Entrepreneurship (Peter Coates) MSc

Duration

1 Year

Location

Stoke-on-Trent campus

The Peter Coates MSc in Entrepreneurship is a unique programme. Stimulated and inspired by the relationship between the Peter Coates Foundation and Staffordshire University, the Peter Coates MSc in Entrepreneurship gives you the opportunity to develop a start-up idea into a sustainable, scalable and investable business.

The programme has been designed by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs and has been developed in association with the Peter Coates Foundation. The Peter Coates Foundation is providing full bursaries for those eligible - applicants must apply separately to the Foundation to access that funding.

Furthermore, at the culmination of the course, individuals or teams of graduates will be able to pitch for either a £20,000 growth grant – designed to support smaller businesses – or up to £200,000 equity investment in their business idea.  Successful individuals and teams will also get the opportunity for ongoing mentoring and start-up support, as part of the Peter Coates Fast Forward programme*.

* Note the Peter Coates Foundation is responsible for the Peter Coates Fast Forward Programme including the allocation of bursaries and potential investments, independent of Staffordshire University and the Peter Coates MSc in Entrepreneurship.

The MSc combines leading edge simulation-based teaching with the entrepreneurial spirit. This isn’t business taught out of a textbook, it’s business building from day one. You don't need to have a business idea, or even know what industry you need to work in - this can be developed over the duration of the course. Or,  if you do have an existing business idea or start-up, this could be the ideal environment to develop your ideas and realise your ambitions.

The course is designed to support you through your entrepreneurial journey. From understanding who you are, where your passions lie and how you might grow, to pitch decks, basic design skills and agile methodology that encourages you to fail fast.

Community and access to the startup ecosystem both regionally and across the UK are core pillars in the program. You’ll have access to your own dedicated startup space with cutting edge technical facilities and the course is filled with guest lecturers and teaching by entrepreneurs who’ve been there and done it.

Every module is practical and experiential. There isn’t a line between your course and your startup, you will work on your startup in every touch point with the University. Creating your own venture is at the heart of what this Masters is all about and the course is designed to equip you with the skills, knowledge, experience and networks to enable you to build your own business as you learn.

On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: MSc Entrepreneurship (Peter Coates)

Work placements

During the final semester of the MSc Entrepreneurship you will complete The Entrepreneurship Internship, which will entail developing your own venture, undertaking a placement in a start-up business or completing a project exploring potential opportunities in new markets. You will be able to choose the most suitable option depending on where you are on your entrepreneurship journey. 

The location of your placement/internship will depend on what sector you choose to work in and which business you would like to placed in. We have extensive links with a wide variety of businesses, but, as part of the course you will also be developing your own professional networks. Therefore, the location of your placement/internship is flexible and not pre-prescribed.

Information sessions

Our online events are short sessions where you'll have chance to meet course leaders, chat with other aspiring entrepreneurs, and get answers to your burning questions about this exciting course. Choose the date that works for you, and register for an event to find out more.

Course content

The Peter Coates MSc in Entrepreneurship is full time for one year, including a three month internship where you will have time and space to dedicate to your own venture, accessing all the support you need, when you need it.

The first modules give you the grounding in fundamental knowledge of who you are as an entrepreneur and the key concepts that enable you to experiment with your ideas in a safe and effective way.

The middle modules teach you skills in how to communicate your story with the world, and the foundational digital skills that empower you to build businesses yourself. You will also focus on venture creation with light touch teaching on financial planning, pitch deck creation and a crucial understanding of company structures, including investment and basic legal grounding.

Finally you’ll have time to focus 100% of your attention on your start-up where you will build on your connections with industry, advisors and investors.

Modules

The tables provide an indicative list of the modules that make up the course for the current academic year. Each module is worth a specified number of credits. Our teaching is informed by research, and modules change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline. We aim to ensure that all modules run as scheduled. If for any reason a module cannot be run we will advise you as soon as possible and will provide guidance on selecting an appropriate alternative module.

Entry requirements

An honours degree in a related area, typically 2:1 classification. However, experience relevant to your discipline area and potential to work at Masters level will also be considered when offering a place.

Language level must be at least IELTS 6-6.5 or equivalent. However, you’ll be considered if you have a level of fluency to meet the needs of the course.

Facilities

Visualisation and Simulation Area

This space comprises of a studio space for photogrammetry, indoor drone flying, and a variety of 3D scanners including the Faro S 70 and Mech Scan Macro

Careers

Learners graduating from this Masters will become entrepreneurs and will build their own start-ups. Upon completion of the course, you will be in a position to viably take your start-up forward, either through bootstrapped revenue growth or seed investment.

You will be equipped with skills that are highly suitable to start-up and small business environments in a range of sectors.

The Masters will provide you with direct experience working on your own venture and connections into the start-up ecosystem beyond the University. Beyond the course, there will be the opportunity to pitch for an exclusive investment accessed through the Foundation - targeted specifically at the most promising entrepreneurs from this programme.

All students have access to Career Connect, our dedicated careers team.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

Teaching on this programme has been designed to be stimulating, inspiring and supportive. You will be engaging in workshops, practical skills sessions, innovation challenges, live briefs, pitching exercises and seminars. You will be taking your ideas and developing them through experiential activities, simulations and immersive experiences with entrepreneurs.

You will also have access to our Virtual Learning Environments. This means you can access a range of materials to support your studies wherever you are and whenever works for your. This includes notes, recorded presentations, activities and discussion forums, where you can debate subjects with your tutors and fellow students. 

