Master of Business Administration with a Specialization in Entrepreneurship and Business Development Online

Combine your passion for innovation with a solid understanding of business and give your entrepreneurial ideas the best chances for success. The MBA with a Specialization in Entrepreneurship and Business Development 100% online program gives you the foundation you need to achieve your full potential.

Apply by 2/15/25
Start class 3/10/25 Apply Now
Apply Now

Program Overview

Create your dream career with an online MBA in Entrepreneurship and Business Development

Avoid the common pitfalls that plague many great ideas. The online MBA with a Specialization in Entrepreneurship and Business Development program from the University of North Carolina Wilmington enriches your entrepreneurial spirit and positions it for success with a solid understanding of business.

Turn your conceptual ideas into viable businesses, ventures and projects with an MBA in Entrepreneurship and Business Development. The primary reason startups fail is not because the idea wasn’t sound; it is because there wasn’t a solid business/commercialization plan in place to guide it smoothly from design concept through engineering, marketing and distribution.

In this rigorous, AACSB-accredited program, you’ll develop a thorough understanding of core business functions from accounting and finance to marketing and logistics. In addition, you’ll focus on specialized topics such as business planning, valuation, venture capital, scalability, franchising and licensing. Comprehensive courses will utilize case studies to teach you how to successfully protect and commercialize products and ideas. Explore additional core business management areas, including business law, information analysis, business analysis, operations management, economics, strategic management and more.

In addition to developing a solid business foundation, you will enhance your ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with colleagues and vendors in a wide range of business functions, from manufacturers to logistics managers to lenders.

The Cameron School of Business features full-time professors with terminal degrees and practical management experience in the private sector. Learn from the same distinguished faculty members who teach in the on-campus program.

This AACSB-accredited business master's program requires far less financial investment than comparable MBA programs at other business schools in North Carolina while providing diverse options for customizing your degree to align with your career goals and interests. Benefit from fast 7-week courses, with no prerequisites or foundation courses required.

In this online master’s in entrepreneurship and business development, you will:

  • Gain an understanding of the interface between entrepreneurship and marketing, economics, technology, financing, logistics and operations
  • Learn the skills and tools needed for successful commercialization of products and ideas, including venture management, feasibility analysis, intellectual property protection, technology forecasting and team management
  • Develop your understanding of the concepts and processes that are critical to short-term and long-term organizational decision-making
  • Develop your core management skills with a specific look at problem-solving, conflict resolution, communication, team building and leadership
In this online master’s in entrepreneurship and business development, you will:
  • Gain an understanding of the interface between entrepreneurship and marketing, economics, technology, financing, logistics and operations
  • Learn the skills and tools needed for successful commercialization of products and ideas, including venture management, feasibility analysis, intellectual property protection, technology forecasting and team management
  • Develop your understanding of the concepts and processes that are critical to short-term and long-term organizational decision-making
  • Develop your core management skills with a specific look at problem-solving, conflict resolution, communication, team building and leadership

Career roles for graduates of this entrepreneurship and business development MBA program include:

  • Operations Manager
  • Business Development Manager
  • Director of Innovation
  • Business Owner/CEO
Career roles for graduates of this entrepreneurship and business development MBA program include:
  • Operations Manager
  • Business Development Manager
  • Director of Innovation
  • Business Owner/CEO

Also available:

UNCW offers MBA programs in a variety of in-demand specializations as well as an Executive MBA and an M.S. program. View our business programs.

Total Tuition $19,287*
Duration As few as 12 months*
Credit Hours 36

Accreditation:

AACSB Accredited

UNCW's Cameron School of Business is accredited by AACSB International (AACSB).

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Need More Information?

Call 855-306-4734

Call 855-306-4734

Tuition

Benefit from our affordable tuition

Designed to be affordable and convenient, our tuition is an outstanding value and far less of a financial investment than many other North Carolina universities. We also offer pay-by-the-course tuition for our online programs. Financial aid is available for those who qualify.

Tuition and fees are subject to change each academic year pending legislative approval. View more information on your cost of attendance.

