General provisions

The course is only available to students within contract education programmes at Master's level.

Entry requirements

A Bachelor's degree, equivalent to a Swedish degree of at least 180 credits. Proficiency in English. The course is only available to students within contract education programmes at Master level.

Learning outcomes

This course builds on the foundations of entrepreneurship to address a number of issues that are particularly important for the sustained growth of the new business venture. In simple terms, if and when participants have started their own firm, the course prepares them for running and growing it in the most effective manner.

Having completed the course, participants will have deepened their understanding of what it takes to successfully grow the start-up company. From a practical point of view, participants will know how to:

- Protect new business ideas by means of patents and trademarks.

- Overcome the challenges of commercializing technology-intensive products and services.

- Understand the structure and logic of venture capital.

- Estimate the value of new companies.

- Carry out successful negotiations.

- Deal with the organisational challenges of fast-growth firms.

- Plan and carry out acquisitions.

- Launch new ventures inside already established firms.

- Design an appealing and effective internationalisation strategy.

- Devise systems for continued entrepreneurship in the multinational firm.

Content

Although based on theory, conceptual frameworks, and empirical findings from entrepreneurship research and beyond, the course has a distinctly practical orientation. Particular emphasis is placed on developing the skills needed for taking the start-up firm through the growth stage and into maturity.

The main contents and core issues of the course include but are not necessarily limited to: Facts and figures about growing firms, patents and trademarks, the commercialisation of technology-intensive products and services, the structure and logic of venture capital, firm valuation, negotiations, managing the fast-growth firm, acquisitions, IPOs, corporate entrepreneurship, internationalisation, and managing entrepreneurship in the multinational corporation.

Instruction

Teaching involves a set of lectures, exercises, and case discussions. It may also involve extracurricular activities and guest lectures around the core topics of the course. The language of instruction is English.

Assessment

Examination takes the form of written assignments and individual or group presentations. The final grade of the course is determined after taking into consideration the different parts of the examination. Grading criteria are presented in the study guide provided at the start of the course.

Grades will be given in accordance with the Swedish grading system. The following grades will be used: VG (pass with distinction), G (pass), and U (fail). Assignments and exams handed in late will not be graded except in special circumstances. In addition, any remaining assignments and supplements must be completed and handed in by the deadline specified in the study guide otherwise the entire course (all assignments included) must be redone the next time the course is given, provided there is space in the course.

Uppsala University takes cheating and plagiarism seriously, and disciplinary action will be taken against any student suspected of being involved in any sort of cheating and/or plagiarism. The disciplinary actions take the form of warnings and limited suspensions.

NOTE: Only completed courses can be included in a degree.