Assessment

During your course you will undertake two different types of assessments, informal assessments (also known as formative) and formal (also known as summative).  Your formative assessments are designed to enhance your engagement with the taught content of your modules and to prepare you for your summative assessments.  They also provide you with the opportunity to receive feedback on your progress.  Your summative assessments contribute towards your final grade and degree classification and will assess you based on the learning outcomes of your modules. 

Due to the practical and applied nature of this programme, your assessments are designed to align with and asses your entrepreneurial skill sets. Your summative assessments could include a combination or reflective assignments, design iteration learning logs, business model Canvas presentations, pitching exercises, business plans, technical skills portfolios and digital assets.

Learning support

Your course tutors will provide lots of support. But you can also take advantage of our Academic Skills team, who can help you with:

  • Study skills (including reading, note-taking and presentation skills)
  • Written English (including punctuation, grammar)
  • Academic writing (including how to reference)
  • Research skills
  • Critical thinking
  • Revision, assessment and exam skills (including time management)

Additional support

If you have additional needs like dyslexia or a sensory impairment, then our Student Inclusion Services are here to help make sure nothing stands in your way.

For each of your taught modules, you will have specific sessions delivered both on and off campus. These engaging and interactive sessions will enable you to benefit from the expertise of our teaching staff and our network of entrepreneurs. The sessions will also signpost you to supplementary resources to support the content of the module.

In addition to the module content, you will also be able to arrange online meetings with your tutors, mentors and technical experts, to review your progress on the course, to clarify content, to provide support and to receive feedback on your work.

Independent learning

In addition to your taught sessions, you will be provided with the resources, space and time to test, iterate and develop your ideas, design and create business assets, network, collaborate and complete your assignments. Much of this activity takes place outside of the taught seminars, workshops, practical sessions, tutorials and mentoring sessions, which are designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge to work independently.  

Timetables

The Peter Coates MSc in Entrepreneurship is designed to be practical, experiential and centred in the 'real world'. Therefore your learning experiences will vary throughout the programme, depending on what aspect of entrepreneurship you are experiencing. For example, in the first module you will have regular coaching and mentoring sessions alongside workshops, masterclasses and guest lectures to develop your entrepreneurial mindset. In other modules you will be visiting businesses, gaining technical skills through practical workshops, working on developing your own ideas and pitching your ideas to entrepreneurs. In your final module, you will be either developing your own venture, working in a start-up business or undertaking research to explore opportunities in new markets. Much like the world of business, no two weeks will be the same!

Staff

You will be taught by practitioner academics who have got both the lived experience of the business world as well as the academic qualifications, skills and experience to help you achieve the MSc Entrepreneurship. There will also be significant input throughout the course from external mentors, entrepreneurs, coaches, businesses and guest speakers to enable you direct access to expert networks and the start-up community.

Dr Laura Walton-Williams

Director Of Enterprise Edu Ass Professor

Laura has been a lecturer at Staffordshire University since 2004. Actively involved in research in forensic science, she also conducts consultancy in the examination of evidence of a biological origin. Laura's areas of expertise include DNA an…

Laura's profile

James Routledge

Entrepreneur in Residence, Founder at Sanctus

I'm James and I am an Entrepreneur in Residence - I'm a founder, creative, writer and community builder. 

James's profile

Fees

If you would like to know more about the fees listed and what this means to you then please get in touch with our Enquiries Team.

Alumni discount

If you've previously completed a University of Staffordshire undergraduate degree (excluding HND and foundation degrees) you may be entitled to a discount of up to 25% off your course fees for any subsequent postgraduate taught course (terms apply, see the alumni discount page for details). If you have any questions about how this relates to you, please contact feesandbursaries@staffs.ac.uk.

Included in tuition fees
Included in the fees:
  • External visits
  • Physical resources needed to prototype your ideas

As a Staffordshire University student, you’ll be entitled to a range of free software programs.

Not included in tuition fees
Not included in the fees:

Text books are available from the library and online, but you may choose to purchase your own copy.

  • Printing
  • Travel costs (including travelling to your placement/internship)
  • Any optional field trips
  • Costs associated with setting up a business (legal, business services, etc.) other than those provided throughout the course
Accommodation and living costs
Accommodation and living costs

Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees. 

For more information on accommodation and living costs, please see: Accommodation

Sources of financial support

Providing you are studying towards a full Masters qualification you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan of up to £11,570 to help with tuition fees, maintenance and other associated costs. Student loans are available for many of our postgraduate degrees and are provided by the Student Loans Company (SLC). The loan can cover a wide range of postgraduate study options; part-time, full-time and distance learning. 

For more information and how to apply visit masters loan.

Scholarships and additional funding

External bursaries are potentially available for applicants through the Peter Coates Foundation

Apply

Applications are not currently available for this course.

Rules and regulations

If you are offered a place at University of Staffordshire, your offer will be subject to our rules, regulations and enrolment conditions, which may vary from time to time.

Students of University of Staffordshire enter into a contract with us and are bound by these rules and regulations, which are subject to change. For more information, please see: University Policies and Regulations

Have you considered?

Business Administration MBA

Optional pathways in Finance, Marketing, Human Resource Management.

Study options
Full-time
Part-time
Placement year
January start
September start
in the UK for Quality Education

Sustainable Development Goal 4, Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024

for Career Prospects

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Facilities

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Social Inclusion

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023

of Research Impact is ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Very Considerable’

Research Excellence Framework 2021

of Research is “Internationally Excellent” or “World Leading”

Research Excellence Framework 2021

Four Star Rating

QS Star Ratings 2021