationally recognized Program offers students the most comprehensive, challenging, and exciting course of study available. Taking an applied approach, it prepares students to enter the business world with an entrepreneurial mindset and the skills required to recognize opportunity, develop a business concept, test that concept through feasibility analysis, and write a comprehensive business plan. We build on the base of business knowledge students have acquired in their prior Business School courses by focusing on the pre-start-up, start-up and early growth stages of new ventures. Students will learn how to gather the resources necessary to start and grow an entrepreneurial company.

The Majors Program features teaching by full-time and adjunct faculty who bring a variety of entrepreneurial experiences and academic expertise to the classroom " as supplemented by visits from Entrepreneur Program alumni, members of our Advisory Council, and other guest speakers. Whether in a full-class lecture setting, smaller workshops and seminars, fireside chats, or networking events, students will have multiple opportunities to meet and learn from faculty, advisors, alumni, and guest entrepreneurs.

Graduate Courses in Entrepreneurship

BAEP 551: Introduction to New Ventures

Labeled an Introduction course, 551 should be regarded as an overview of the whole process of Entrepreneurship. Starting with the Entrepreneur, Creativity, an Idea and a Concept, we experience the Feasibility Analysis and Business Plan writing process. Distribution, selling and managing are covered from the view of the new venture. The Money Module explores cash flow analysis, venture capital and other sources of funds. Students will gain an understanding of the entire entrepreneurial process which may lead them into the Venture Management Emphasis or just learn an appreciation of how to deal with entrepreneurs and new ventures.

Open to all University Masters Level students. Offered every semester.

BAEP 552: Feasibility Analysis

This course focuses on the techniques used to create and evaluate new concepts and new business opportunities. Students study the process of Feasibility Analysis of business ventures from the time of the generation of the concept through critical concept analysis, opportunity screening and pre-feasibility analysis, to the development of the written study. Students prepare a feasibility study as a term project and may use this study as the initial step in writing the Business Plan required in BAEP 554.

Open only for students who have completed (or are concurrently taking) BAEP 551. Offered Fall and Spring semesters.

BAEP 553: CEO/Founder Cases in New Venture Management

You have started a new business; you have bought an early-stage company; you have inherited the family enterprise; or you are a key executive in one of these companies. As the new owner/president or key executive, how do you build a solid foundation for your new company's long-term success? This course integrates your knowledge of the functional areas of entrepreneurial business development. Its central themes are the impact and imprint of the owner/president on the company and the development of transfunctional systems that will lead to sustainable growth. Readings, discussions and weekly guest entrepreneurs will explore critical issues from ethics and personal management styles to the integration of a continuous strategic planning process.

Open to all Masters Level students. No prerequisite required. Offered in Fall only.

BAEP 554: Business Plan

This course is considered the culmination of BAEP 551 and 552. You will continue to research and refine your Feasibility Study and write a Business Plan to launch your venture. The Lloyd Greif Center will provide expert resources to critique and assist in the completion of a plan which is soon to be ready for evaluation by the market place. Our goal is to prepare you for starting and running successful new or emerging enterprises.

Open only to students who have completed BAEP 552. Offered in Spring only.

BAEP 555: Management of Rapidly Growing Ventures

As owner/president or key executive in an emerging growth company, you are challenged by constant change. As your sales grow, so do the threats to your company's future success. What can you do to take your company to the next level and position it for enduring greatness? What changes are necessary in strategic focus, culture, and management style? This course focuses on the continuing development of your entrepreneurial perspective and skills, and on developing management and control systems in each critical area of the business, from customers to tax planning.

BAEP 556: Technology Feasibility for High Tech Ventures

This course gives students the critical thinking and analytical skills they need to evaluate, value, and manage technology as intellectual property. Students will learn the technology commercialization process, use data mining and assessment techniques for patent databases, and study the unique business issues facing high technology start-ups. This is an e-team course, which means that students will either use their own technology concepts or work on technical teams with scientists and engineers.

BAEP 557: Technology Commercialization

Students will learn how to recognize and screen technology opportunities in diverse areas, from information systems to telecommunications, and biotechnology, to name a few. Students will learn the ins and outs of intellectual property acquisition, creation, and protection and how to license technology that others have patented and license your own technology to others to create diverse revenue streams. The unique issues related to high technology start-ups will also be covered.

BAEP 559: Investing in New Ventures

This course focuses on the entrepreneurial skill set applied to finding and selecting new venture investment opportunities. The course is taught from the business plan reader's point of view and focuses on building a relationship with the principals, structuring the investment, adding value as a non-executive manager, and realizing the value of that investment. Whether you desire to be a Venture Capitalist or an Organizational Entrepreneur, the issues of creation of the new enterprise are complex and require the integration of various skills and the adoption of them to each individual case. This is a case-based course. The reading, assessment and critiquing of business proposals, feasibility plans, or formal business plans, along with proposed structural solutions constitute a large measure of the class's activities.

BAEP 599: Special Topics Acquiring your own Business or Opportunity

This course focuses on the issues faced by the entrepreneur who wishes to acquire an enterprise and use it as a basis for his or her entrepeneurial journey. The entrepreneur needs to decide on the appropriateness of an enterprise, understand funding sources and valuation methods, and develop a plan for due diligence, negotiating the transaction, and consummating the transaction. The course explores the acquisition process, approaches to valuation, and the roles of the various parties in negotiating and carrying out an acquisition of an existing business. The course also explores the issues involved in restructuring and managing the business post-closing.

BAEP 599: Special Topics Life Sciences

This course focuses on the issues and challenges of new venture creation in the biotechnology, medical device, and healthcare areas. The course provides an understanding of the underlying sciences. It will discuss how technology and changes in underlying relationships have impacted current industries and how they are creating new opportunities.

BAEP 599: Special Topics "Arts/Media"

The arts and entertainment industry represents a major sector of the economy in Southern California. As a result of continuing technological change, and the fact that the basic economic unit is the sole practitioner, this is a dynamic marketplace with opportunities rapidly emerging and changing. The course will focus on the environment and the business models in the entertainment industry that have evolved and are evolving, as well as their implementation.