Why study Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurial Engineering?
The goal of this one-year graduate program is to inspire entrepreneurial-minded science and engineering students to take leaderships roles in product design in large organizations and embark on new business ventures. The program includes an integrated curriculum, new venture creation projects, an innovation immersion module, and is taught by a blend of academic faculty and experienced entrepreneurs and investors from the private sector.
The M.S. in Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurial Engineering at USC is the only graduate program in the state of South Carolina that places a high premium on students with a strong technical background, blending technical and business skills in an entrepreneurial way.
Combining sound business analytics, a solid grounding in engineering principles and an understanding of technical viability, this program prepares students to evaluate the products and processes that influence current and future markets. Graduates of this program demonstrate knowledge in technology ideation, prototyping, business plan development, venture creation, legal protection, corporate innovation strategies and entrepreneurial practices.
"This was an incredible master's program that did well to inspire and teach entrepreneurship and innovation amongst engineers."
-Beth Mersha, M.S. in Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurial Engineering, 2020
Program of Study
This one-year graduate program prepares students in STEM fields with the skills needed to assess not only if a concept is technically viable but also how it would impact the corporate bottom line. Major components of the program include:
- 18 credits of required entrepreneurial engineering courses
- 6 credits of approved business elective courses
- 6 credits in the Entrepreneurial Laboratory course
- A comprehensive exam
The core curriculum is comprised of required entrepreneurial engineering courses. Many of these include new venture creation projects. Major subjects include:
- Cases in Technology Feasibility Analysis
- Legal Aspects of Engineering and Innovation
- Developing and Launching New Ventures in Science and Technology
- Management of Engineering Projects
- Innovation and New Venture Analysis
- Design and Manufacturing
Visit Graduate Handbooks and Curricula for additional detail.
Read more in the Graduate Bulletin
The Entrepreneurial Laboratory is generally completed during a summer term and carries six hours of course credit. This innovative immersion module provides a supervised experience in the field of technology innovation and engineering entrepreneurship.
- USC/Columbia Technology Incubator
- NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Site Program
- Darla Moore School of Business
- Faber Entrepreneurship Center
- Office of Economic Engagement
- South Carolina Small Business Development Center
- Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology
- South Carolina Launch Program
Who should apply?
The program provides a distinctive advantage for engineering and science students with both technical expertise and business acumen. In this program, you'll gain cutting-edge skills that will help qualify you for positions in fast-growing technology companies. This combined educational experience will increase your competitiveness in attaining technical, business development, consulting and leadership roles in early stage emerging ventures as well as established organizations that emphasize innovation.
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Admissions Process
All applications must be submitted to the Graduate School of the University of South Carolina. Admissions are competitive. The following criteria are generally expected, but not necessarily sufficient, for admission:
- Must hold a B.S. degree from an accredited program (or equivalent if from an international university) in engineering, computing, technology disciplines, or science, and must provide transcripts from the institution where the degree was obtained.
- A minimum undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0.
- International students are required to submit qualifying TOEFL or equivalent test score.
- Individuals may request a waiver of some of the above requirements (e.g., undergraduate GPA less than 3.0, or undergraduate degree not in engineering) and admission to the program if they provide sufficient evidence to the graduate program director that they have had compensatory industrial experience to warrant an exception.
- Qualified undergraduates may also enroll through the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Graduate plan.