View additional tuition information+

Program Total Tuition & Fees*
MBA – Entrepreneurship and Business Development (in-state residents) $19,287
MBA – Entrepreneurship and Business Development (out-of-state residents) $51,459

*N.C. resident tuition and fees. Part-time tuition rate. Full-time tuition rate may be lower. Consult with your advisor. Total tuition and fees may vary by student and are subject to change. Learn more.

**Students taking a full-time course load throughout the program can complete it in as few as 12 months. Consult with your advisor.

Tuition breakdown:

Total Tuition $19,287*

Calendar

Jot these dates on your calendar

The MBA with a Specialization in Entrepreneurship and Business Development program is delivered in an online format ideal for working professionals, conveniently featuring rolling admission and six start dates each year. Choose the start date that best suits your goals.

View full calendar  + 

TermProgram Start DateApplication DeadlineDocument DeadlineRegistration DeadlinePayment DueLast Class Day
Spring 11/13/2512/14/2412/14/241/15/251/16/253/2/25
Spring 23/10/252/15/252/15/253/12/253/13/254/27/25
Summer 15/12/254/19/254/19/255/14/255/15/256/29/25
Summer 26/30/256/7/256/7/257/2/257/7/258/17/25
Fall 18/25/258/2/258/2/258/27/258/28/2510/12/25
Fall 210/20/259/27/259/27/2510/22/2510/23/2512/7/25

Students must register for courses by 5 p.m. (EST) on the registration deadline date.
Students must remit tuition payment by 10 a.m. (EST) on the tuition deadline date.

Now enrolling:

Apply Date 2/15/25
Class Starts 3/10/25

Admissions

Follow these easy steps to apply for admission

To apply for the master’s in entrepreneurship and business development online program, you must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States or its equivalent from a foreign institution by the first official day of classes for the semester of application. Because UNCW considers applications on a rolling basis, you are urged to apply promptly for your preferred start date.

Admission Requirements:

  • GMAT waived through 2025
  • Cumulative GPA of at least 3.0
  • Resume and cover letter
View all admission requirements +

MBA Online Admission Requirements:

Candidates are required to submit the following to the Graduate School:

  • An application for graduate admission.
  • Official transcripts of all college work (graduate and undergraduate). Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended should be mailed directly from the institution(s) to UNCW at the address below. Electronic password protected transcripts are preferred and may be sent directly from the institution to [email protected].
    • UNCW Graduate School
      Attn: Kimberly Goerne Harris
      601 S. College Road
      Wilmington, NC 28403-5955
  • Two online recommendations including one from an employer or supervisor who can comment on the applicant’s work experience and potential for successful completion of a master’s program. Letters of recommendation may be waived if an applicant meets one or more of the following criteria:
    • Five or more years of progressive managerial or military work experience
    • A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.2 or higher
    • Completion of an advanced degree (graduate level or above) involving some quantitative coursework
  • Resume and cover letter (statement of interest) indicating how your background has prepared you for the MBA program.
    • A minimum of two years full time, post-baccalaureate professional work experience required for MBA programs.
    • A minimum of 5 years full time, post-baccalaureate professional work experience is required for the MBA Executive Concentration.
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in undergraduate work. Applicants with an undergraduate GPA below 3.0 must demonstrate professional experience/advancement that shows progression since graduation and indicates how they will contribute to the program.
  • A GMAT score above 500, or an equivalent GRE. However, the GRE/GMAT is currently waived through the 2025 cycle for all programs.
  • A minimum score of 79 on the internet based TOEFL iBT test or 6.5 on IELTS test is required for all non-native English speakers only, unless applicant earned their baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited US institution. Scores are good for two years from the date the test is administered.
  • Application and all required supplemental documents must be submitted by the published deadline.

Have a question? Call us at 855-306-4734.

Courses

Check out the courses for the online MBA in Entrepreneurship and Business Development

The MBA with a Specialization in Entrepreneurship and Business Development online curriculum is comprised of 12 courses (36 credit hours), including 30 credit hours of MBA core courses and six credit hours of electives.

