Curriculum
Foster’s Master of Science in Entrepreneurship (MS ENTRE) is a full-time, cohort-based graduate program designed to guide students through the real-world stages of venture creation. The curriculum combines the rigor of Foster’s MBA coursework with focused, hands-on learning that helps students develop entrepreneurial judgment, strategic clarity, and execution capability.
The curriculum is structured across four academic quarters. Each quarter aligns with a stage of the startup lifecycle:
- Summer Quarter — Ideate: Identify and validate new venture opportunities
- Autumn Quarter — Test: Develop strategy, evaluate markets, and test business models
- Winter Quarter — Refine: Strengthen financial, marketing, and operational capabilities
- Spring Quarter — Prepare to Scale: Secure funding, scale operations, and launch ventures
This structure reflects Foster’s emphasis on experiential learning, entrepreneurship, and real-world application, with students actively building and iterating on ventures throughout the program.
Opportunity Discovery
Venture Strategy
Go-to-Market
Leadership & Pitch
Program Overview
The MS ENTRE curriculum is built around the stages of entrepreneurial development, with emphasis on strategy, marketing, finance, and real-world practice. Students learn to identify opportunities, test assumptions, refine a business model, and prepare a venture for growth—while building the foundational business skills required to make sound decisions under uncertainty.
Across the program, students apply frameworks through practicum projects tied to critical milestones. Learning is integrated and action-oriented, helping graduates build credible plans, communicate effectively with stakeholders, and execute with discipline.
Program at a Glance
- Degree: Master of Science in Entrepreneurship
- Credits: 46
- Duration: 12 months
- Schedule: Daytime weekday classes
- Courseload: Full-time
- Location: UW campus in Seattle
Who the MS ENTRE Program Is Designed For
The Master of Science in Entrepreneurship is designed for individuals who want to build, test, and launch new ventures—or contribute immediately within early-stage companies, innovation teams, and entrepreneurial ecosystems.
Students typically include:
- Aspiring founders who want a structured, milestone-based path from idea to execution
- Early-career professionals seeking startup-relevant strategy, marketing, and finance skills
- Builders and operators who want stronger go-to-market and customer validation capabilities
- Innovators interested in launching new products or ventures inside established organizations
How the Curriculum Is Structured
The MS ENTRE curriculum is delivered over four quarters (Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring) in a cohort-based, lock-step sequence. Each quarter includes a lead course aligned to a stage of the entrepreneurial process, supported by practicum-based work tied to real venture milestones.
Core Courses
Core courses develop integrated capability across opportunity recognition, entrepreneurial strategy, startup marketing, venture finance, leadership, negotiation, and legal fundamentals. Throughout the program, a venture planning and execution sequence helps students apply learning continuously and build momentum toward launch-readiness.
View full list of core courses
Electives and Customization Options
While the program follows a defined sequence to ensure comprehensive coverage, students may be able to register for additional Foster MBA elective courses on a space-available basis. Workshops and co-curricular experiences further support leadership development, design thinking, lean principles, and the craft of the pitch.
Core Capability Areas
The MS ENTRE curriculum is organized around four integrated capability areas that define the intellectual foundation of the program.
Opportunity Discovery
Students learn to identify, evaluate, and validate opportunities by understanding customer problems, market dynamics, and competitive context. Coursework emphasizes practical methods for testing assumptions and converting insight into a clear, credible venture direction.
Key areas include:
- Opportunity recognition and validation methods
- Customer discovery and problem-solution fit
- Market sizing, segmentation, and competitive assessment
- Value proposition development and positioning
- Experiment design and learning-driven iteration
Venture Strategy
Students develop strategic judgment for entrepreneurial settings—where uncertainty is high and resources are constrained. Coursework focuses on decision-making, business model design, and creating defensible advantage as a venture evolves.
Key areas include:
- Business model development and strategic tradeoffs
- Competitive dynamics and differentiation
- Milestone planning and execution discipline
- Founder-focused AI fluency for strategy and operations
- Decision-making frameworks for ambiguous environments
Go-to-Market
Students build the skills to bring a product to market and create repeatable growth. Coursework emphasizes customer acquisition, sales fundamentals, pricing and distribution decisions, and digital channels—grounded in the realities of early-stage execution.
Key areas include:
- Entrepreneurial marketing strategy and launch planning
- Customer acquisition, retention, and lifecycle thinking
- Sales fundamentals and building early traction
- Digital marketing and channel experimentation
- Measuring performance and iterating toward product-market fit
Leadership & Pitch
Students strengthen the communication and leadership skills required to inspire teams, influence stakeholders, and secure resources. Coursework emphasizes persuasive storytelling, negotiation, and practical leadership as ventures grow and evolve.
Key areas include:
- Entrepreneurial leadership across venture stages
- Pitching, PR, and persuasive public speaking
- Negotiation strategy and deal-making fundamentals
- Legal essentials for founders and startup operations
- Fundraising strategy and preparing for scale
Career Preparation and Outcomes
The MS ENTRE prepares graduates to launch ventures and to thrive in entrepreneurial roles across startups, high-growth companies, and innovation teams. Common career paths include:
- Founder / Co-Founder
- Product Manager
- Business Development or Partnerships Manager
- Growth Marketing Manager
- Innovation or New Ventures Associate
Employers and startup leaders value MS ENTRE graduates for their ability to combine strategic thinking with execution—moving from insight to action with disciplined experimentation, credible financial and market reasoning, and clear communication.
By integrating venture planning with milestone-based practicum work, the curriculum helps students build confidence and momentum—developing the skills to validate opportunities, make sound decisions, and communicate effectively with customers, teammates, mentors, and investors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the program full-time or part-time?
The MS ENTRE is a full-time, cohort-based program.
How long is the program?
The program is completed in 12 months and includes four quarters (Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring).
Can students take electives?
While the program follows a lock-step sequence, students may be able to register for additional Foster MBA elective courses on a space-available basis.
Is there a capstone or final project?
Yes. The program culminates with participation in the Dempsey Startup Competition as part of the venture execution sequence.
Explore the Full MS ENTRE Curriculum
For detailed course descriptions and sequencing by quarter, view the full curriculum.