Expand All
As a student in the MBA with a Specialization in Entrepreneurship and Business Development program, you must take the following core courses.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Examination of the constitutional, legislative, judicial, regulatory, and public policy forces exerted on the business environment. Particular focus on contracts, torts, and property law.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An intensive course in principles and theory of financial and managerial accounting, with an emphasis on financial analysis and managerial decision making.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is designed to introduce major information technology (IT) concepts and important issues that business managers face when using, developing and managing information systems (IS). Strategic and tactical issues of information systems and technology are addressed as they support and lead the operations of the organization.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An introduction to data driven decision making using descriptive, predictive and prescriptive Business Analytics approaches. Topics included are data visualization, predictive techniques, data mining, simulation, optimization models, and decision analysis.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Survey of the basic concepts, theories, and techniques for the management of operating systems. Development of concepts and decision processes critical to short-run and long range organizational decision making. Topics include product and process design, operations planning, project management, inventory management, capacity planning, quality and scheduling.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course covers principles of micro and macroeconomics. The initial focus is on an analysis of decision making processes and economic equilibrium for consumers and individual firms. Also covered is basic data and measurements used in describing the macro economy.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A broad survey of finance concerned with the money-management decisions of the individual and the firm. Study includes the tools and terms that the corporate and individual financial manager employs as he or she conducts his or her financial affairs. Value-creation for the firm, the use of financial statements, the importance of cash flows, the measurement of risk, investment decision-making, the use of the securities and derivatives markets, asset-pricing models, estimating value of income-producing assets and international financial issues will be reviewed. These topics and the foundation we build in this course will be supplemented with regular reference to contemporary issues in finance.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An introduction to the principles of marketing and basic marketing methods and tools needed to make effective marketing decisions. Lectures and projects regarding new product development, customer relationship management, and other key marketing concepts will expose students to marketing principles and require them to formulate marketing tactics and strategies.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Course focus will be on the challenges confronting firms competing domestically and internationally with an emphasis placed on the integration of strategies with the structures and systems needed for successful implementation.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course surveys management theories, research, and concepts about the structure and processes of complex business organizations. Emphasis on the development and assessment of core management skills. Topics include self-awareness, problem solving, conflict resolution, communication, motivation, team building, human resource management, and leadership.
You must choose two of the following courses to complete your degree requirements.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Entrepreneurship is one of the major drivers for economic change and employment. It is a world defined by dramatic change and high levels of ongoing turbulence, which means both more threats and more opportunities are confronting every business. However, the path to launch a successful entrepreneurial venture and develop an opportunity driven mindset requires a systematic approach. Hence our focus in this foundation course in entrepreneurship will be on providing a broad overview of key topics and areas of focus in the discipline of entrepreneurship. We define entrepreneurship as the “pursuit of opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled”. It is meant to serve an integrative role, bringing together all the pieces and parts of venture creation. There is no aspect of business that is more inter-disciplinary and cross-functional than entrepreneurship. We will explore how something is created from nothing, in the process examining the interface between entrepreneurship and marketing, economics, technology, financing, logistics and operations, and other key areas. Further, this is a course that explores ways of thinking and ways of acting entrepreneurially. Accordingly, we shall approach entrepreneurship as a mindset, an attitude, a way of (managerial) thinking. We shall also approach it as a behavior, an activity, a manageable process that can be applied in any organizational context.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A key component of any entrepreneurial effort, whether it is in a start-up firm or an internal venture project for a larger organization, is the commercialization of new ideas, innovations, products and services. Commercialization, however, is not an easy task. Research suggests that only about 5% of early stage innovations ever reach a successful introduction to the marketplace. Successful commercialization involves a number of different issues, ranging from venture management, commercialization and feasibility analysis, intellectual property protection and valuation, technology forecasting, and team management. Course focuses on the commercialization of an early stage venture’s product, technology and ideas. Issues such as scalability, licensing, intellectual property protection and valuation, project management, and the managerial side of expansion and growth will be studied.  Extensive use of case study and field projects.

**Students taking a full-time course load throughout the program can complete it in as few as 12 months. Consult with your advisor.

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